A Review of Glen Copper’s Book
By Janet Hilliker
What are you looking for in a good novel? There must be an intriguing plot, some exciting events, an unusual environment, creative use of language, and well-developed, relatable characters. During the plot of the novel, at least some of the characters must experience challenges and personal growth.
I admit that at first I was intimidated by the length of Glen’s novel; my paperback version tops out at 963 pages. What a long novel needs is a strongly engaging main character, which Glen has given us in Scott Rankin. When we first meet Scott, he stutters, is completely naive about sex (as is typical of younger teens), is bullied, has an oversensitive digestive tract, and is dedicated to becoming a priest. It’s not a spoiler to say that Scott learns and grows tremendously through the course of the book. He is deeply attached to his fascinating family members, with so much variety among the sisters, grandparents, and other characters that I ended up creating a family tree to keep track.
It’s hard to say enough positive things about the setting of this novel. Over its length, set in the early 1960’s, we learn about the history of LaCrosse and environs, the geology of the Mississippi River, urban renewal in Chicago, rural life near Black River Falls, Wisconsin, and the Ho Chunk Native American culture. As a transplant to the bluff country, I was particularly enthralled by the vivid descriptions of marshes, rocks, high bluffs along the Mississippi, and plant and animal life in the area. Scott lives in public housing and attends a Catholic school, providing some provocative glimpses of small city culture. As an Amtrak fan, my attention was also caught by the key part that trains play in the travel and commerce of this region. In this section of the book, Scott briefly makes a new friend who is Ho Chunk.
The dizzying sequences of events, both comic and tragic, kept my interest throughout the book. The portion set in Chicago takes place in a historic hotel which is scheduled to be demolished, where Scott lives for a while with his great uncle. All Scott’s plans for life seem to be changing; he has a girlfriend, he tries to reconnect with his father, and he helps with his uncle’s law business.
The various secrets in this novel only begin to emerge when Scott is forced to leave Chicago. Isolated in the deep woods of Wisconsin, he and his girlfriend adapt to a difficult life (like having a weasel bite your toe) and discover an amazing hidden relic. I won’t try to spoil the ending, but many loose ends are finally tied up.
Although this is clearly a teenage coming-of-age book, I feel that it is really an adult novel. I feel that only the most mature teens would handle some of the challenging plot elements. We could compare reading it to “Huckleberry Finn.” My respect for Glen and his writing ability has certainly been solidified by reading his novel. I hope that more Friends — and friends of Friends — will enjoy discovering the creativity and skills within this book.