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The Wilderwomen
Ohioana Book Award finalist Ruth Emmie Lang returns with a new cast of ordinary characters with extraordinary abilities.
Five years ago, Nora Wilder disappeared. The older of her two daughters, Zadie, should have seen it coming, because she can literally see things coming. But not even her psychic abilities were able to prevent their mother from vanishing one morning.
Zadie’s estranged younger sister, Finn, can’t see into the future, but she has an uncannily good memory, so good that she remembers not only her own memories, but the echoes of memories other people have left behind. On the afternoon of her graduation party, Finn is seized by an “echo” more powerful than anything she’s experienced before: a woman singing a song she recognizes, a song about a bird…
When Finn wakes up alone in an aviary with no idea of how she got there, she realizes who the memory belongs to: Nora.
Now, it’s up to Finn to convince her sister that not only is their mom still out there, but that she wants to be found. Against Zadie’s better judgement, she and Finn hit the highway, using Finn’s echoes to retrace Nora’s footsteps and uncover the answer to the question that has been haunting them for years: Why did she leave?
But the more time Finn spends in their mother’s past, the harder it is for her to return to the present, to return to herself. As Zadie feels her sister start to slip away, she will have to decide what lengths she is willing to go to to find their mother, knowing that if she chooses wrong, she could lose them both for good.
Five years ago, Nora Wilder disappeared. The older of her two daughters, Zadie, should have seen it coming, because she can literally see things coming. But not even her psychic abilities were able to prevent their mother from vanishing one morning.
Zadie’s estranged younger sister, Finn, can’t see into the future, but she has an uncannily good memory, so good that she remembers not only her own memories, but the echoes of memories other people have left behind. On the afternoon of her graduation party, Finn is seized by an “echo” more powerful than anything she’s experienced before: a woman singing a song she recognizes, a song about a bird…
When Finn wakes up alone in an aviary with no idea of how she got there, she realizes who the memory belongs to: Nora.
Now, it’s up to Finn to convince her sister that not only is their mom still out there, but that she wants to be found. Against Zadie’s better judgement, she and Finn hit the highway, using Finn’s echoes to retrace Nora’s footsteps and uncover the answer to the question that has been haunting them for years: Why did she leave?
But the more time Finn spends in their mother’s past, the harder it is for her to return to the present, to return to herself. As Zadie feels her sister start to slip away, she will have to decide what lengths she is willing to go to to find their mother, knowing that if she chooses wrong, she could lose them both for good.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2022
About the author
Ruth Emmie Lang
2 books1,100 followersRuth Emmie Lang was born in Glasgow, Scotland and has the red hair to prove it. When she was four years old, she immigrated to Ohio where she stills lives today. She has since lost her Scottish accent, but still has the hair. Ruth lives with her husband and son on two wooded acres in the Cleveland area. Her first novel, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, was a finalist for the Ohioana Book Award.
Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @ruthemmielang
Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @ruthemmielang
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September 7, 2022This isn’t a review. This is me, Ruth, author of THE WILDERWOMEN, saying ‘hi” and telling you what this book means to me. The story centers around two young women whose mother disappeared. Without their mom to hold the family together, the sisters have drifted apart. That feeling of disconnection is something that I (and most of you) can probably relate to. I wrote much of this book during the early days of the pandemic, and revised it while at home with my newborn son. Writing a book is an isolating experience under normal circumstances, but THE WILDERWOMEN was an island.
It was an island on which I’m glad I was stranded though, because on November 15, the book will hit shelves, and my solitary experience will become a shared one. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and answering your questions in the weeks to come. I’m excited to talk with those of you I’ll meet at bookstores and festivals. I’ll have my pen ready to sign your books.
And thank you to everyone who has reviewed advanced copies and to those of you who have added THE WILDERWOMEN to your to-read shelves! Goodreads played a big role in the success of BEASTS, and I can only hope it will do the same for this story. Writing may be a lonely experience, but the book community is not, and that’s thanks to readers like you.
It was an island on which I’m glad I was stranded though, because on November 15, the book will hit shelves, and my solitary experience will become a shared one. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and answering your questions in the weeks to come. I’m excited to talk with those of you I’ll meet at bookstores and festivals. I’ll have my pen ready to sign your books.
And thank you to everyone who has reviewed advanced copies and to those of you who have added THE WILDERWOMEN to your to-read shelves! Goodreads played a big role in the success of BEASTS, and I can only hope it will do the same for this story. Writing may be a lonely experience, but the book community is not, and that’s thanks to readers like you.
November 21, 2022
Wilder Women is phenomenal read! It’s mind blowing combination of magical realism meets mystery and women’s fiction!
Two sisters who slowly drift apart after their mother’s abandonment, decide to take a trip together for rebounding which turns into a search for their missing mother’s whereabouts and dig out more about secrets of their past.
Without following the past and finding out what their mother’s holding back, they can not fulfill their future dreams.
Their path crosses with Sixes : the people who have sixth sense reside in Constellation Camp the very same place sisters have camped alongside with their mother before she has vanished into thin air.
The older sister Zadie who recently breaks up with her boyfriend, keeps secrets from her sister including her mother’s disappearance and she’s expecting a child. Zadie is gifted: she has been seeing premonitions for years but now she blocks them after the guilt she started carrying for her mother’s abrupt leaving. Her 17 years old sister Finn who has been living with her foster parents is also gifted to hear echoes about people’s memories. She also keeps secrets from her sister not to hurt her feelings and before answering to foster parents who want to adopt her, she has to find her mother, facing with the truth she’s been keeping away.
The book is lyrically developed: sisters’ heartwarming story blended in beauty of nature, astrology splendidly. The story of their journey was pure magic keep growing on you!
Definitely a Must Read for me! I highly recommended it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Two sisters who slowly drift apart after their mother’s abandonment, decide to take a trip together for rebounding which turns into a search for their missing mother’s whereabouts and dig out more about secrets of their past.
Without following the past and finding out what their mother’s holding back, they can not fulfill their future dreams.
Their path crosses with Sixes : the people who have sixth sense reside in Constellation Camp the very same place sisters have camped alongside with their mother before she has vanished into thin air.
The older sister Zadie who recently breaks up with her boyfriend, keeps secrets from her sister including her mother’s disappearance and she’s expecting a child. Zadie is gifted: she has been seeing premonitions for years but now she blocks them after the guilt she started carrying for her mother’s abrupt leaving. Her 17 years old sister Finn who has been living with her foster parents is also gifted to hear echoes about people’s memories. She also keeps secrets from her sister not to hurt her feelings and before answering to foster parents who want to adopt her, she has to find her mother, facing with the truth she’s been keeping away.
The book is lyrically developed: sisters’ heartwarming story blended in beauty of nature, astrology splendidly. The story of their journey was pure magic keep growing on you!
