3.47k reviews for:

The Vaster Wilds

Lauren Groff

3.85 AVERAGE

thirdcoast's review against another edition

2.0

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I’m conflicted about this novel. I really enjoyed the first half and then it dragged so much. Incredibly repetitive as the girl flees through the wilderness and her body continues to suffer and break down. As for the ending, it would’ve worked better if the book had been novella length. After so many pages one grows hopeful. My description of this books to a friend was imagine a Jack London story of survival set in the early 1700s from the point of view of a religious teenager fleeing a pestilence and starved British fort.

charminganachronism's review against another edition

3.0

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i really wanted to love this; i liked it. it’s prose has the texture of what i’ll refer to now forevermore as “iowa writer’s workshop syndrome” — which is the tendency in modern lit to favor these extended, purple descriptions of things at the expense of telling an actual story. no idea if this author attended, and it isn’t unbearable to read even if it is an iowa product, but it’s certainly a book that thinks a lot more of it’s writing than it does of the experience of someone reading it.

or maybe I just have bad taste! could be.

meaganscott's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark 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: No

brindy's review against another edition

2.75

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Besides the beautiful writing (and the narrator who made it even more beautiful) this book was not for me. 

mgfergie's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

daniellethom831's review against another edition

2.75

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

mountainmija's review against another edition

4.5

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I love survival stories.

ashfarra's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

maddykreed's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

emolbe's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated