4.5 stars. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this read. Westerns are definitely not my typical genre, but I really liked how this story was written. Perfect for a middle grade reader, this story moves quite quickly and is short, but still has a lot packed into it. There is a good moral to the story and it packs a good punch with the action that takes place. The character of Shane is really well-constructed, mixing the stereotypes of traditional cowboys with a bit of a softer side. Of all the "classics" I've read this year, I have to say that I may have enjoyed this one the most.