Bo's Reviews > Man & Beast

Natty Bumpo Beware

I spent a good portion of my pre-10-year-old life in the library consuming James Fennimore Cooper's novels of the early American frontier, i.e., the northeastern U.S. Never did he capture the violence, hardships, weakness of character and sheer doggedness of the character of John Chapman, hero of this book and one of the great MM historical fiction characters I have encountered.

Make no mistake: This one has some serious violence, some incredible stupidity, unbelievable bigotry and cruelty, and much despair. But through it author Michael Jensen has developed John Chapman into a semi schizophrenic, desperate survivor who discovers, quite by accident, that his life is being shaped by the loves he has lost.

That part of his character is "John" and the other is "Chapman" is a serious author's trick that works to propel this one toward an exceptional conclusion. But the additional characters of a man who calls himself Daniel, a woman named Gwennie, and two young men named Palmer and Thomas are also brilliantly developed to a point that--with one exception--we are drawn in as a member of the family.

This one takes time to get through because it takes your breath up to your throat at times, and that's a good thing when it comes time for you to exhale. Wow.