Ree Dolly has to track down her father before her family loses their home. Ree Dolly is sixteen year's old and a warrior woman in the making. With her dad Jessup gone missing yet again, her younger brothers in need of parenting an stability, and her mother suffering from mental and physical illness, Ree's hands are full.
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The town has over two hundred Dolly's and they are a tight knit bunch. Meth labs provides luxury life in the mountains for some of the family, while other Dolly's like Ree live an impoverished existence. Ree scolds her baby brother for suggesting they “ask” for the venison hanging all around them but not belonging to their household. Ree berates her brother for even suggestion they “ask” for something that should be offered. They eat another bowl of oatmeal without sugar or butter. The only food in the house.
The sheriff stops by to tell Ree that her dad has left town on bond. He put up the house Ree's mother inherited. It's dilapidated and in absolute ill repair. If she loses the house as pitiful as it is, her the boys will be split up and who knows what would happen to her mother.
Ree tells the sheriff that she will find her father. She is suffering enough and does not need the added stress. Cousins stop by bringing meat and provisioning. The boys haven't had meat for some time. They also wanted to know why the sheriff was visiting. A whisper of concern maybe for the meth business taking place. Ree is straight up with her answer that, “ He has a court date next week.”
Ree gets manhandled by her grandfather and Uncle Tear Drop. The men are dangerous and deadly. The word in the hills is that Ree better keep her mouth shut about the family business if she wants to stay alive.
With the help of her best friend Gail she starts looking for Jessup. The search is no small undertaking. Ree is threatened by Dolly's male and female and is beaten to the pulp by three women from another clan under orders that she is putting their crew at risk for being arrested.
These women however, know that Jessup is dead and decided to take Ree to his body. She needs proof of his death for the law, in order to keep family home. His frozen hands are severed from his body with a chain saw one of the women brought along. Ree is grief stricken and half-dead herself and can't bring herself to do it. The hands are turned over to the sheriff who sends them in for forensic tests.
The prints match Jessup's. Uncle Teardrop resurfaces with a bag of money for Ree left by a scared meth dealer. She and her family keep the house and she puts off her dream of the army and world travel to raise her brothers a bit more.
Best part of story, including ending:
I liked the story Ree was a special kid.
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene was when when Dolly's brought food over to Ree's family.
Opinion about the main character:
I disliked that Ree wasn't better able to stand up to her bullying uncle's.
