Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman is a wonderful western with a main character that is brave and desperate for vengeance and a theme that is fairly common, but with a western twist. This is the perfect book to introduce you to the western genre.
Series: Vengeance Road #1
Author: Erin Bowman
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Genres: Western, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
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Series Rating:
When her father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, eighteen year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers--and justice. In the spirit of "True Grit"," "acclaimed young adult novelist Erin Bowman brings to life the unpredictable and cutthroat days of the Wild West.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman
❀ A Western Story
I really enjoyed the genre of this story. It is a western, which I have never read before. This book was definitely a good start to the western genre for me, because it’s got everything that I would associate with the wild west: gold, pistols, horses, saloons, everything. Even the dialect is western, y’all!
❀ Wonderful Main Character
Kate is such a wonderful main character for Vengeance Road. She is brave and loyal to her father, desperate to get her revenge after he is killed. In the time period of this book, women weren’t taken very seriously, and neither is Kate. So, she dresses up as a boy to complete her mission, which works out pretty well for her. She isn’t a big fan of constricting dresses and having to please men anyways. Kate is just so adventurous and the perfect character for a book like Vengeance Road.
❀ Theme of Vengeance
One of the big themes in the book is, or course, vengeance. I am a big fan of books that have to do with vengeance and revenge, and boy does this one have a lot of it. What is interesting about this book is that Kate is actually angry for a good reason. In many other YA books, revenge stories are about girls getting back at their ex-boyfriends just because they can. But in Vengeance Road, it is understandable that Kate is angry and upset about her father’s murder and wants her vengeance. I really appreciated this fact, because it makes the book more realistic.
❀ Unique Genre
Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman is definitely one of the highlights of 2015 with its unique genre, valiant main character and entertaining theme. I strongly recommend this amazing book to everyone, even if you aren’t a western fan. You will become one after you read this book. Vengeance Road will honestly change your life.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.