LitPick Review
William Sheppard is fourteen when he snaps. He grabs a kitchen knife and stabs his abusive, alcoholic father. His father survives the attack, but Will is shipped off to Swope Ranch, a boys' reformatory in the mountains of Colorado. Once there, the boys break wild horses and Swope breaks the boys. Swope is no better than , and in many ways worse , than the abusive home that Will left. There is one big difference, though. Will has friends. As long as he has his friends, Will can survive the wild horses, bullying boys, and dangerous guards.
Opinion:
This book is an intense read. Written memoir-style, it portrays all the violence, rape, and abuse in Will's life in stark detail. Nothing is left untouched. It is matter-of-fact in the portrayal of all his experiences. It is a book that one could easily get sucked into but, as a reader, it is vital not to because of the amount of violence and danger in the story. It was a good read and one that I might recommend, albeit cautiously.
