Book: Let Him Go by Larry Watson

Another beautiful small novel by Larry Watson. Writing like this is reason to read fiction.

The year is 1951; the setting is western North Dakota and eastern Montana. George and Margaret Blackledge live in Dalton, MD. They had twins: a daughter Janie and a son James. James dies in a freak accident while riding his horse. He leaves Lorna, his young wife now a widow, and Jimmy, his young child. They both live with George and Margaret for awhile after the accident, but Lorna then remarries and moves away from Dalton.

The problem is that the man she marries is part of a rogue clan, ruled by a fierce matriarch, living on the edges of the law in the badlands near Gladstone, Montana. Margaret has a powerful consuming need to rescue her grandson, with or without the help of George, who finally agrees (reluctantly) to accompany her. They have not much in the way of a plan or resources, but Margaret's commitment to her little grandson is also fierce. So they start out.

"Margaret twists the dial back and forth until she finds a program out of Glasgow--a swap shop that comes in as clear as a meadowlark's call. They shake their heads over the caller who has a pair of salt and pepper shakers for sale--fully loaded, he says--and they smile at the caller who wants to buy a scythe because his grass got away from him over the summer."

When they arrive in Gladstone, they arrange to meet Lorna in town to try to persuade her to come away with them.

"I told her she could come back and live with us Her and Jimmy. Like before. I don't think she'll do it, but last night when I saw her standing at Donnie's side, she didn't look none too happy. And how could she be--with that big baby for  husband? Living in that house with those wooly-headed louts lurking. And that harpy residing over the castle. I had to say something."

They are invited to visit Blanche and her gang and have dinner, and while Margaret gets to see and hold Jimmy, the tension escalates and nothing is resolved. They drive back to town, frustrated, George always the voice of reason, the devil's advocate to Margaret's plan.

"But if George's assumption was that someone from the motel office would appear in the doorway, he was wrong, and before he can push the door closed--an effort that would have been futile anyway, considering what his pushing strength would have been matched against--four Weboys have shouldered and shoved their way into Cabin Number Eight of the Prairie View Motor Court."

Again, this little story is complete and definitely worthy of reading. Watson writes much like Kent Haruf. Both authors take just enough that they can handle and illuminate a small space of characters and place with an exquisite and subtle light.