Reviews - The Vaster Wilds

3.5k reviews for:

The Vaster Wilds

Lauren Groff

3.85 AVERAGE

patsyv59's review against another edition

4.25

challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I enjoyed this ambitious novel - previously loved Groff’s book The Matrix, about the medieval nun Marie de France. This book is entirely from the first person perspective of a young servant girl who came to the new world from England (1600s) and faced incredible hardship, disease, violence, deprivation before fleeing into the wilderness with few provisions and ultimately dying there. Her views on patriarchy, class subjugation, colonialism and its destruction of the natural world etc are all slowly revealed as she tries to survive.

karen_vandyne's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

megansmith's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Oof, this was pretty bleak! Lots of great writing here and I truly felt immersed in the scenery, but the weight of this just bears down on you from the first page all the way to the last. The message felt lost, or at least muddied, under the stifling weight of suffering being inherent to the human condition. I understood what the narrator was going for in the ending but it felt a bit trailing for me also. Lauren Groff is a very talented author, but this was not my favorite to read. Even The Matrix had some light moments, for being such a dark and religious book.

samanthaswisher's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

seymourreads's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

kellylhaslam's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

There is a lot to admire with this book. It is extraordinarily well-written and deeply reflective. Sometimes I felt the story moved slow or seemed to lack direction, but the excellent writing ultimately linked together a beautiful message and elevated my rating.

The novel traces the journey (past and present) of a teenage servant girl who escapes the fort of a U.S. colonial settlement. The settlement is struggling mightily to survive but the girl leaves its misery for the vaster wilds.

Despite the challenges she faces in the wilderness, the girl is clever and makes the most of her acquired resources and found opportunities. With ample time to think, she frequently pauses to reflect on her life: moments of good fortune, unspeakable harms, people dear to her, and notable actions she took in dire circumstances.

Despite the relentless challenges during her journey, the girl frequently takes time to admire all the beauty and freedom around her. This is true even in the girl’s most darkest moments and compels the reader to appreciate the magnificence and wonder all around us both in nature and in life itself.