The story is short and interesting enough to make it a quick read. Even if he’s not sure that this is the best thing for her. While the Captain takes Johannah on a dangerous journey across the state to her closest living relatives, he must also help her re-learn English and re-acclimatize to Western life. Recently reclaimed from the Kiowa Indians, this ten-year-ld has spent four years with the Kiowas and remembers nothing of her former life. The Captain is a messenger, bringing news from places that seem imaginary to the people of Texas, like London or India.Įarly on in the novel the Captain is given something else to deliver: a girl. The Captain is likeable and charismatic and Jiles sets the scene well, both in terms of Texas and the characters the Captain encounters. Jiles uses the sheer novelty of such a way to make a living in order to capture the reader’s attention. In our world of instant information it’s difficult to imagine crowds gathering to listen to an old man read from week-old newspapers. Captain Kidd – a veteran of two wars and a witness of more – travels from town to town and reads the news. Information spreads slowly and divides run deep and dangerous. In post-Civil War Texas, the world is still a rough and lawless place. News of the World – Paulette Jiles (William Morrow,2016)
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