Reviewed by: Pete Barber
Genre: Literary Fiction
Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Dan
Cardinal was born and raised in northern Wisconsin. He double-majored in
English and Computer Science at UW Madison and lives in his home town with his
wonderful wife and three lovely children.
Description:
Only days
ago, Will Brown’s wife and three-year-old daughter were killed in a freak road
accident—both of them wiped out instantly. Soon after the funerals, living in
his marital home in Midland, lower Michigan, wrecked with grief, and surrounded
by in-laws, friends, and well-wishers who don’t know what the hell to say to
him, Will has a brain fart and decides to run . . . to a remote cabin in
Michigan’s UP Upper-Peninsular.
Appraisal:
Gosh, this
is a terrific story. Let’s get the mechanics out of the way first--tight
writing, clean editing, engaging and compelling scene setting. Yeah, well,
those things may sound trite, but they certainly help a story along--Mr.
Cardinal is a hell of a writer.
But it’s the
characters, Will and his supporting cast, that make this a great story. They
all felt real to me: his concerned father, his understanding boss, and most of
all the locals in the tiny town situated a two hour hike from his cabin.
I know
nothing about black bears or living in remote, cold places in the far north of
America. Nor do I ever want to shoot a deer and field dress it, but I trembled
along with Will as he waited for the big buck to shift into his sights. My heart
raced when I wondered if the momma bear protecting her cubs, or Will, would win
in their battle of wits and survival. I loved his dog, Max, as much as Will
did.
Most of
all, I felt Will’s heartache at the loss of his wife and child. I joined in his
journey and agreed with his unorthodox recipe for curing a broken heart.
Running away to the middle of nowhere seemed logical. The tiny cabin into which
he poured his energies provided--through his physical endeavor--focus, a solace
if you will. His father, although concerned when his only son ran from a good job
and a steady existence, still supported him, and in a personal way empathized
because he’d too lost his wife too soon.
And then
the locals: a few scraped a decent living from tourists in the summer and
full-timers in the winter. But many others, like Will, had cut themselves off
from the ‘real world’ for personal reasons and became so married to the isolation
that, like frantic beasts caught in tar sand, they were no longer able to
extract themselves.
Would Will
end up like them, unable to leave? Would his life become so inwardly focused on
surviving the tough winters, and alcohol, and solitude, that he’d die alone and
full of regrets like Lars Jackson. Or could he grasp onto a woman’s love like a
lifeline and trust her enough to help him overcome his inner demons and break
away? Could Will become a new person, a good person, a better person?
Well, if
you’re interested in finding out. I suggest you read the story for yourself. I
don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Format/Typo Issues:
None!
Rating: ***** Five stars
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