Hunter’s Horn PS3501.R64 H86 1997
I recently read the Appalachian classic Hunter’s Horn by Harriet Arnow. I was blown away by her characterization and rich prose. At first, the text looks intimidating because the font is smaller than standard and at 600+ pages, it appears so dense as to be impenetrable. In addition, many readers are put off by her phonetic spellings of Appalachian dialect. However, the effort is worth it. She writes from the close third person perspective, and unlike The Dollmaker, which is primarily from Gertie’s point of view, this novel allows us to sympathize with its three main characters: Nunn, Milly, and Suze. It is a powerful commentary on the political and social climate that transcends its Appalachian setting. In fact, I’ve been calling Arnow the female Mountain Steinbech.
