Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town — Little Wing — and are now coming into their own as husbands and fathers. One of them never left, still farming the family's land that's been tilled for generations. Others did leave, went farther afield to make good, with varying degrees of success; as a rock star, commodities trader, rodeo stud. And seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them—both then and now—fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of love songs and rivalries.

Now all four are home, in hopes of finding what could be real purchase in the world. The result is a shared memory only half-recreated, riddled with culture clashes between people who desperately wish to see themselves as the unified tribe they remember, but are confronted with how things have, in fact, changed.

There is conflict here between longtime buddies, between husbands and wives — told with writing that is, frankly, gut-wrenching, and even heartbreaking. But there is also hope, healing, and at times, even heroism. It is strong, American stuff, not at all afraid of showing that we can be good, too — not just fallible and compromising. Shotgun Lovesongs is a remarkable and uncompromising saga that explores the age-old question of whether or not you can ever truly come home again — and the kind of steely faith and love returning requires.

Reader Reviews

Jennifer

(5/5)

Nov 25, 2024

My first 5 star novel of 2019.This book was exquisite. Well-rounded, highly developed characters. Exploring the depths of friendships, home, family, forgiveness, and our "place" in the world, this novel was a stand-out. I think it would be appreciated by those who have enjoyed Anna Quindlen and Elizabeth Strout's work.

Jon Grice

(3/5)

I guess I read Nickolas Butler's books in kind of a roundabout way. I started with The Hearts of Men and then read Little Faith, his most recent novel. I love his writing style, and THE HEARTS OF MEN will most likely be my favorite read of 2020. So, now I just finished Butler's debut novel, SHOTGUN LOVESONGS. It was trademark Butler, with richly drawn characters and small town happenings, but it did have the feel of a first novel to me. I think he really grew as a writer from this point on. I gr...

Greg

This is apparently a novel about the musician who is known as Bon Iver. I've heard a few songs by Bon Iver before, but I know very little about him (yeah I know he has a real name, and maybe Bon Iver is the name of the whole project). I'm not a fan. I'm probably not the intended audience for this book. If I were a fan, or even mildly interested in Bon Iver I'd probably find the book interesting despite it's flaws. Where to start this review?The novel takes place in a small Wisconsin town, the ho...

Kelley

(2/5)

"It's a [book] like hundreds of others, nothing special, really." I got halfway through this audiobook, thinking about abandoning it several times along the way, but feeling like I should finish it since I won it in a GR first reads giveaway. Then it occurred to me that I'm going to die someday and that I should move on to a good book. I'm giving my review based on what I've noticed of the first half of the audiobook.So, this is the story of a bunch of guys in their 30s who grew up together in r...

Shelleyrae at Book'd Out

(4/5)

Set in rural Wisconsin, Shotgun Lovesongs tells the story of four men, and one woman, renegotiating the meaning of friendship, love and home.Five characters share the narrative in alternating chapters. Hank - who inherited his father's farm, Beth - Hank's wife, Lee - an international music artist, Kip - a successful broker and Ronny -an injured rodeo star. These people speak and we think that we know them, who they are and what they dream of, but each are capable of surprising us as the story un...

Rebecca

(4.5) Four childhood friends from Little Wing, Wisconsin; four weddings but no funeral – though there are a couple of close calls along the way. Which bonds will last, and which will be strained to the breaking point?Henry is the family man, a dairy farmer who married his college sweetheart, Beth, and has two kids. Lee is a musician, the closest thing to a rock star that Little Wing will ever produce. He became famous for Shotgun Lovesongs, a bestselling album he recorded by himself in a refurbi...

Alena

Sometimes you begin reading a book and it immediately feels comfortable, like slipping into an old sweater on a cool day. That’s what I felt reading Nickolas Butler. Even though I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and not small-town Wisconsin, I knew the Midwestern feel of this novel down to my bones. I knew the speech patterns, the sense of both belongingness and isolation. I knew these people."These men, these men who have known one another their entire lives. These men who were all born in the s...

Jay

Shotgun Lovesongs By Nickolas ButlerAn Eau Claire author (where I’m from) has hit the BIG time. We’re talking huge here people. Author Nickolas Butler was fought over by high-brow publishing houses and walked away with an amazing contract. Movie rights are sold as well. Why? Because his debut novel hits home—hits you where you live. Breaks your heart. You want to read it now, don’t you? You will. The premise is simple and timeless and very Big Chill-like, (ask your mom) what is refreshing

Mish

The book is set in a country town of Wisconsin called Little Wing. It’s a story of 5 close friends who were born and raised in this small country town who’s friendship is slowly drifting in different direction as they reach their mid 30’s. Trying to keep the close bond intact, as well as getting through obstacle that life throws at you, has proven to be challenging.Prior to reading this book, I had found out that the lead singer of Bon Iver, Justin Vernon, was the inspiration for one of the main...

Libby - On gardening hiatus

With beautiful and at times poetic prose, Nickolas Butler shares the landscape of love won and lost among friends that grew up together. I listened to this as a gorgeous audio, the voices dripping with authenticity. Kip is the boy with numbers in his head who grows into the man who instinctively knows how to go about making money. Ronny is the rodeo hero who was the high school homecoming king; his biggest flaw is not knowing when to quit drinking; his greatest virtue, the loyalty of a true frie...

Kelly (and the Book Boar)

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/ARC received from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley!!!!!The story of four childhood friends (and one wife), their marriages and divorces, successes and failures, as they attempt to navigate their way through their early 30s.Until the day I started reading Shotgun Lovesongs, I had no idea the story was inspired by the author’s friendship with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame. In all honesty, the book got bumped ahead of some others on the TB...

Zoeytron

I am a sucker for novels set in small towns. In this story, we drop in on Little Wing, Wisconsin. Loved the image of the old men sitting in front of the mill passing the time of day and smelling of cheap cologne and halitosis. The old VFW hall constructed of old painted cinder blocks was right on, as was the ancient mahogany bar inside and the requisite oversized jar of pickled eggs. Really liked the comparison of the barren perfection of Kip & Felicia's house to Henry & Beth's home, a place wel...

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Shotgun Lovesongs

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Little Faith

The Hearts of Men

A Book on the Table: Flash Fiction

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Reader Reviews