In Butler’s debut novel, we find the tale of a small town
called Little Wing in rural Wisconsin.
The story is told by a group of life-long friends and alternates between
five points of view: Hank (the nice guy who stayed to take over the family
farm), Lee (the now ridiculously successful rock star who always comes back to
Wisconsin to recharge), Kip (the friend who never really felt at home in Little
Wing who has now moved back from Chicago in an attempt to resurrect a decrepit
local business), Ronny (a former professional rodeo who is now a bit slower
than normal after an unfortunate alcohol induced accident) and Beth (Hank’s
wife and friend to Lee, Kip and Ronny). As
the book unfolds, we find that Lee has returned home early from an
international tour in order to sing at Kip’s wedding. But old habits die hard and soon the group of
friends is wondering why they were ever close to begin with.
Shotgun Lovesongs
is as much a love song in honor of Wisconsin as it is a tale of friends who
struggle to stay close years after they go their separate ways in life. Descriptions of the land and seasons connect
all of the stories in a way that almost makes the thread appear stronger than
the fabric it is sewn onto. Butler’s
love for Wisconsin is clearly channeled through that of Lee’s character; his
prose lush and inviting. A longtime fan
of Kent Haruf’s depictions of small town life in the Colorado plains, this book
invoked for me a similar heartfelt ode to Wisconsin in its treatment of people
and place. Those looking for a book
about life in a small Midwestern town or even a story about life-long friends
will find plenty to enjoy in Wisconsin novelist Nickolas Butler’s Shotgun Lovesongs.
