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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Multiple killings and Gold Rush violence; one very graphic injury scene
Language
A lot
Strong language throughout in the Western tradition
Sexual Content
Barely any
Minimal sexual content
Substance Use
Some
Significant drinking in the period setting; some opium use
Emotional Intensity
Some
Eli's slow moral awakening — and what he does about it — gives the novel its psychological core
What this book is about
Patrick deWitt's darkly comic Western follows Eli and Charlie Sisters, assassins for hire, as they ride to San Francisco to kill a man called Warm. The novel is narrated by Eli, who is increasingly questioning the life they lead. deWitt writes violence with deadpan humor and genuine humanity — the Gold Rush carnage is absurd and real at the same time. One of the most distinctive American novels of the 2010s. Violence is significant; language is strong.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Multiple killings and graphic violence
Strong language throughout
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