I was really looking forward to loving this book, but I was so disappointed. The concept was great – a small gang of women who come together as outlaws after the Civil War and commit robberies across Colorado. The women are a former slave, a titled woman from England, and an aspiring travel writer who is making her way in the West. The women must pretend to be men, live rough, and take care of each other and themselves.
I was also anticipating enjoying the methods the author used – fictionalized materials stylized as interviews of the former slave decades later as part of the WPA Writer's Project, diaries, and "reproductions" of newspaper articles about the hold-ups.
After about seventy pages or so, I felt completely bogged down by the format of mixed materials. Additionally, the book was literally difficult to read, with everything but the reproduction newspaper articles set in a light, thin sans serif typeface. I just can't understand what the book designer was thinking – there is a reason why this review is in a serif font – it's so much easier to read.
I'm sorry to say that the book, that I waited weeks for as an interlibrary loan went back today. I tried, I really did, but with so many others on my list, I no longer feel compelled to keep reading something that doesn't grab me and make me want to keep reading.
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