WINTER'S BONE by Daniel Woodrell

I ordered the dvd from Netflix and watched it on Sa 9/1/17. I had seen the film when it first came out several years ago, but knew it was worth another look. I wanted to read the book and I found that I could get it through Kindel at the library. I read the whole novel in two days and finished it on Su 8/3/17- Labor Day Weekend. The dialog and quirky expressions are truly one of a kind. I loved the crackling and provocative speech patterns. Many of the better lines were used in the film quoted directly from the novel.

From the book's description at Amazon-

"Ree Dolly's father, Jessup, has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. With two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost."

In the film Ree has a brother and sister, yet in the book she has two brothers. The book makes it clear that everyone believes (knows?) that Jessup had been killed, but I felt that the film kind of left that open. I believed that it was possible for the viewer to believe (for most of the film) that he might have been on the run, or even in some kind of witness protection program.

On Sunday night I watched a documentary called STRAY DOG. In the movie version of Winter's Bone the character of Thump Milton is played by a real person, Ronnie Hall. The documentary was about his life. He's a Harley riding proponent of veteran's rights. The film was about his life and how he travels on his cycle with him friends and Mexican wife to various rallies and observances around the country.

Jennifer Lawrence was tremendous in the film, and so was John Hawkes who played Ree's uncle, Teardrop. Many of the characters were played by people who lived in the area. The film was shot in remote Missouri near Branson, MO.

The film and the novel had almost a biblical or medieval feel. The setup was almost like a knight on a quest as in a classical fairy tale.

I would read anything by Daniel Woodrell and I might even check out Amazon to see what's available in the dollar or less rack- plus postage.