Definitely a Must Read for me! I highly recommended it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
November 25, 2022
Five years ago, Zadie Wilder watched her mother Nora walk away one night out of hers and her sister, Finn’s, lives. Nora had been increasingly having trance-like states where she wandered off and stared up at the birds in the sky, losing all time and memory of these events. When she walked away that night, it was as if something unseen was leading her away.
Nora isn’t the only Wilder with strange abilities, though. Her two daughters have them as well. Zadie is psychic, though she resents the ability and suppresses it. Finn can sense other people’s memories during her own trance-like states called “echoes”.
It’s these abilities that Finn is banking on to help answer: What was happening with Nora and where did she go? Under the guise of going on a post-graduation beach vacation with Zadie, Finn tells her foster parents she’ll be back in a couple weeks. What follows is a cross-country fantastical adventure to track down their missing mother relying mainly on Finn’s echoes, which she seems to be getting more and more lost in by the day.
What I liked:
The writing. Ruth Emmie Lang does magical realism so well, which I love! She knows how to engage the reader in that sense of adventure and mystery which is just the fun escapism I need sometimes. It was like a vicarious vacation with Finn and Zadie to some great places!
The characters. The sisters are very different, but their love for each other showed and it was a nice balance of personalities. Along the way, they met so many fascinating and likeable characters, many of whom had special abilities of their own like hearing the music of the stars in the sky, communicating with trees, or being able to paint someone’s future. They added nice flavor to the story!
What I struggled a little with:
The plot. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The premise of a mom leaving her children for ANY reason is challenging. It set the stage for a decent road trip, but I don’t know how invested I felt in the girls finding Nora. It might have helped if we’d gotten to know her more.
The ending. After spending so much time on the journey with Finn and Zadie and enjoying so many of the characters they met along the way, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic and a little mundane by comparison. It also didn’t go far enough to explain why Nora left.
I loved Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance Review which sits on my Favorites shelf. While I enjoyed this overall, I wasn’t drawn into this story quite as much. Nonetheless, I will always want to read everything she writes, and few authors can take me on the adventures she does!
★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to St. Martins Press, NetGalley, and author Ruth Emmie Lang for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s now available.
Nora isn’t the only Wilder with strange abilities, though. Her two daughters have them as well. Zadie is psychic, though she resents the ability and suppresses it. Finn can sense other people’s memories during her own trance-like states called “echoes”.
It’s these abilities that Finn is banking on to help answer: What was happening with Nora and where did she go? Under the guise of going on a post-graduation beach vacation with Zadie, Finn tells her foster parents she’ll be back in a couple weeks. What follows is a cross-country fantastical adventure to track down their missing mother relying mainly on Finn’s echoes, which she seems to be getting more and more lost in by the day.
What I liked:
The writing. Ruth Emmie Lang does magical realism so well, which I love! She knows how to engage the reader in that sense of adventure and mystery which is just the fun escapism I need sometimes. It was like a vicarious vacation with Finn and Zadie to some great places!
The characters. The sisters are very different, but their love for each other showed and it was a nice balance of personalities. Along the way, they met so many fascinating and likeable characters, many of whom had special abilities of their own like hearing the music of the stars in the sky, communicating with trees, or being able to paint someone’s future. They added nice flavor to the story!
What I struggled a little with:
The plot. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The premise of a mom leaving her children for ANY reason is challenging. It set the stage for a decent road trip, but I don’t know how invested I felt in the girls finding Nora. It might have helped if we’d gotten to know her more.
The ending. After spending so much time on the journey with Finn and Zadie and enjoying so many of the characters they met along the way, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic and a little mundane by comparison. It also didn’t go far enough to explain why Nora left.
I loved Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance Review which sits on my Favorites shelf. While I enjoyed this overall, I wasn’t drawn into this story quite as much. Nonetheless, I will always want to read everything she writes, and few authors can take me on the adventures she does!
★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)
Thanks to St. Martins Press, NetGalley, and author Ruth Emmie Lang for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s now available.
December 8, 2022
"The Wilderwomen" by Ruth Emmie Lang is a blend of Family Fiction and Magical Realism!
"Nora Wilder was supposed to be a bird. At least that's what she thought when she looked at herself in the mirror and saw arms where wings should be."
"Although her wings were imaginary, Nora felt an almost continuous desire to stretch them, to unclench the knot in her back that tied them down and with one powerful flap, lift off into a cloudless sky."
Nora loves her two very special daughters, Zadie, and Finn, even though five years ago she simply flew away and disappeared from their lives.
For the past five years, twenty-three-year-old Zadie, and seventeen-year-old Finn have been forced to live apart because of their ages. Zadie, mostly with boyfriends, and Finn with a loving foster family.
What makes Nora's daughters so special? Zadie can see things before they happen, and Finn can experience other people's memories, she calls 'echoes'.
On the afternoon of Finn's high school graduation party, she experiences a powerful 'echo'. She wakes up to find herself on the floor of an aviary, remembering a woman and a song about a bird she's heard before. Finn realizes it was Nora's memory from a decade ago. She's convinced Nora is reaching out, asking to be found.
Finn talks Zadie into a road trip following Nora's tracks guided by Finn's 'echoes' of Nora's memories with hopes of piecing together a path leading to their mother and discovering why she left five years ago...
I loved this author's debut novel Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance and was more than hopeful for a similar experience with her sophomore novel. It was a quick and easy read, however, I didn't realize it would have a YA feel to it. With that said, this is thoughtful storytelling with topics that will linger with you long after you finish. It's a mother-daughter story that will, without a doubt, appeal to a wide audience.
The Magical Realism surfaces throughout the entire story, not just little dabbles here and there. With this book, you've hit the 'Mother Lode' of magical nuggets. Yay!
What I appreciate most from this story is the depth of symbolism. The roads Zadie and Finn choose in their travels leads them to unexpected people and places. As a reader traveling along with these sisters, I experienced unexpected moments when I discovered various 'pieces of importance' in the story. These were always fun "Aha Moments"!
A beautifully written story that I highly recommend to readers who enjoy stories about family, magic, and the magic of family! 4.25 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ruth Emmie Lang for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
"Nora Wilder was supposed to be a bird. At least that's what she thought when she looked at herself in the mirror and saw arms where wings should be."
"Although her wings were imaginary, Nora felt an almost continuous desire to stretch them, to unclench the knot in her back that tied them down and with one powerful flap, lift off into a cloudless sky."
Nora loves her two very special daughters, Zadie, and Finn, even though five years ago she simply flew away and disappeared from their lives.
For the past five years, twenty-three-year-old Zadie, and seventeen-year-old Finn have been forced to live apart because of their ages. Zadie, mostly with boyfriends, and Finn with a loving foster family.
What makes Nora's daughters so special? Zadie can see things before they happen, and Finn can experience other people's memories, she calls 'echoes'.
On the afternoon of Finn's high school graduation party, she experiences a powerful 'echo'. She wakes up to find herself on the floor of an aviary, remembering a woman and a song about a bird she's heard before. Finn realizes it was Nora's memory from a decade ago. She's convinced Nora is reaching out, asking to be found.
Finn talks Zadie into a road trip following Nora's tracks guided by Finn's 'echoes' of Nora's memories with hopes of piecing together a path leading to their mother and discovering why she left five years ago...
I loved this author's debut novel Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance and was more than hopeful for a similar experience with her sophomore novel. It was a quick and easy read, however, I didn't realize it would have a YA feel to it. With that said, this is thoughtful storytelling with topics that will linger with you long after you finish. It's a mother-daughter story that will, without a doubt, appeal to a wide audience.
The Magical Realism surfaces throughout the entire story, not just little dabbles here and there. With this book, you've hit the 'Mother Lode' of magical nuggets. Yay!
What I appreciate most from this story is the depth of symbolism. The roads Zadie and Finn choose in their travels leads them to unexpected people and places. As a reader traveling along with these sisters, I experienced unexpected moments when I discovered various 'pieces of importance' in the story. These were always fun "Aha Moments"!
A beautifully written story that I highly recommend to readers who enjoy stories about family, magic, and the magic of family! 4.25 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ruth Emmie Lang for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
November 6, 2022
Ruth Emmie Lang takes readers as well as her main characters Zadie and Finn Wilder on a journey in
The Wilderwomen
. Their mother, Nora, disappeared five years ago when Zadie was 18 and Finn 12. Why did she leave them? Where is she? Is she even alive?
Why didn’t Zadie see the disappearance coming? After all, she is a psychic and can see into the future. Finn’s ability is to get echoes of other people’s memories that have been left behind. At her graduation party, Finn gets a particularly strong echo that she realizes belongs to Nora. Finn convinces Zadie to use their beach vacation time to unravel the mystery. They plan to use her echoes to retrace Nora’s travels and find her. However, this is easier said than done.
While Zadie and Finn are likeable characters and well developed, they each have flaws that would seem to make them feel realistic. However, it took a while for me to connect with Zadie. She feels alone and abandoned. Finn was placed in foster care and they gradually have become more and more distant as the years passed. She was wrapped up in her new life and turned down invitations to meet with Zadie. Both go through transformations as events unfold, but Zadie has the most dynamic changes.
The story is atmospheric and somewhat sad with some stressful and suspenseful moments. There are several twists and turns that I didn’t expect. I felt like I was on the road trip with the sisters. The rhythm and cadence of the writing was somewhat lyrical and used strong visuals. However, it is written in a meandering fashion that tends to subdue the suspense and mystery. Additionally, there are chapters that go back in time to before Nora’s disappearance. These chapters tend to disrupt the flow.
Magical realism, great dialogue, a mother’s disappearance, an unforgettable journey, and sisters reconnecting, combined to make this novel unique and enjoyable. The characters the girls meet on their journey add another layer to the story. There are heartwarming moments that drew me into the story even more. The ending wraps everything up nicely. However, it has some surprises that readers may not expect. Themes explored include family, sisterhood, guilt, being different, anger, forgiveness, and mending broken relationships.
Overall, this story is fascinating, thought-provoking, and emotional, with great world-building. Despite the lyrical writing style, it held my attention and was very moving.
St. Martin’s Press and Ruth Emmie Lang provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 15, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------------
My 3.18 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Why didn’t Zadie see the disappearance coming? After all, she is a psychic and can see into the future. Finn’s ability is to get echoes of other people’s memories that have been left behind. At her graduation party, Finn gets a particularly strong echo that she realizes belongs to Nora. Finn convinces Zadie to use their beach vacation time to unravel the mystery. They plan to use her echoes to retrace Nora’s travels and find her. However, this is easier said than done.
While Zadie and Finn are likeable characters and well developed, they each have flaws that would seem to make them feel realistic. However, it took a while for me to connect with Zadie. She feels alone and abandoned. Finn was placed in foster care and they gradually have become more and more distant as the years passed. She was wrapped up in her new life and turned down invitations to meet with Zadie. Both go through transformations as events unfold, but Zadie has the most dynamic changes.
The story is atmospheric and somewhat sad with some stressful and suspenseful moments. There are several twists and turns that I didn’t expect. I felt like I was on the road trip with the sisters. The rhythm and cadence of the writing was somewhat lyrical and used strong visuals. However, it is written in a meandering fashion that tends to subdue the suspense and mystery. Additionally, there are chapters that go back in time to before Nora’s disappearance. These chapters tend to disrupt the flow.
Magical realism, great dialogue, a mother’s disappearance, an unforgettable journey, and sisters reconnecting, combined to make this novel unique and enjoyable. The characters the girls meet on their journey add another layer to the story. There are heartwarming moments that drew me into the story even more. The ending wraps everything up nicely. However, it has some surprises that readers may not expect. Themes explored include family, sisterhood, guilt, being different, anger, forgiveness, and mending broken relationships.
Overall, this story is fascinating, thought-provoking, and emotional, with great world-building. Despite the lyrical writing style, it held my attention and was very moving.
St. Martin’s Press and Ruth Emmie Lang provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 15, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------------
My 3.18 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
November 22, 2022
Last year I read Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance as a book club choice and surprisingly really enjoyed it even though it wasn't my typical sort of book. I was offered the audiobook version of this latest book by Lang, so I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I really didn't connect with the story.
It's the tale of two sisters, Zadie and Finn, whose mother Nora disappeared five years previously. Zadie was eighteen, Finn was twelve, so Finn went into foster care and Zadie was on her own. Now on the eve of Finn's graduation, when the girls are supposed to be taking a celebratory trip to the beach, Finn decides that they need to go look for their mother instead. How? Well, both Finn and Zadie have gifts--Finn can experience memories that people have left behind and Zadie has the gift of premonition. Finn wants to try to follow her mother's memories to see where they lead.
Although the narrative is filled with emotion, I never really connected with the story as a whole. It is very slow paced and deliberate, and I got very bogged down waiting for something to happen. As I was listening I felt like everything was just plodding and slow, disjointed and all over the place. Overall I just did not buy into the magical realism elements of this book like I did with Beasts, many of them felt more like mental illness rather than "sixth sense" style gifts. And the ending was just eye-rolling to me, I didn't believe anything that happened, even in a magical way. I was left thinking Seriously? That's the explanation?
I seem to be an outlier for this one, so if it interests you, you should give it a try and maybe it will connect more with you than it did for me. The audiobook narration by Anna Caputo is very good and kept me engaged when the plot itself did not.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
It's the tale of two sisters, Zadie and Finn, whose mother Nora disappeared five years previously. Zadie was eighteen, Finn was twelve, so Finn went into foster care and Zadie was on her own. Now on the eve of Finn's graduation, when the girls are supposed to be taking a celebratory trip to the beach, Finn decides that they need to go look for their mother instead. How? Well, both Finn and Zadie have gifts--Finn can experience memories that people have left behind and Zadie has the gift of premonition. Finn wants to try to follow her mother's memories to see where they lead.
