Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell Ree Dolly is only 16, yet is responsible for her 2 younger brothers and her “crazy” mother. Her father, has left, eluding the law because of charges of running a crystal meth lab. Ree sets out to find him in order to save the family home, which will be lost if he does not show in court. Ree’s perseverance is inspiring. Family loyalties are stronger than strong. Set in the Missouri Ozarks, Winter’s Bone is beautifully descriptive, while the subject matter is depressing. I appreciated the author’s style of writing, although I found the story to be a downer. The most uplifting part is Dee’s devotion to raising her brothers. I grew up in Missouri near the Ozarks and went to college in the Ozarks, but was not aware of the life style portrayed in this novel. It does give an interesting picture of life on the edge and what it takes for some to survive. There is a carrot of hope toward the end. And author Daniel Woodrell has a writing style that dances images across the page. I would not recommend this title to the faint of heart, however if you want a well written novel about poverty, meth lab culture, Ozarkian life, give it a try. There is also, a movie by the same title based on this novel.