This book is phenomenal, it's full of so much description there's no doubt what is happening at every moment. The prose is well imagined and the characters all become real in time. Felt like taking a looking glass and seeing the freezing winterscape first hand or the barren landscapes in Saskatchewan. However I had issues with the abuse and the animal deaths, they were absolutely heartbreaking and kept thinking about Socks all night, that really affected me...but isn't that what an amazing book is meant to do? Make you think and believe it's all real and in the present? Because of Socks I'm only giving it 4stars...im heartbroken.