A review by bookishlifeofbrie
The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

5.0

In a nutshell, this is the story of Wolf and how when he was 18, he decided to end his life by jumping off a cliff in the mountains - the same mountain that he frequented with his best friend, Byrd. All we know at the beginning is that one year prior, something happened to Byrd, and Wolf feels as if life cannot go on. But in a crazy turn of events, the day Wolf heads to the mountain, he encounters three related women (The Devines) who will ultimately alter the fate of his life.

The book is told as a story to Wolf’s son, written by Wolf, explaining what really happened on the mountain all those years ago. It alternates between the mountain story, and Wolf’s rough childhood. Meeting the Devines sets off a turn of events that not only derails Wolf’s original mission, but finds the foursome lost on the mountain for 5 days. It’s an amazing story, terrifying at times, full of what only feels like despair at the best of times, and while you know from the first page that only 3 of the 4 make it off the mountain alive, you hope as hell that they all survive in the end.

Lansens is such a brilliant story teller. I was immediately immersed in the story of the early years of Wolf’s life just as much as I was of the parts on the mountain. The imagery of their survival is so vivid, the cold and pain and suffering so palpable, that I felt like I was right there with them. And that ending. I wasn’t sure how the story would ultimately wrap up, but it brought me to tears for more than one reason.

If you haven’t read this yet - fix that ASAP!