The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter

On the weekend, I finished The Crazy Man, which is an absolutely must read by Pamela Porter(see earlier post for more info). It is set on the prairies in the recent past. A farm accident which injures Emaline, is the last straw for her father who destroys the dog whom he blames for the tragedy, and then walks away from his farm, his family, and a life that has been nothing but stife and stuggle. In order to survive, Emaline's mother gets help from the local insane asylum in the form of Angus, known to the town as the crazy man. A series of encounters with cruelty, ignorance and predjudice convince Emaline that crazy is very much a relative thing and that healing and friendship can be found in places where you never thought to look. So good. Strong characters, solid plot development, although I still question the structure. Free verse poetry did not really seem to me to be an essential vehicle to carry this story. Would love to hear what anyone else who has read this book thinks.