Although the narrative is filled with emotion, I never really connected with the story as a whole. It is very slow paced and deliberate, and I got very bogged down waiting for something to happen. As I was listening I felt like everything was just plodding and slow, disjointed and all over the place. Overall I just did not buy into the magical realism elements of this book like I did with Beasts, many of them felt more like mental illness rather than "sixth sense" style gifts. And the ending was just eye-rolling to me, I didn't believe anything that happened, even in a magical way. I was left thinking Seriously? That's the explanation?
I seem to be an outlier for this one, so if it interests you, you should give it a try and maybe it will connect more with you than it did for me. The audiobook narration by Anna Caputo is very good and kept me engaged when the plot itself did not.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 9, 2022
Bummer. The Wilderwomen may be my biggest book disappointment of the year.
After hearing nothing but the highest of praise for Ruth Emmie Lang’s debut novel, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, I absolutely could not wait to read The Wilderwomen. Those who peruse my reviews know I love magical realism, and I was thrilled to read Lang’s story of two psychic women embarking on a road trip to find their missing mom.
But the novel’s execution isn’t the best. Even though I enjoyed the sisters, Zadie and Finn, and all the wonderful moments of magical realism, I found the story a little bland. Never was I fully engrossed, and emotionally, I felt zilch while reading it, other than hollow.
The ending, too, misses the mark. The explanation given for the mother’s disappearance just seems silly, and I was wholly unsatisfied with it.
I think this calls for a second BUMMER, don’t you?
Despite my disappointment, I will still read Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance one of these days, along with whatever else she decides to write next. My hunch is that The Wilderwomen is nothing but a fluke, and there is still literary greatness to come from Ruth Emmie Lang.
My sincerest appreciation to Ruth Emmie Lang, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
After hearing nothing but the highest of praise for Ruth Emmie Lang’s debut novel, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, I absolutely could not wait to read The Wilderwomen. Those who peruse my reviews know I love magical realism, and I was thrilled to read Lang’s story of two psychic women embarking on a road trip to find their missing mom.
But the novel’s execution isn’t the best. Even though I enjoyed the sisters, Zadie and Finn, and all the wonderful moments of magical realism, I found the story a little bland. Never was I fully engrossed, and emotionally, I felt zilch while reading it, other than hollow.
The ending, too, misses the mark. The explanation given for the mother’s disappearance just seems silly, and I was wholly unsatisfied with it.
I think this calls for a second BUMMER, don’t you?
Despite my disappointment, I will still read Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance one of these days, along with whatever else she decides to write next. My hunch is that The Wilderwomen is nothing but a fluke, and there is still literary greatness to come from Ruth Emmie Lang.
My sincerest appreciation to Ruth Emmie Lang, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
March 21, 2022
Okay, going in I had honestly no clue what to expect from this. After reading this, I'm speechless. So many twists and turns I never guessed were coming, the 2 sisters are fun and real that they easily become your favorite characters. I loved that the premise was not like the usual books I always see. The storyline was very interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was so worried about the Mom the entire time as well. Now that I finished reading the ending and the epilogue; it wrapped this book up nicely with a bow on top. I enjoyed this alot! Would recommend to my friends for a quick and interesting read!
This ARC was given to me from NetGalley to read and review and give my personal opinions on this book. All statements above are my own and based solely on my own opinions after reading the book.
This ARC was given to me from NetGalley to read and review and give my personal opinions on this book. All statements above are my own and based solely on my own opinions after reading the book.
July 16, 2022
Interesting writing style: conversational in some chapters. Very metaphorical and lyrical. My mind would wander right along with the vivid imagery - and the distracted writing style. ("Distracted" is probably not the right word, but I am having a hard time finding a fitting synonym for "wandering" this early in the morning.)
So many themes are woven into this one. At one point I thought to myself: is the literary device of magical realism being used as a thinly disguised explanation for abandonment? or as an excuse/apology for the actions taken and decisions made during an episode of mental illness? I suspected that this was the case, based on very little evidence, but I will leave this up to future readers to decide for themselves.
I couldn't connect with these characters: to me, they were so other-worldly, magically endowed, and all of them were searching or escaping or on a journey of self-discovery.
I'm rating this one a 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
So many themes are woven into this one. At one point I thought to myself: is the literary device of magical realism being used as a thinly disguised explanation for abandonment? or as an excuse/apology for the actions taken and decisions made during an episode of mental illness? I suspected that this was the case, based on very little evidence, but I will leave this up to future readers to decide for themselves.
I couldn't connect with these characters: to me, they were so other-worldly, magically endowed, and all of them were searching or escaping or on a journey of self-discovery.
I'm rating this one a 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2022
4 ONLY because Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance set the bar too high.
review when i review again.
*************************************
oh, i have been WAITING for another book by her. between this and the return of Saga, is 2022 giving me...optimism?
review when i review again.
*************************************
oh, i have been WAITING for another book by her. between this and the return of Saga, is 2022 giving me...optimism?
October 22, 2022
4+ stars
This author is just so good!
I absolutely loved her first novel,
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance
So when I found out she had this new book, I was so excited.
As in her first novel there is some magical realism.. but not anything unbelievable.
Two sisters who have been separated for 5 yrs since their mother, Nora wandered off and left them (when Zadie was 18 and her sister Finn was 12) go to search for her.
Finn has just graduated high school and is living with loving foster parents and Zadie has just left her boyfriend and is pregnant.
They go on this journey together to find her and they use their psychic and memory reading abilities in their search. It’s a gift that they both have in different forms as does their mother.
This ended up being a really lovely story
and I hope Ruth Emmie Lang will be writing more stories!
Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC!
This author is just so good!
I absolutely loved her first novel,
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance
So when I found out she had this new book, I was so excited.
As in her first novel there is some magical realism.. but not anything unbelievable.
Two sisters who have been separated for 5 yrs since their mother, Nora wandered off and left them (when Zadie was 18 and her sister Finn was 12) go to search for her.
Finn has just graduated high school and is living with loving foster parents and Zadie has just left her boyfriend and is pregnant.
They go on this journey together to find her and they use their psychic and memory reading abilities in their search. It’s a gift that they both have in different forms as does their mother.
This ended up being a really lovely story
and I hope Ruth Emmie Lang will be writing more stories!
Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC!
April 16, 2023
The Wilderwoman was likable but not engrossing.
I listened to the audio and I think Anna Caputo's narration is the way to go with so many past and present chapters plus different POVs. She helped keep storylines straight for me.
The novel revolves around two sisters. Zadie and Finn.
Zadie Wilder is twenty-three and her sister Finn is seventeen. Five years ago, their mother, Nora walked out on them. The sisters get separated. Finn as an underage child is placed under foster care. Zadie is left to survive on her own. In the beginning, they tried to stay close but this doesn't last. Now that Finn is almost about to graduate, they have planned two weeks at the beach to bond again. Yet, Finn has an ulterior motive, she wants to search for her mother with Zadie. She believes her ability is going to help. Yes, you heard right, Finn has the ability to "feel" past memories which she calls "echoes". Zadie is a psychic but she doesn't like to have an ability so she doesn't use it.
