Ratings22
Average rating4.4
A personal narrative told by a young Irish man who joins the US Army mid 19th century, and lives through the war on Indians and the American Civil War. There's adventures, acts of immense cruelty, grappling with consequences and authority, yet foremost there's a lot of heart, friendship and loyalty.
The writing style is unique, it's conversational, as spoken out loud without proper grammar, and it's lyrical and simple. Somehow the style made me drift off often, and then when I went, more attentively, to reread passages I had missed, I often discovered the beauty in the detail. There's something in the simplicity of the words and expressions used, that puts more weight on the sentiments the narrator communicates.
I was very moved by the bond between the main characters and their little make-shift family, and definitely would have liked to spend more time with them.