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mtshuffman 's review for:
The Vaster Wilds
by Lauren Groff
3.5-4, I'm stuck. I didn't really enjoy this enough for it to be a 4, but I did appreciate enough just how well done it is.
The description of "Vaster Wilds" on Goodreads' that drew me toward the book is actually spot-on. It is a "story of America in miniature" at "a hinge point in history" where Groff explores whether there is still space to live outside "the churn of colonialism." It is a beautiful but harrowing story of a young girl escaping the depravity and disease of Jamestown into the American wilds and attempting to survive on her own and reach a civilization that hopefully offers something better than what the English have made. The writing is stark, raw and powerful; the girl's immediate journey and her life's journey are laid out before us with care and infused with subtle meaning.
But I just couldn't quite connect to this story. I didn't feel like I was *in* it with the girl, I felt like I was watching it. I was reminded of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" when reading this, but unfortunately, this just didn't emotionally resonate with me in the same way.
The description of "Vaster Wilds" on Goodreads' that drew me toward the book is actually spot-on. It is a "story of America in miniature" at "a hinge point in history" where Groff explores whether there is still space to live outside "the churn of colonialism." It is a beautiful but harrowing story of a young girl escaping the depravity and disease of Jamestown into the American wilds and attempting to survive on her own and reach a civilization that hopefully offers something better than what the English have made. The writing is stark, raw and powerful; the girl's immediate journey and her life's journey are laid out before us with care and infused with subtle meaning.
But I just couldn't quite connect to this story. I didn't feel like I was *in* it with the girl, I felt like I was watching it. I was reminded of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" when reading this, but unfortunately, this just didn't emotionally resonate with me in the same way.