The Vaster Wilds
The Vaster Wilds ~ Lauren Groff
Lauren Groff reread two classics to her kids, Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George. Reading them as an adult gave her a new perspective, and instead of seeing them as adventure stories, she saw them as chilling stories of loneliness and danger. (Side note – Has anyone read the Hatchet YA books, by Gary Paulsen? I really liked those when I read them years ago. This book is 10x better.)
The Vaster Wilds is a survival story placed during the Starving Time of the Jamestown colony in 1609. The unnamed protagonist is a teenaged servant girl who leaves the colony alone, tired of watching people die around her, and determined to survive on her own. Her goal is to make it from Virginia to the French colonies of Canada. She is hoping to marry a fur trapper and go to France. She dreams of life away from the harsh life of the New World.
I’m not sure I can really describe this book, other than to say that I loved it. It is a meditation on human resilience, a fever dream of a book. Frightening at times, joyous at others. I really liked the girl and found myself rooting for her to succeed in her journey. Highly recommended.
32 Comments
Kyria @ Travel Spot
That sounds like a good book! I read Fates and Furies, but I think I DNFed it and I really can’t remember why except that maybe I had to return it to the library? However, I fondly remember reading My Side of The Mountain more than once and loving that book. I wanted to go and live in the woods! I have not read Hatchet.
J
Hatchet is the story of a boy who is the sole survivor of a small plane crash, and he has to figure out how to survive in the woods with just his hatchet. It’s good YA fare.
This book was beautiful.
Ally Bean
I remember reading My Side of the Mountain, but it was a long time ago. I’ve not heard of this book but the premise sounds fascinating. Thanks for the review.
J
It was really good. I don’t think I’ve read either My Side of the Mountain nor Julie of the Wolves.
Michelle G.
This sounds like a good book! I remember how much I loved Julie of the Wolves and My Side of the Mountain. I wonder how I’d feel about rereading them now.
J
Yeah, I really liked this one a lot.
AC
Julie of the Wolves. One year when I was new to teaching English, we did that book. I don’t remember much about it.
J
I don’t think I’ve read it, but I assume the protagonist is Julie and she is lost in the wild and survives with a pack of wolves.
Maya
You’re on a roll!! I’ve loved what Lauren Groff I’ve read, so this is going on my list too…
The cover art is just… gorgeous.
J
I liked this one a lot.
Margaret
I was one of the only people in my Book Club who appreciated the beauty of this book although I wish it had had a different ending. Still that mystical realism part of it was so touching.
J
It certainly was beautiful, you’re right.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Sounds like an interesting and unusual read. It remeinded me of a classic I read a couple of yeas ago called “Cabin Fever” where it is also about resilince and survival.
J
I don’t think I’ve heard of Cabin Fever.
Alexandra
Oh, another new author to me who I need to add to my list. I’m reading muder-mysteries (Agatha Christie style cosies) at the moment. In fact I just posted a review today!
J
I just read your review, that looked like a fun book!
Jenny
This book sounds GREAT. How are you reading so many amazing books??? I’ll add this to my exploding TBR.
J
I realized a month or two ago that I hadn’t been posting book reviews, so I decided to write about the books I had read over the last 8 or 9 months. So it’s not as many as it seems. I listen to most of them, my physical book reading is much slower. As to them being great, I think that’s luck, and also that I picked them from reviews other bloggers have done, or I read about them in the newspaper or on a ‘best of’ list, that kind of thing.
Ernie
This sounds good. I haven’t read Hatchett, but several of my kids read it in junior high for school so I’m familiar with it. Have you ever read Island of the Blue Dolphins? I loved that book – also about survival.
J
I don’t think I have, though I remember it being popular when I was in school.
sustainablemum
I like the sound of this book, I have read My Side of the Mountain to my children. You read far more books than I can manage!
J
I realized a month or two ago that I hadn’t been posting book reviews, so I decided to write about the books I had read over the last 8 or 9 months. So it’s not as many as it seems. I listen to most of them, my physical book reading is much slower.
NGS
People in my book club love Groff. Maybe I’ll recommend this one as our next read.
J
I have another book of hers ready to read, via my Audible App. I hope it’s as good as her other books that I’ve read. She’s gifted.
Lisa’s Yarns
I’ve had mixed success with Groff. I really liked Fates and Furies but then a couple other books felt like such a slog. But this one is intriguing. I read The Hatchett in 5th grade and remember loving it! I gave it to my godson when he was around that age and I don’t think he ever read it (he’s not a reader). But I am hoping to read it with Paul when he’s a bit older.
J
If you give it a try, let me know what you think!
Meike
Ha, I already have this on my to be read list. I read Arcadia and The MOnsters of Templeton by her a long while ago but really liked both.
J
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed The Monsters of Templeton, I have that on my phone from Audible, and I think it’s my next listen.
Tierney
This book is excellent and I agree, total fever dream. Even so, there are some thrilling moments, especially early after her departure from the colony!
J
Yes, it’s not all fever dream, is it?
Joared
The book sounds interesting. I read in spurts it seems. Currently, my reading is in a lull though I have a number of unread books on hand for when the spirit moves me again. The last book I finished several weeks ago was a large volume of short stories which I found ideal for a story or two on nights when I had sleepless periods of time.
J
Short stories can be perfect for times like that.