The story follows these two women in search of their mother, interacting with interesting characters along the way.
Even though magical realism is a favorite, I found myself uninterested at times. I also didn't think the reason for Nora's leaving was enough. The resolution felt rushed too.
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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March 17, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 15, 2022
Ruth Emmie Lang’s sophomore novel “The Wilderwomen” is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic” series. Full of magic, emotion and connection, Lang’s story of two estranged sisters, reconnecting to find their missing mother (and maybe using some magical powers or two) is a can’t-miss!
Nora Wilder walked away from her two daughters, Zadie and Finn, five years ago, without reason or explanation. Unable to predict her mother’s leaving, or stop her, Zadie abandoned her psychic abilities on that same day. Trying to reconnect with her estranged sister, Finn, Zadie decides on a beach vacation for the two of them, a few days of sun and sand. Finn, however, has other ideas. Finn can read memories (she calls “echoes”) and recently, she has been having “echoes” of Nora, convincing Finn that their mother is alive. Soon, Finn and Zadie are on a road trip, looking for clues that will lead them to the woman who walked away five years ago. Why did Nora leave her two daughters alone? Does she even want to be found?
Lang’s storyline is creative and completely mesmerizing, and I loved the sisterly relationship between Zadie and Finn, two characters who are so very different, yet connected by a familial (and magical) thread. Right from page one, I connected with Zadie, and rooted for both sisters.
Zadie and Finn both narrate the story, which helps to further cement the bond with the sisters and the reader. There are a few sections of the novel told by Nora, in the time leading up to her disappearance, which I found exceptionally beneficial as it turned Nora into a likable character. Without her side of things, I would have disliked her, or at least not have wanted the girls to seek her out. The addition of Joel (Zadie’s ex-boyfriend) seemed exceptionally random, and I’m still trying to figure out how he played into the story, but he was sweet and dim-witted and served to provide some lightness to the plot.
Scottish American author Lang is new to me, but her debut novel, “Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance”, is now on my radar, as well as anything else she chooses to write. I was impressed by the level of skill Lang possesses, and it is remarkable that this novel is only her second. I look forward to enjoying more magical tales from Lang in the future.
Expected publication date: November 15, 2022
Ruth Emmie Lang’s sophomore novel “The Wilderwomen” is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic” series. Full of magic, emotion and connection, Lang’s story of two estranged sisters, reconnecting to find their missing mother (and maybe using some magical powers or two) is a can’t-miss!
Nora Wilder walked away from her two daughters, Zadie and Finn, five years ago, without reason or explanation. Unable to predict her mother’s leaving, or stop her, Zadie abandoned her psychic abilities on that same day. Trying to reconnect with her estranged sister, Finn, Zadie decides on a beach vacation for the two of them, a few days of sun and sand. Finn, however, has other ideas. Finn can read memories (she calls “echoes”) and recently, she has been having “echoes” of Nora, convincing Finn that their mother is alive. Soon, Finn and Zadie are on a road trip, looking for clues that will lead them to the woman who walked away five years ago. Why did Nora leave her two daughters alone? Does she even want to be found?
Lang’s storyline is creative and completely mesmerizing, and I loved the sisterly relationship between Zadie and Finn, two characters who are so very different, yet connected by a familial (and magical) thread. Right from page one, I connected with Zadie, and rooted for both sisters.
Zadie and Finn both narrate the story, which helps to further cement the bond with the sisters and the reader. There are a few sections of the novel told by Nora, in the time leading up to her disappearance, which I found exceptionally beneficial as it turned Nora into a likable character. Without her side of things, I would have disliked her, or at least not have wanted the girls to seek her out. The addition of Joel (Zadie’s ex-boyfriend) seemed exceptionally random, and I’m still trying to figure out how he played into the story, but he was sweet and dim-witted and served to provide some lightness to the plot.
Scottish American author Lang is new to me, but her debut novel, “Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance”, is now on my radar, as well as anything else she chooses to write. I was impressed by the level of skill Lang possesses, and it is remarkable that this novel is only her second. I look forward to enjoying more magical tales from Lang in the future.
February 25, 2023
The theme of love and missing drives this book forward to an ending that brings happiness. This book presents the reader with unusual women who have gifts that make them so. For the girls, Zadie, who possesses the skill of being a psychic, and her sister, Finn, who can tap into memories, the disappearance of their mother Nora, eventually sends them on a journey to find their lost mother.
This is a strange tale, when years later Finn taps into a memory that she soon realizes is her mother's. Finn begins to slip away into those memories and Zadie realizes that Finn, just like Nora, will one day vanish seemingly into the wind. What can Zadie do to stop the progression and not lose Finn too?
The girls decide to set out on a mission to find their mother, whose fascination with birds, seems to drive her. The girls having been apart for the last five years come together in what seems to be a search that will yield little results. However, they are driven by dreams, by sensing their mother is out there, by the knowledge they need Nora to be able to go on.
This interesting tale is heavily involved in the fantasy realm and magical realism is heavily present on each and every page. I liked it, and had the compulsion to finish it even though at times felt bogged down with it. Definitely a story that was designed for those who believe the human spirit perhaps has the ability to go beyond the everyday.
Thank you to Ruth Emmie Lang, St Martins' Press and NetGalley for a copy of this tale.
This is a strange tale, when years later Finn taps into a memory that she soon realizes is her mother's. Finn begins to slip away into those memories and Zadie realizes that Finn, just like Nora, will one day vanish seemingly into the wind. What can Zadie do to stop the progression and not lose Finn too?
The girls decide to set out on a mission to find their mother, whose fascination with birds, seems to drive her. The girls having been apart for the last five years come together in what seems to be a search that will yield little results. However, they are driven by dreams, by sensing their mother is out there, by the knowledge they need Nora to be able to go on.
This interesting tale is heavily involved in the fantasy realm and magical realism is heavily present on each and every page. I liked it, and had the compulsion to finish it even though at times felt bogged down with it. Definitely a story that was designed for those who believe the human spirit perhaps has the ability to go beyond the everyday.
Thank you to Ruth Emmie Lang, St Martins' Press and NetGalley for a copy of this tale.
November 19, 2022
Omg!!!! This took me forever to read. When I finished and finally discovered why their mom vanished 5 years ago. I felt that’s it? Why? What was the point of this story? I didn’t feel sad, happy, definitely not gratification. I just felt like I was finally done and I can move on.
