Monday, March 29, 2021

ANNIE AND THE WOLVES


 Annie and the Wolves, Andromeda Romano-Lax, Soho Press, 2021, 344 pp

When I discovered that Annie Oakley was a main character in this novel, I had to read it. Annie Oakley was a childhood heroine of mine. I never missed an episode of the TV series and for years when we played cowboys outside, I was Annie and my bike was my horse. I also had a cap gun and a holster.

Andromeda Romano-Lax is a trusted author for me and she maintained that trust in her latest novel. She creates wonderful flawed characters and her plots include history, mystery and a bit of psychology. In Annie and the Wolves she proved she can handle a dual timeline better than most.

The portrayal of Annie Oakley in the TV series certainly showed her as the phenomenal and fearless sharpshooter she was, but it provided little concerning the facts of her life. I was absorbed by the history Romano-Lax dug up, showing who Annie was, the abuse and trials she overcame as well as her passion for enabling women to protect themselves. 

The current timeline features Ruth McClintock, an historian whose obsession with Annie nearly derailed her career and her love life. Both Annie and Ruth suffered from residual and debilitating consequences of violent accidents, including out-of-body episodes that seemed strangely like time travel.

Exciting, thought-provoking, and a deep exploration of female revenge, this novel thrilled me to the core.

Here are links to my review of two earlier novels by this author:

The Spanish Bow

The Detour

16 comments:

  1. Sounds EXCELLENT [adding to Interest List]

    I can just imagine you on your bike - cap gun in hand! [lol]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me and my cap gun. Judy get your gun! How times have changed.

      Delete
  2. Just how do you find this great, quirky storylines. Sounds awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  3. my word! i didn't know she was a time traveler! that explains a lot...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And she learned it from a Native American elderly man.

      Delete
  4. Cap guns! That's not something I've seen since a wee little lass, I wonder if they even still make them! This novel sounds fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When I was raising my sons, I did not give them toy guns. Luckily there was no draft when they came of age so I did not have to see them go to war. The cowboy days are over but it was still fun to read about my heroine.

      Delete
  5. I am embarrassed to say that I have not heard of Annie Oakley. I will need to look her and this book up. Enjoyed reading your review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Athira, Annie Oakley was pretty much an American character of the Old West, but I am happy to share some of my heritage with you! There was a TV series, a couple movies, and even a stage show called Annie, Get Your Gun.

      Delete
  6. A child feminist. Of course you were!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This author has quite a name. I see she now lives on Van Island hmm. I need to know more about Annie Oakley but I can see where she be a hero of yours. I'm sure she would've been of mine too. Instead I went to Becky Thatcher day camp and later Bob Mathias camp. ha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I fell in love with her name before I even read her. I never went to day camp but I did get to go to overnight music camp one summer!

      Delete
  8. Sounds like a powerful read! I'll be adding to my ever growing reading wishlist!

    ReplyDelete