I saw this described somewhere as "hillbilly noir." How could I pass that up? 
 The writing took me by surprise. Descriptive prose is often described as lush, but here I would call it crisp instead. The language is simple, the words rarely more than two syllables. I thought it added an air of authenticity and made wintertime in the Ozarks feel even colder. 
 The dialogue also had some clever moments that made me laugh aloud. Woodrell's characters may be hillbillies, but they are not stupid. It's hard to review this book without mentioning what a great character Ree Dolly is, too. I'd heard about this beforehand, and was not disappointed. 
 Still, this is just a four star book for me because, honestly, the plot felt light. It was a slice of life that was both beautiful and brutal, but it left me wanting more. I feel greedy for admitting that.