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gwonchang's review against another edition
3.0
At first I thought I would hate it; dialog was lame. But it grew on me, except for the part when the dog saved the day. Characters were a little cliché, but overall, entertaining.
cnyreader's review
4.0
Gwen, Oscar and Todd all go to the same gym. One of their favorite trainers, Tracy, is leading a hike in the Sierras, not too far from home and (hopefully) not too challenging. The plan is to hike 30 miles in a week. All four are looking forward to the challenge, but with some fears- bears, being away from family, the physical challenges. Things don't go as planned from the very start and then get downright dangerous.
This was a fun read- lots of adventure and tension. I think it would make an entertaining movie, and one that I would go see. One of the reviews on the book mentions the racial differences, but I didn't feel that was a main theme, though it was mentioned several times. Strength over adversity was central to the story and well done.
This was a fun read- lots of adventure and tension. I think it would make an entertaining movie, and one that I would go see. One of the reviews on the book mentions the racial differences, but I didn't feel that was a main theme, though it was mentioned several times. Strength over adversity was central to the story and well done.
dreesreads's review against another edition
3.0
A group of 4 diverse residents of LA head out on a backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada. Their leader, Tracy, is each of their personal trainer, the others are just meeting. With varying amounts of outdoor experience--Tracy has a lot, for Todd it has been a long time, Oscar and Gwen have little to no experience. A forest fire derails their plans, and they take a tip and hand-drawn map from a ranger and go somewhere different. And happen upon a grow operation in the national forest. And soon they are in the middle of rival drug growers.
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I think this is every California hiker/backpacker's nightmare (probably other states too), though I would think legalization has made it less of a worry. I am out of that loop these days.
The story is pretty straightforward, with the 4 main characters alternating as narrator. When they first meet there is a lot of judging, but as the trip goes sideways and they learn each others' strengths, they gain respect for each other and for themselves. This is a thriller with a side of trust and friendship.
I have to commend Revoyr for her geographic accuracy. It is always a pleasure to read novels without huge errors. She keeps the locations in the mountains generic enough to possibly be real, but the cardinal directions are accurate, the snow, the lake colors, the multiple ranges, the granite, et al. Her locations in LA are much more specific and on point.
There is just one loose end that she leaves--on purpose--but UGH I hate that lol (no spoilers from me though!). Otherwise it pretty much went as I expected. 3.5 stars.
Narration was good, by Karen Chilton.
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I think this is every California hiker/backpacker's nightmare (probably other states too), though I would think legalization has made it less of a worry. I am out of that loop these days.
The story is pretty straightforward, with the 4 main characters alternating as narrator. When they first meet there is a lot of judging, but as the trip goes sideways and they learn each others' strengths, they gain respect for each other and for themselves. This is a thriller with a side of trust and friendship.
I have to commend Revoyr for her geographic accuracy. It is always a pleasure to read novels without huge errors. She keeps the locations in the mountains generic enough to possibly be real, but the cardinal directions are accurate, the snow, the lake colors, the multiple ranges, the granite, et al. Her locations in LA are much more specific and on point.
There is just one loose end that she leaves--on purpose--but UGH I hate that lol (no spoilers from me though!). Otherwise it pretty much went as I expected. 3.5 stars.
Narration was good, by Karen Chilton.
jessicaesquire's review against another edition
4.0
If you're looking for a book for yourself (or a book club) that has something of everything, you should really consider LOST CANYON. A contemporary drama with steadily rising stakes and well-drawn characters.
I can't tell you how nice it was to get to know this group of four very different people and the modern LA they represent. It is a much needed breath of fresh air to read a book about people who aren't all the same. There's Gwen, a Black woman with a tough childhood who now works with underprivileged kids and worries about whether she can keep going. There's Oscar, who grew up in a poor Latino neighborhood and became a self-made man as a realtor who helped gentrify that same neighborhood. Todd is the Midwest boy turned rich guy, a lawyer whose wife comes from money, who still doesn't quite feel like his life is his own. And there's Tracy, the trainer who never stops and who brings this little band together for a hike that goes very wrong. These are not a group of people who know each other well, and the chief joys of the early sections of the book is watching them size each other up.
The book is a modern twist on DELIVERANCE, one of the classic "man" books. It makes me very happy to see a mix of races (only one of the main 4 is white, even Tracy is half-Japanese) in this story and to have characters who are very aware of their race and how other people see them. I also loved that the strongest (and most reckless) member of the party is a woman. What starts as a story of people challenging themselves to push their limits becomes something very different.
My copy came with a discussion guide and I'm glad to see this marketed towards book clubs. It's a relatively quick read and the characters and plot bring up so much to talk about with other people, I'd absolutely recommend it for a group. (Could be interesting to pair with DELIVERANCE if your group is feeling ambitious.)
I can't tell you how nice it was to get to know this group of four very different people and the modern LA they represent. It is a much needed breath of fresh air to read a book about people who aren't all the same. There's Gwen, a Black woman with a tough childhood who now works with underprivileged kids and worries about whether she can keep going. There's Oscar, who grew up in a poor Latino neighborhood and became a self-made man as a realtor who helped gentrify that same neighborhood. Todd is the Midwest boy turned rich guy, a lawyer whose wife comes from money, who still doesn't quite feel like his life is his own. And there's Tracy, the trainer who never stops and who brings this little band together for a hike that goes very wrong. These are not a group of people who know each other well, and the chief joys of the early sections of the book is watching them size each other up.
The book is a modern twist on DELIVERANCE, one of the classic "man" books. It makes me very happy to see a mix of races (only one of the main 4 is white, even Tracy is half-Japanese) in this story and to have characters who are very aware of their race and how other people see them. I also loved that the strongest (and most reckless) member of the party is a woman. What starts as a story of people challenging themselves to push their limits becomes something very different.
My copy came with a discussion guide and I'm glad to see this marketed towards book clubs. It's a relatively quick read and the characters and plot bring up so much to talk about with other people, I'd absolutely recommend it for a group. (Could be interesting to pair with DELIVERANCE if your group is feeling ambitious.)
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