06 Nov Book Review: Red in Tooth and Claw
Red in Tooth and Claw
by Lish McBride
Faolan Kelly is all alone now. With Pops gone, there is nothing tying her to the community of New Retienne anymore. However, even if this community means nothing to her, Pops’ land is still hers, not the sleazy Mayor Eustace Clarke’s. Unfortunately, she is months away from turning eighteen, and thus gaining the rights to the deed of the land. The only way to guarantee that the deed stays hers is to continue as she has been—dressing as the young Mr. Kelly that New Retienne knows her as and going along with the town’s plan to ship her away to The Settlement.
The Settlement, seemingly a holy community blessed by a prophet, is not at all what it seems. Faolan hates this community and doesn’t believe in their Shining God, but she must play pretend and survive until her eighteenth birthday comes.
Red In Tooth And Claw absolutely drips with atmosphere. From the very beginning, you get a great sense of the way Faolan has been raised and how that affects her view of the people around her. Her grandfather, known as “Pops” throughout the book, really instilled in her an independence that most girls her age don’t have—especially considering the time period this book takes place in. The way characters talk is so unique, calling back to old westerns and reminding me of the way some of my own family speaks.
I highly recommend Red In Tooth And Claw to anyone who wants to give this dark western a try!
I rate this book 8/10!
– written by Ajax T, Teen Central Library Assistant