December 11, 2022
I really wanted to love this one. It sounded so unique, but I just never could fully get pulled into it. This is a magical realism, women's fiction. A coming of age story about two sisters, Zadie and Finn, on a road trip to find their missing mother. Both of the girls have special abilities. Zadie can see into the future and Fun can hear echoes of other people's memories. They meet an interesting cast of characters along the journey. I was sometimes confused as to what exactly was going on, and the writing was very different from what I'm used to. I had a hard time connecting to this one.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Read
November 15, 2022a DNF for now🥲🥱😴
October 29, 2022
An interesting storyline here. Nora abandoned her two daughters five years ago. Zadie (18) was old enough to be on her own, but Finn (12) went to a foster family. The two girls have been drifting away from each other. The girls both have "gifts" if you can call them that - Zadie is psychic and can see the future; Finn has the ability to pick up people's memories just from being in the place something happened. The girls are reunited at Finn's graduation party and Finn convinces Zadie they need to try to find their Mom. Their journey begins and takes them on twisty journey as they follow clues to their Mom's whereabouts.
The characters were well developed and felt real. The plot moved at a good pace in a conversational manner that drew me along. I was very worried about all these women and wondered throughout if I was reading about mental illness or something paranormal. The people Zadie and Finn met on their journey were fun to read about. I especially enjoyed the time they spent with the "Sixes".
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 15, 2022.
The characters were well developed and felt real. The plot moved at a good pace in a conversational manner that drew me along. I was very worried about all these women and wondered throughout if I was reading about mental illness or something paranormal. The people Zadie and Finn met on their journey were fun to read about. I especially enjoyed the time they spent with the "Sixes".
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 15, 2022.
August 6, 2022
The Wilderwomen was such a beautiful love story between 2 sisters who are not ordinary or normal by any standards. For me, this book was magical, intriguing, engaging, and very entertaining. My attention was held throughout the entire book, and I got lost in the story. All the twists and turns blended wonderfully. Highly recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 31, 2022
Review coming soon.
November 27, 2022
This is the first book I’ve read by Ruth Emmie Lang. it started off strong, an interesting premise and reminiscent of Disney’s Onward. But the ending was truly anticlimactic and left a good amount of questions.
I feel like the ending was also kind of boring, and it just didn’t leave me feeling satisfied. I am curious to see if her other book(s) are similar, I would like to give her one more chance as an author.
I feel like the ending was also kind of boring, and it just didn’t leave me feeling satisfied. I am curious to see if her other book(s) are similar, I would like to give her one more chance as an author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2022
In 2017 I read Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance.
Ruth Emmie Lang managed to rip out my heart, give it a hug and place it back in my chest.
To say that book destroyed me would be an understatement.
Did I have high hopes for her sophomore book?
Maybe a little.
I may have put off reading this for a couple months because I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I regret that decision.
Finn & Zadie are beautifully developed characters with fantastic personalities and a deep well of emotions. It's about sisters in need of reconnecting, add a road trip, psychic abilities, and a mystery surrounding their mum and I'm not really sure why I was worried about reading it now.
Sooo freaking good!
Much love to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Ruth Emmie Lang for my ARC!
Ruth Emmie Lang managed to rip out my heart, give it a hug and place it back in my chest.
To say that book destroyed me would be an understatement.
Did I have high hopes for her sophomore book?
Maybe a little.
I may have put off reading this for a couple months because I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I regret that decision.
Finn & Zadie are beautifully developed characters with fantastic personalities and a deep well of emotions. It's about sisters in need of reconnecting, add a road trip, psychic abilities, and a mystery surrounding their mum and I'm not really sure why I was worried about reading it now.
Sooo freaking good!
Much love to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Ruth Emmie Lang for my ARC!
March 27, 2022
My favorite book of all time is Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang. I recommend it to everyone that I can! I have been waiting years for the author to release another book. I can’t even explain how excited I was to get approved to read an early copy of her next book The Wilderwomen! Thank you so much to @stmartinspress and NetGalley for letting me read and review this one way ahead of its release date!
This book was SO good and gave me a book hangover! Lang has proved once again that she is a master storyteller. She has a way of incorporating magical realism into creative plots that are memorable because they are so unique and so well written.
This is a book about two sisters that each have a special power, that go on an adventure to find their missing mother and all the characters they meet along the way. The character development is phenomenal! The mystery element and descriptions in the book made it hard to put down. The bonds the two sisters shared gave me all the feels! It was also really cool that some of the book takes place in Arizona (where I live) and near Sedona, which is breathtaking and a special place for me. This my favorite book of 2022 so far and I can’t imagine another book being able to take that title this year.
This book was absolutely unputdownable. I will be preordering a hardcopy to have on my shelf forever. This one comes out November 15th and is a MUST READ!
November 5, 2022
This is such a lovely story by an author who creates bright, emotional, funny, flawed characters and gently teases tenderness from their sometimes prickly surfaces. There's a bit of magic in the book's real world setting, which otherwise seems exactly like the world we know. We are endeared to the people in the story, simply because they are regular people faced with mostly everyday problems. The infusion of a mysterious otherworldly undercurrent is just a part of the larger story, and that's what makes the narrative work so well.
This is just what we need right now, a novel which confirms that the beauty of the natural world, and the strength of our connections to each other, are really the most important things in this life.
The author's previous book was Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, which centered the magic a touch more than in this one, but each has gifted me with that same calm centered redemptive feeling.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #Netgalley for providing an early copy for review.
This is just what we need right now, a novel which confirms that the beauty of the natural world, and the strength of our connections to each other, are really the most important things in this life.
The author's previous book was Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, which centered the magic a touch more than in this one, but each has gifted me with that same calm centered redemptive feeling.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #Netgalley for providing an early copy for review.
December 19, 2022
3,5 stars
I loved Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance when I read it years ago. So, I've been kinda hyped for this baby. I mean, just look at that cover. While it didn't disappoint exactly, it also didn't reach up to the level of Beasts.
In The Wilderwomen, we follow two sisters on their search for their mother, who left 5 years previously. The sisters both have special abilities. The older, Zadie, get premonitions. The younger, Finn, is able to see "echoes", memories from other people. In their search, Finn uses her ability to catch echoes to show where their mother went. The writing is very beautiful and story whimsical. It had many heartwarming parts and many sweet and kind characters.
I loved Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance when I read it years ago. So, I've been kinda hyped for this baby. I mean, just look at that cover. While it didn't disappoint exactly, it also didn't reach up to the level of Beasts.
In The Wilderwomen, we follow two sisters on their search for their mother, who left 5 years previously. The sisters both have special abilities. The older, Zadie, get premonitions. The younger, Finn, is able to see "echoes", memories from other people. In their search, Finn uses her ability to catch echoes to show where their mother went. The writing is very beautiful and story whimsical. It had many heartwarming parts and many sweet and kind characters.
November 17, 2022
They're trying to find their mother. They may find themselves, too.
Five years ago, Nora Wilder walked away from her daughters. Her older daughter, Zadie, knew something was going on with her mother, but Nora wouldn’t tell her what it was. And even though Zadie has psychic abilities, she is unable to figure out where Nora went or what made her leave.
