Rabbit Foot Bill by Helen Humphreys was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. This is a historical fiction, inspired by a true story that took place in Saskatchewan in the 1940’s. Leonard, a young boy befriends Rabbit Foot Bill who is a marginalized character living in a hollowed out hill.
Leonard, a character based on Hugh LeFave is a lonely boy who is bullied at school and he finds contentment in Rabbit Foot Bill's quiet presence. When Leonard witnesses a murder, he is no longer able to spend time with Rabbit Foot Bill.
Many years later, Leonard becomes a psychiatrist and reconnects with Rabbit Foot Bill at the Weyburn Mental Hospital that was known for its LSD experimentation. Leonard tries to put together what really happened on the day the murder took place.
The writing is simple and the story is moving with themes of mental illness, PTSD, domestic violence, friendship and resilience.
My only disappointment with this one is that it could have had so much more. I felt like something was missing. The characters were interesting, but I wish they would have been developed a little bit more. This is a fantastic little book and I want to learn more about the real story!
Bookworm Rating: 🐛🐛🐛🐛
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