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betweenbookends's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely phenomenal. Read my full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuBzsSSH6Uk/
nyne's review against another edition
reflective
slow-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? No
3.75
danielle_r's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Really loved the setting where it all happened. Sometimes I had a hard time reading due to the lack of quotation marks which made it hard to understand sometimes if it was a thought or something someone said and who it said.
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
I had heard two of the author's short stories read for the BBC short story award over the last few years so was intrigued to read this novel which did not disappoint.
The story is about Rachel Caine a woman from Cumbria who is working in Idaho on a project monitoring the native wolves. She still has connections with the Lake district and as her mother Binny moves into a nursing home she visits her and we learn about this troubled relationship and why Rachel appears to have chose to distance herself from this mother and half brother Lawrence, a relationship which seems to have informed Rachel's ability to have relationships with men beyond sex . Rachel is in demand from a local Cumbrian earl who wants to reintroduce wolves to the area and eventually she succumbs and moves back .
The book is set against what is a successful independence vote in Scotland and gently develops the story of how Rachel's life changes over a period of time.
I really liked the storytelling that this book drew me into. The story of the wolves runs parallel with Rachel's and their wildness and independence contradicted with the pack aspect of the animals and the emergence of a family unit . Rachel similarly is fiercely independent, scarred by her past but has to learn to trust people close to her and develop and nurture relationships that are important to her. She captures the beauty of the landscape and its harshness and allows us as readers to explore the sensitivities of how reintroduction of a predatory animal at the whim of a landowner can divide a community.
The author created characters and relationships with skill and for me this book whilst gently exploring the situation and moving slowly read almost like a thriller as I was drawn into the world and anxious to keep turning the page . Definitely an author I hope to read more of in 2019.
The story is about Rachel Caine a woman from Cumbria who is working in Idaho on a project monitoring the native wolves. She still has connections with the Lake district and as her mother Binny moves into a nursing home she visits her and we learn about this troubled relationship and why Rachel appears to have chose to distance herself from this mother and half brother Lawrence, a relationship which seems to have informed Rachel's ability to have relationships with men beyond sex . Rachel is in demand from a local Cumbrian earl who wants to reintroduce wolves to the area and eventually she succumbs and moves back .
The book is set against what is a successful independence vote in Scotland and gently develops the story of how Rachel's life changes over a period of time.
I really liked the storytelling that this book drew me into. The story of the wolves runs parallel with Rachel's and their wildness and independence contradicted with the pack aspect of the animals and the emergence of a family unit . Rachel similarly is fiercely independent, scarred by her past but has to learn to trust people close to her and develop and nurture relationships that are important to her. She captures the beauty of the landscape and its harshness and allows us as readers to explore the sensitivities of how reintroduction of a predatory animal at the whim of a landowner can divide a community.
The author created characters and relationships with skill and for me this book whilst gently exploring the situation and moving slowly read almost like a thriller as I was drawn into the world and anxious to keep turning the page . Definitely an author I hope to read more of in 2019.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
2.0
Finished reading: April 20th 2019
“There seems no need for anything else now. There is no wound. The only wound is life, recklessly creating it, knowing that it will never be safe, it will never last; it will only ever be real.”
I got a copy of The Wolf Border at a hostel book exchange during our Europe trip last year, intrigued by the cover and blurb and the promise of a story set in the wilderness. I've been looking forward to finally read it, and I thought the O.W.L.s Readathon was a great excuse to do so... I didn't expect to have the reaction I had to this story though. Why? The fact is, The Wolf Border was very close to getting me in a slump, and not in a good way. I literally made every possible excuse to not pick up my copy and do something else instead, and it took me considerably longer to finally reach that last page. I even thought about just DNFing it multiple times... In short, I don't think The Wolf Border and me were ment to be. The first thing that surprised (and disappointed me) was the fact that the wilderness and wolves don't play as much of a significant role in the story as the blurb lets to believe, the plot instead mostly focusing on Rachel and her complicated life. This story is mainly something that can be classified as a family drama with an overdose of unnecessarily explicit adult scenes (another turn off for me), with the wolves playing a background role rather than being the main attraction. Sure, some things can be said about the comparison of animal instincts and behavior between human and animal. This can be considered an interesting aspect of this story; the underlying message that we are still basically animals in the end. BUT. It's hard thinking about this comparison and its cleverness when you can't stand the characters and don't feel a connection to them at all... The same goes for the writing style. The sentences are halted and the prose doesn't seem to flow at all; making it hard to stay invested and focus on the story. I know some have loved The Wolf Border and I'm glad, but I personally had a really hard time finishing it for various reasons. It wasn't my cup of tea, but I'm hoping others will like its taste.
kiramke's review against another edition
3.0
Well, it's Sarah Hall, so I enjoyed the language and story-telling, but this is just a character/situation I have a hard time maintaining an interest in and empathy for.
rachel_reece's review against another edition
4.0
Another book of GORGEOUS scenery! I loved imagining her little cottage and the Lake District countryside, which we drove through briefly on our recent trip to the UK! I was happy I'd been there so I could picture it! I love the book's grounded sense of place and home.
maya_irl's review against another edition
5.0
"She would like to believe there will be a place, again, where the streetlights end and wilderness begins. The wolf border."
rosielazar1's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ann40's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0