Zadie’s younger sister, Finn, experiences “echoes” of memories of other people when she’s in particular places. During her high school graduation party, she has her strongest echo yet, and she wakes up in the aviary of a zoo. She realizes that this memory belongs to her mother, and she thinks it’s a sign that Nora wants to be found. And regardless of what Zadie or Finn’s foster parents think, she’s determined to find Nora.
Reluctantly, Zadie agrees to accompany her sister on a trip which takes them to places Nora might have gone. And as Finn’s echoes grow more intense, Zadie has to try and figure out how to save her sister—and decide if she thinks their mother wants to be found.
This is a beautiful, emotional story with elements of magical realism. I loved Ruth Emmie Lang’s first book, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance , and this had a similar feel. A great BOTM pick this month!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Five years ago, Nora Wilder walked away from her daughters. Her older daughter, Zadie, knew something was going on with her mother, but Nora wouldn’t tell her what it was. And even though Zadie has psychic abilities, she is unable to figure out where Nora went or what made her leave.
Zadie’s younger sister, Finn, experiences “echoes” of memories of other people when she’s in particular places. During her high school graduation party, she has her strongest echo yet, and she wakes up in the aviary of a zoo. She realizes that this memory belongs to her mother, and she thinks it’s a sign that Nora wants to be found. And regardless of what Zadie or Finn’s foster parents think, she’s determined to find Nora.
Reluctantly, Zadie agrees to accompany her sister on a trip which takes them to places Nora might have gone. And as Finn’s echoes grow more intense, Zadie has to try and figure out how to save her sister—and decide if she thinks their mother wants to be found.
This is a beautiful, emotional story with elements of magical realism. I loved Ruth Emmie Lang’s first book, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance , and this had a similar feel. A great BOTM pick this month!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
May 19, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Wilderwomen was a pretty interesting book. In it, you will meet Zadie, Finn and Nora. Zadie and Finn are sisters and Nora is their mom. One day, she ends up leaving them and everyone's life has forever changed. Years later, Finn and Zadie are reuniting for a fun sister trip to the beach. Or at least that's what they originally planned on doing.
Their adventure was honestly a lot of fun but definitely had some confusing parts. Mostly because of the secrets they have yet to uncover. Once they started to pop up, things started to make a lot more sense. It was also interesting to see how these sisters reacted and communicated with one another since they haven't really been in each other's lives for a few years. Plus, with the other people they meet along the way.
Then there's the magic or gifts within these three and the people they meet. Each new thing we learned about definitely kept me engaged and entertained. Although, I'll admit, that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for bad news to come everyone's way.
In the end, I'm pretty happy with how things concluded. Still a bit confused about some things, but it was a nice journey to read within one sitting. I'll definitely try another book by Ruth. Especially if it's magical like this one.
The Wilderwomen was a pretty interesting book. In it, you will meet Zadie, Finn and Nora. Zadie and Finn are sisters and Nora is their mom. One day, she ends up leaving them and everyone's life has forever changed. Years later, Finn and Zadie are reuniting for a fun sister trip to the beach. Or at least that's what they originally planned on doing.
Their adventure was honestly a lot of fun but definitely had some confusing parts. Mostly because of the secrets they have yet to uncover. Once they started to pop up, things started to make a lot more sense. It was also interesting to see how these sisters reacted and communicated with one another since they haven't really been in each other's lives for a few years. Plus, with the other people they meet along the way.
Then there's the magic or gifts within these three and the people they meet. Each new thing we learned about definitely kept me engaged and entertained. Although, I'll admit, that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for bad news to come everyone's way.
In the end, I'm pretty happy with how things concluded. Still a bit confused about some things, but it was a nice journey to read within one sitting. I'll definitely try another book by Ruth. Especially if it's magical like this one.
November 1, 2022
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I don’t often read this genre, but I liked the premise about two sisters and a road trip through the southwest United States.
The Wilderwomen is an engaging, gentle novel about abandonment, growing up, and the bond between sisters. It's more of a 3.5 for me, but I generally round up.
I will admit I’m not fond of magical realism, but this book was less about the magical aspects than the characters and the setting, so it didn’t make me roll my eyes (as magical realism tends to sometimes-honestly, I just don’t have patience for it for some reason). In this novel, the magical aspects tie greatly into the plot, as the women are following their mom’s trail, so to speak, only able to do so due to their abilities. So, this aspect felt necessary to the story and not just some gimmicky thing to make it different from other women’s fiction.
Yet, I did find the novel had a big “convenience” factor, where just when they hit a dead end in their search, one of them would have a premonition or a memory that would tell them where to go. This wasn’t egregious, and any story with this concept requires some suspension of disbelief so I wouldn't consider it took away from my enjoyment.
In terms of the characters, I really liked Finn, but Zadie is a real stick in the mud and her pregnancy arc confused me a bit. If Finn wasn’t there to soften her, I probably wouldn’t have been as into the novel. Rather than a balance, it often felt like their two personalities were competing, but that’s part of the dynamic and it felt realistic (for sisters especially).
The random places they go are interesting and well described, though, again, this is a gentle novel so nothing is overly exciting or traumatic, but it’s still engaging and I wanted to know how the mystery was resolved. The writing style is very lyrical and easy to follow, with good descriptions and realistic dialogue. It was nice to read a novel like this for once, actually.
Now, one thing I wasn’t into was the ending. In truth, I really enjoyed the novel up until the final pages, when the explanation came. The explanation … was not for me. I didn’t really understand how it fit into the magical realism and the resolution seemed very quick and easy. I wasn’t sure how memory loss also fit regarding the answer to the disappearance, and I didn’t understand how the resolution fixed any of the problems. In truth, it felt a bit simplistic and almost negated the growth that was starting to build on behalf of the sisters’ relationship.
But overall, I do recommend this book if you like road trips, sister stories, magical realism, and women’s fiction. It's a nice, easy read.
I don’t often read this genre, but I liked the premise about two sisters and a road trip through the southwest United States.
The Wilderwomen is an engaging, gentle novel about abandonment, growing up, and the bond between sisters. It's more of a 3.5 for me, but I generally round up.
I will admit I’m not fond of magical realism, but this book was less about the magical aspects than the characters and the setting, so it didn’t make me roll my eyes (as magical realism tends to sometimes-honestly, I just don’t have patience for it for some reason). In this novel, the magical aspects tie greatly into the plot, as the women are following their mom’s trail, so to speak, only able to do so due to their abilities. So, this aspect felt necessary to the story and not just some gimmicky thing to make it different from other women’s fiction.
Yet, I did find the novel had a big “convenience” factor, where just when they hit a dead end in their search, one of them would have a premonition or a memory that would tell them where to go. This wasn’t egregious, and any story with this concept requires some suspension of disbelief so I wouldn't consider it took away from my enjoyment.
In terms of the characters, I really liked Finn, but Zadie is a real stick in the mud and her pregnancy arc confused me a bit. If Finn wasn’t there to soften her, I probably wouldn’t have been as into the novel. Rather than a balance, it often felt like their two personalities were competing, but that’s part of the dynamic and it felt realistic (for sisters especially).
