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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
krys_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
brittishliterature's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow, this book wasn't quite what I expected and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was hesitant to read it, but I'd seen good reviews and wanted to branch out a bit from my usual genres. This was an atmospheric, emotional, reflective, slow-paced thriller set in a rural/forest landscape. At first, I was worried it might get too creepy/disturbing for me, but it never did and I liked that (I'm not much for media that leaves me scared to be home alone at night in the dark or constantly thinking someone's gonna be in my house to murder me lol).
It was dark and twisty with a touch of magical realism and beautiful imagery. I thought some of the plot twists were more clarifying than shocking but still very good. I enjoyed the flow of the narrative and where the journey took me as a reader from beginning to end. I definitely would recommend this book.
It was dark and twisty with a touch of magical realism and beautiful imagery. I thought some of the plot twists were more clarifying than shocking but still very good. I enjoyed the flow of the narrative and where the journey took me as a reader from beginning to end. I definitely would recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infidelity, and Medical content
Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Suicide
kenzieb1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Confinement
Moderate: Murder and Alcoholism
Minor: Pregnancy, Gun violence, Murder, Infidelity, and Domestic abuse
elliez's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Review to come after I process my thoughts on the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Gun violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual content
lisakate1126's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
This book had me waiting to find out what really happened the whole time. It was compelling and even though I figured out the general sense of what was going on before the end, I didn’t figure out the specifics. And I did enjoy how it all ended. Definitely will read this author again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism
kindreams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Pregnancy
steffany's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence