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The Storm Testament by Lee Nelson

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Brief synopsis (no spoilers): Wanted by Missouri law for his revenge on mob leader Dick Boggs in 1839, 15-year-old Dan Storm flees to the Rocky Mountains with his friend, Ike, and escaped slave.

Category: YA, historical

Why I chose this book: Recommended by husband's family

My personal opinion (the review): This is not a book I would have picked up on my own without a recommendation from family members. I don't tend to enjoy Western/living out in the mountains/rugged survival books. To me the descriptions of being in the wild trapping and hunting animals was boring. The book seemed to wander aimlessly as Dan would start traveling with one companion and something would happen and he'd end up traveling with someone new. There wasn't any gory details, but some things do get kind of graphic (spoiler: think sawing a horse carcass in half, eating innards of different animals, talk of scalping and other bodily torture.) Overall, not my cup of tea, but I can see how a teenage version of my husband and his brothers would have enjoyed reading it. 

Warnings
Language: None
Violence: Lots 
"Adult" situations: None specifically stated (there is one instance that skirts around potential rape)
Death: Yes

Movie rating equivalent:PG-13

Protagonist description: I found Dan impetuous, young, and annoying. I felt frustrated that he lacked purpose and just wandered aimlessly. Though his knowledge of outdoor skills was good he was always looking for someone else to guide him/take the lead.  

Point of view of story: First

 Book length: Medium

Story flow:Mostly linear (Beginning scene is from middle of story, but he goes back and starts at beginning and comes to that point)

Grammar and spelling issues: A few Indian names

Character connection (no spoilers): None

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