Book Review: The Call of the Canyon by Zane Grey

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Carley Burch, a beautiful young woman, must leave her glamorous high-society life of New York to follow her fiance, Glenn Kilbourne, to the rugged Wild West. She braves fierce ruffians, brutal elements, and lack of civilization in an attempt to reclaim him. 

Glenn, suffering from shell shock and the betrayal of his country following World War I, had moved west to recover. He fell in love with the West, his perspective on life was changed forever, and now he finds his previous high-society life repulsive. 

Can Carley adapt to the rigorous life of Glenn's West? Or will she be able to convince him to return to his "home" in New York?

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Full of probing questions, this story thrills the soul, and quickens the blood as few stories do.

On the surface it might seem a little outdated - a dress that shows the knees? How scandalous! I had to laugh a bit there - however, dig a little deeper and I think on the whole the story is shockingly relevant.  The horrible effects of war? We don't need to go any other place in history besides our own to see leaders and men thirsting for the spoils. Glenn is a veteran of WWI, but while he and his fellow soldiers heroism and subsequent plight are variously applauded and pitied, no soft words are given to those who grow rich on strife.

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Luxury and the whirl of pleasure vs. honest work and a sincere appreciation for family... The world may not be "jazz mad" today, but who doesn't find social media's vision of picture perfect lifestyles and 'no strings attached adventure living', just a whee bit enticing? As for family... I'm extremely wary about the glorification of the family unit as "THE WAY TO SAVE THE WORRRLD!", but let's face it, family ties and morals just aren't what they used to be; however, in COTC, the family is viewed as a symbol of ALL honest ties. So experiencing the story's view on the struggles of its own time, with a look to a healthy future, the reader gets a good dose of that reality.

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And now for the question which we have all been waiting for with bated breath, THE ROMANCE. Glenn and Carley are engaged practically from beginning to end, and, for Carley at least, there is no question of there being any other for her. Their relationship, naturally, has a good dose of good 'ol romance, but so that the course of true love might run smooth, they find they must fall back on their rock solid friendship and understanding of one another, and that my friends, is a beautiful thing to see. 

                     Great moral questions to heart tingling moments of romance, all I can finish with is...                   IS THIS EVER ONE HUMDINGER OF A STORY!!!!!