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A traditional bildungsroman is about the journey of a boy towards becoming a man. The News of the World is a bildungsroman in reverse - an old and cynical man finding his way back to hope, love and family. Paulette Jiles is the rare author who manages to make an emotionally resonant and touching novel work without ever resorting to mawkishness or forced sentimentality.
At the heart of this brilliant novel and one of my favourite reads of the year is the wonderful relationship between Jefferson Kyle Kidd and the Kiowa captive - Johanna. After spending 4 years away from her family she has forgotten how to be a westerner and Jiles asks us, in her subtle and rather beautiful way whether that might not be such a bad thing after all? This is a novel with a great story but unplumbed layers of narrative depth. Jiles is now and forever one of my favourite authors. Highly recommended.
(P. S - If I could go back in time I would ask Eastwood to direct a movie version with him as Jefferson Kidd and a young Dakota Fanning as Johanna. That would be a great movie to watch. )