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paperd's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide
gm_vak's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Ableism, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Medical trauma
mateoj's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
oooooookay. where do I start.
this is really badly written—not just the plot construction (which wasn't good, either) but the writing itself. I call it "fanfic voice" and I legitimately have not read something written this way since middle school. first person present tense. short, abrupt sentence fragments. italicizing the narrator's thoughts. multiple narrators with identical voices. I'm sorry, it was truly so bad. also, there were multiple typos and grammar/punctuation issues in my library ebook copy, which... come on. that's embarrassing.
the other big issue: using blindness as a plot device, ESPECIALLYcuring the character of their blindness as part of said plot device is really shitty, and even if this author doesn't feel embarrassed about her writing, I hope she feels ashamed of that narrative decision.
this is really badly written—not just the plot construction (which wasn't good, either) but the writing itself. I call it "fanfic voice" and I legitimately have not read something written this way since middle school. first person present tense. short, abrupt sentence fragments. italicizing the narrator's thoughts. multiple narrators with identical voices. I'm sorry, it was truly so bad. also, there were multiple typos and grammar/punctuation issues in my library ebook copy, which... come on. that's embarrassing.
the other big issue: using blindness as a plot device, ESPECIALLY
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Murder, Pregnancy, Death, and Gaslighting
tamara_joy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
As the back cover says, "a riveting, atmospheric thriller" is right.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury
tormerritt's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Have you ever had a book hangover?
Where you can't start another book because you are still living in the most recent book you read? You constantly think about it even after the last page is finished? The emotions you experienced while reading it still remain... That is what I am feeling currently over, A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw.
I had to take a while to think about this review because I know anything that I write, won't give justice to this incredible book.
A History of Wild Places is about a man named Travis Wren who is hired as a last ditch effort to find Maggie St James, a children's author who has gone missing. Travis is known for his psychic abilities and is able to see "after images" or memories of another person with a touch of an object that belonged to them. Travis starts on a quest to find Maggie, but ends up finding a lot more than expected. I don't want to go into too much more detail and give away the book.
Ernshaw has such a rich and beautiful writing style, you feel mesmerized by the words on the page and transported in to this confusing, but also, enchanting and wild place. With this gorgeous prose, she invokes a sense of dread and darkness throughout this book. This story completely enveloped me and I've never felt so immersed or lost within a book. What a phenomenal, thrilling, and unique experience this was.
If you are fascinated with commune living/cults, nature, the PNW wilderness you should go pick this up ASAP. If you want a tense, atmospheric, and mysterious read.... GO BUY THIS BOOK! I will never stop reccomending this one. As with all of the books I read, please check TW!
I'm sad that it is over and need so much more of this book. I want to read it over and over again. It is absolutely a new five-star favorite and it will remain displayed on my shelf, as it is truly a work of art.
Thank you Shea Ernshaw for creating a truly amazing reading experience for me. You are a new favorite author and I have purchased all of your other books immediately after reading A History of Wild Places. I cannot wait to dive into them! (I am most excited for Long Live the Pumpkin Queen coming out in July!) ❤
Where you can't start another book because you are still living in the most recent book you read? You constantly think about it even after the last page is finished? The emotions you experienced while reading it still remain... That is what I am feeling currently over, A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw.
I had to take a while to think about this review because I know anything that I write, won't give justice to this incredible book.
A History of Wild Places is about a man named Travis Wren who is hired as a last ditch effort to find Maggie St James, a children's author who has gone missing. Travis is known for his psychic abilities and is able to see "after images" or memories of another person with a touch of an object that belonged to them. Travis starts on a quest to find Maggie, but ends up finding a lot more than expected. I don't want to go into too much more detail and give away the book.
Ernshaw has such a rich and beautiful writing style, you feel mesmerized by the words on the page and transported in to this confusing, but also, enchanting and wild place. With this gorgeous prose, she invokes a sense of dread and darkness throughout this book. This story completely enveloped me and I've never felt so immersed or lost within a book. What a phenomenal, thrilling, and unique experience this was.
If you are fascinated with commune living/cults, nature, the PNW wilderness you should go pick this up ASAP. If you want a tense, atmospheric, and mysterious read.... GO BUY THIS BOOK! I will never stop reccomending this one. As with all of the books I read, please check TW!
I'm sad that it is over and need so much more of this book. I want to read it over and over again. It is absolutely a new five-star favorite and it will remain displayed on my shelf, as it is truly a work of art.
Thank you Shea Ernshaw for creating a truly amazing reading experience for me. You are a new favorite author and I have purchased all of your other books immediately after reading A History of Wild Places. I cannot wait to dive into them! (I am most excited for Long Live the Pumpkin Queen coming out in July!) ❤
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Death, and Blood
readwithanne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy
kristie_deaver's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I could not put this book down. I loved the mystery slowly unfolding, yet the book never feeling slow. My only confusion was timeline. There where times when I felt confused about when we were with Calla, Theo and Bee. Overall, I would have loved to see more diversity called into the book. This story is a chilling tale that will take you into the world of Pastoral; the only way out is through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, Infidelity, and Gun violence
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The History of Wild Places gave me Twin Peaks meets The Sun Down Motel and Tana French. Not my favourite, I thought there would be more flashes through time. Instead, this book mostly focused on the setting of Pastoral. But even the purpose of focusing so much on a setting, such as building a sense of dread, or even giving us time to connect with the characters and community, were missing. If you enjoy cultish elements and slow burn plot-focused books, then this is for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Ableism, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
jazhandz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood
No child death occurs but there is a plot point about a baby being sick. Additional warning for a cultlike situation andkrys_kilz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The first 100 pages of this book were so slow and drawn out. This coupled with the redundant and excessive description made it difficult for me to get into the story.
About halfway into the book, things began to pick up and there were a lot of surprising twists and turns. The commentary on Levi's violence and how the entire community was responsible for it reminded me a little of Hannah Arendt's analysis of authoritarianism and power.
Overall, the book wasn't as exciting as I hoped it would be from the description. I think pared down, it would have made for a much more compelling book.
About halfway into the book, things began to pick up and there were a lot of surprising twists and turns. The commentary on Levi's violence and how the entire community was responsible for it reminded me a little of Hannah Arendt's analysis of authoritarianism and power.
Overall, the book wasn't as exciting as I hoped it would be from the description. I think pared down, it would have made for a much more compelling book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Murder
Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcoholism
Minor: Gun violence