Customer Reviews

The Friends of Meager Fortune

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is sad - and infuriating. How can people be so shallow; how can things stack up so badly for such good people. Richards, once again, has his heroes misjudged by those who should know them best. This book, although at times awkward to read, is a strong story of revenge and spite. It reminded me a little of Jude the Obscure for some reason. Mr. Richards is an excellent writer.

The Friends of Meager Fortune has a good overall plot, which will keep you interested if you can get past the first 200 pages. The first half is, well, boring and has insufficient plot development. There are such long descriptions of the difficulties in New Brunswick forestry it makes you want to shout, "Ok, I get it!" The sentence structure is frequently awkward and slows the reader.

That said, the story gets better in the latter sections and Richards does a great job of describing the end of an era of manual forestry. The final scene on the last logging day is riveting.

I could not put this book down. The plot keeps moving and twisting and creates much anticipation in the reader for what lies around the next turn - sometimes bordering on urgency and desperation. The characters are well-developed and realistic. You will really experience deep emotional reactions, whether to the peril and plight of the brave and innocent, or to the insults and injuries wreaked by the cowardly and wicked. Even the horses in the story are characters and heroes. This story is richly woven of so many different threads - survival in the wilderness and brutal weather; the small town rumor-mill; human jealousy, envy and pettiness; a case of mistaken identity; an innocent man wrongly accused; courtroom drama; family ties, loyalty and treachery. Truly one of the greatest novels I have ever read. Please do yourself a favour and read one of the most unforgettable stories ever written.

The author is very good at developing an excellent story about different characters within a town and how tragic life can be. I read two of his books in a row and found that it was too much tragidy for me at once. I will read more of his books.

The "Friends of Meager Fortune" is a good example of why a good editor would be appreciated by the reader. Richards has assembled some very interesting characters, situations and placed them in a dramatic setting, which should offer an fast paced and exciting story. Unfortunately the storyteller labours over the more mundane background events and seems to ignore the larger more interesting tale. I found it a frustrating experience and only read 2/3rds of the book.