FRECKLES

FRECKLES by Gene Stratton-Porter was read with an online book group.

From Barnes & Noble:

Freckles (1904) by Gene Stratton Porter is the uplifting story of a plucky waif without a name and without one hand, disabled since infancy.  Raised in a Chicago orphanage, he survives abuse and harsh circumstances and grows up a brave, loyal, and hardworking young man with a true capacity for self-sacrifice.

Freckles becomes a timber guard in the Limberlost swamp in Indiana and exhibits extraordinary courage and resourcefulness on the job.  He also falls in love with the Swamp Angel, a young girl whose beauty and kindness bring out the best in others.

I can't say that I liked this book, but I didn't completely dislike it either.  The writing style was hard to follow at times, but maybe that was the way to write back in the early 1900's.  The story was simple and innocent.  I never felt any type of connection to the characters.  One thing  I did enjoy was the description of the swamp.  The author used a lot of color which made the swamp come alive.

I read different reviews of this book where it was called a favorite.  I'm not in that camp - this is a book I definitely wouldn't have chosen to read if not for this online group.