Reviews

2/5

The book is about survival and human nature, and being a huge fan of Braverman’s podcast appearances and nonfiction I thought I would love this book. Braverman deeply loves the outdoors and speaks about survival and humanity with introspection, reverence, and hope. This book, however, lacked those qualities, which left me feeling deeply disappointed. I might have liked it better if I had not been familiar with Braverman prior to reading.

The characters mostly fell flat, the plot came in fits and starts, and the way Braverman upped the stakes for the survival conceit actually made me less invested because of how pointless the book felt. Rather than reinforcing the idea that nature is indifferent, as Braverman has often said, the unfolding of the plot felt instead like a conspiracy against the main characters, with each setback aimed directly at them in an act of deliberate, fated cruelty, even as the book tells you it is accidental.

It is fine for a book to be bleak, but I don’t think this one meant to be, and this mismatch in intent and impact made Small Game a grim and off-putting read.

eudyptula_minor's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The book was fun to read, and I loved the story and the characters. The main character, Mara, reminded me a lot of Stevie from Schitt’s Creek, in that she’s cynical and jaded from having to deal with people who don’t really understand her or her community. But like Stevie, Mara does have a soft heart underneath it all, and I really like seeing her grow as a person and develop new relationships on her own terms.

The book also has a lot of interesting things to say about what motivates people to sign up for reality shows, and how those motivations can conflict with what those shows are really like. The author has spent a lot of time in the wilderness and around other wilderness/survivalist people. She has also spent a lot of time reading, writing, and podcasting (see her guest appearances on You're Wrong About) about the relationships between people and the wilderness. She was even a contestant on a reality survival show. All of this work really comes across on the page as she is able to create complicated but relatable and lovable characters and take the reader on a real journey.

cconlon's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark 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? No

4.0

More...