One Shot Book Review

Last year I was lucky enough that Barrington Stoke sent me a copy of a very poignant book, One Shot by award winning author Tanya Landman. I've impatiently held off writing my review but this incredible story is being released this week (finally) so I feel like I can now share my thoughts with all of you.

After the death of her beloved father, Maggie and her family are thrown into a life of destitution. With little income and no way to live off their poor land. Maggie tries to provide for her family the way her father always had - with his hunting rifle and whatever animals the forest would provide. But when her mother is confronted with her "unladylike" behaviour, she abandons Maggie to a life of unthinkable cruelty and abuse. With no one to care for her and only the hope of escape, all Maggie can do is survive.

The blurb alone is powerful!

I'd originally requested to review this book as I though my eldest two daughters would really enjoy the story but I felt utterly compelled to read it myself.

The first chapter introduces to Maggie (who is the youngest of four siblings) the main protagonist. From the beginning you get know that she is/was very much a daddy's girl due to the fact that her Ma was unable to look after her when she was born.

Pa and I understood each other. Our souls were cut from the same cloth.

Unfortunately the distance between Maggie and her mother proved their undoing when Maggie's father died from unfortunate circumstances and from that moment on (at 8 years old) all Maggie could think was that she needed to survive.

Now what you might not already know is that this novella was inspired by the life of infamous sharpshooter Annie Oakley.

This is quite the tale, inspiring I fear would be an understatement.

Since reading it myself and then sharing with my eldest, we've come to discover that it resonates unbelievably well with quite a wide audience, most definitely fitting into the YA genre that is proving more and more popular with readers.

And then it was just me. And my gun. And the target.

What Tanya has created is a short story with an abundance of depth and that's something extremely hard to do.

There are some upsetting, dark moments that deal with the subjects of abuse and neglect but what is noted so well is all of the emotions that come with this sort of suffering.

One Shot isn't just telling a story, it's portraying many messages, ones of resilience, determination and certainly one that can give everyone the feeling that they too can achieve anything if they really want to.

By the end of the book, I was left feeling uplifted, filled with hope.

This is definitely a tale that I will be saving for my youngest daughters to read as I think they will benefit from the words that they will one day read.