Comment

Aug 27, 2015wyenotgo rated this title 1.5 out of 5 stars
Given the enormous reputation of the author and of this book in particular, I found it diappointing. Certainly, the imagery and lyricism are outstanding; so as a book of prose it sits at the head of the class. And Mitchell's portrayal of the socially oppressive environment of a prairie town rang true -- perhaps a Western variant of Davies' Deptford with all its local petty tyrants and their victims. But that failed to make it an enjoyable story -- in fact there's not much story at all, just a set of character studies. Mitchell goes to great lengths to make his main character real and appealing but in the end he's just an overly-sensitive child whose fancies appear to spring from his Irish ancestry. The other characters are mostly archetypes -- the aging schoolteacher posing as a philosopher, the frustrated younger teacher who can't get her love life sorted out, the town drunk/bootlegger, Mrs Abercrombie the tryannical self-appointed arbiter of social standing. Apart from the outrageous madman Saint Sammy, we've met them all before in small towns. To sum up: A beautifully written book about not very much.