The random places they go are interesting and well described, though, again, this is a gentle novel so nothing is overly exciting or traumatic, but it’s still engaging and I wanted to know how the mystery was resolved. The writing style is very lyrical and easy to follow, with good descriptions and realistic dialogue. It was nice to read a novel like this for once, actually.
Now, one thing I wasn’t into was the ending. In truth, I really enjoyed the novel up until the final pages, when the explanation came. The explanation … was not for me. I didn’t really understand how it fit into the magical realism and the resolution seemed very quick and easy. I wasn’t sure how memory loss also fit regarding the answer to the disappearance, and I didn’t understand how the resolution fixed any of the problems. In truth, it felt a bit simplistic and almost negated the growth that was starting to build on behalf of the sisters’ relationship.
But overall, I do recommend this book if you like road trips, sister stories, magical realism, and women’s fiction. It's a nice, easy read.
December 13, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this book! I liked the author’s first book, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, when I read it several years and I was eager to read more of her work. I am happy to report that this book was just as good as her first. Once I started reading this book, I found it incredibly hard to set aside.
Zadie and Finn’s mom, Nora, disappeared years ago and nobody knows what happened to her. Finn was young enough to be placed with a family but Zadie was left to fend for herself. The sisters have a trip planned shortly after Finn’s graduation but their plans change when Finn convinces her sister to spend the time searching for their mother instead of heading to the beach. Like Zadie and Finn, I wondered what had really happened to Nora years earlier.
As much as I enjoyed going on this journey with Zadie and Finn, I worried about them during their quest to find their mother. They do encounter some interesting characters during their travels which I thought added a lot to the story. Each of the sisters has a special ability that added just the right amount of magic to the story. I loved watching Zadie and Finn grow closer and grow as individuals over the course of the book.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Anna Caputo did a fantastic job with the story. I believe that this was my first experience with her narration and I was impressed. I thought that her voice was very pleasant and worked well for the story. I am certain that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done story filled with likable and interesting characters. I was very satisfied with how everything turned out and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin’s press and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
I thought that this was really good. Like Zadie and Finn, I wondered what had become of Nora. I also worried about Zadie and Finn while they traveled on their quest to find their mother. I enjoyed all the people that they connected with during their trip and was quite pleased with how things turned out in the end. I listened to the audiobook and thought that Anna Caputo did a fantastic job with the narration.
I really enjoyed this book! I liked the author’s first book, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, when I read it several years and I was eager to read more of her work. I am happy to report that this book was just as good as her first. Once I started reading this book, I found it incredibly hard to set aside.
Zadie and Finn’s mom, Nora, disappeared years ago and nobody knows what happened to her. Finn was young enough to be placed with a family but Zadie was left to fend for herself. The sisters have a trip planned shortly after Finn’s graduation but their plans change when Finn convinces her sister to spend the time searching for their mother instead of heading to the beach. Like Zadie and Finn, I wondered what had really happened to Nora years earlier.
As much as I enjoyed going on this journey with Zadie and Finn, I worried about them during their quest to find their mother. They do encounter some interesting characters during their travels which I thought added a lot to the story. Each of the sisters has a special ability that added just the right amount of magic to the story. I loved watching Zadie and Finn grow closer and grow as individuals over the course of the book.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Anna Caputo did a fantastic job with the story. I believe that this was my first experience with her narration and I was impressed. I thought that her voice was very pleasant and worked well for the story. I am certain that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done story filled with likable and interesting characters. I was very satisfied with how everything turned out and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin’s press and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
I thought that this was really good. Like Zadie and Finn, I wondered what had become of Nora. I also worried about Zadie and Finn while they traveled on their quest to find their mother. I enjoyed all the people that they connected with during their trip and was quite pleased with how things turned out in the end. I listened to the audiobook and thought that Anna Caputo did a fantastic job with the narration.
September 28, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, Goodreads, and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Selling Pitch:
Are you obsessed with the quirky, artsy, free-spirit mom trope? Will you trade magical realism for a suspension of disbelief to feel any whiff of whimsical romanticism? Do you like books where nothing happens?
Pre-reading:
It irrationally irks me that the spine is white when the cover is blue.
Thick of it:
I do not buy that she does not know who Coco Chanel is.
Steve and Kathy are so nice.
So just like that sunflower book (Where Darkness Blooms), I don’t buy that you wouldn’t go looking for your mother. Like I just don’t. How could you not look for her? Looking for one day doesn’t count as looking.
Also, how could the police not suspect foul play if there’s jewelry left on the driveway? That’s very suspicious.
I am 153 pages into this book and nothing has happened. It’s all filler and unnecessary descriptions that add nothing. It’s not even characterization descriptions because it’s happening in the exact moment. It’s fucking boring filler. Cut it all out (You can’t there wouldn’t be a book otherwise.)
Yeah, that’s so mean to Kathy and Steve. They’ve been nothing but nice to you.
Astrology. They give more Cancer, Libra energy to me 👀
Blacklight for Scorpions? (No.)
Cults love volleyball just ask NXIVM.
This book’s action is so odd. Like you’re going to know their exact hand placement in every scene for no reason.
Replete? In this book? C’mon now.
Oh look, libra non-answer bull shit.
Literally Kathy and Steve are the absolute nicest. They would’ve helped find her mom. Like I don’t get keeping this from them.
Literally just put a toddler leash on Finn and problem solved.
What the fuck kinda explanation is this? Oh, mom has a birdbrain so it’s fine. What?!?
And you won’t get adopted by them? What do you mean it was her indomitable spirit that kept her alive? Like no, it was Steve and Kathy, who gave her food, and a roof over her head, and a fucking education.
Is..is that a washing machine masturbation joke? Because not the place.
And who paid for college? Oh wait, it was Kathy and Steve for the daughter they didn’t fucking adopt. Garbage.
Post-reading:
Have you ever wished you could unread a book? There is literally nothing in this book for me. I fundamentally don’t understand how you take the concept of two psychic sisters road-tripping to find their missing mom and make it boring. No one feels like an actual human in this book. Which maybe that’s intentional when your big explanation for why everything happened was-oh she’s just kind of bird-ish. I feel like the book shot for whimsical, and romantic, and quirky, and just failed miserably. All the characters are fundamentally unlikeable, save the adoptive parents who are barely more than a footnote. I think it dips into toxic messaging of blood family is always your real family, and if your family hurts and abandons you, it’s always for a good reason. That’s complete and utter shit. The language is clunky. There are no healthy relationships in this book. There’s no concept of real-world consequences or integration of law enforcement or money. Um, don’t read this.
Who should read this:
No one?
Bird fanatics
People obsessed with the quirky, artsy, free-spirit mom trope
Do I want to reread this:
No. I would like to unread this.
Similar books:
* Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah-missing mothers, kids with psychic powers
* Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt-family drama, supernatural
* The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, quirky art mom
* Middlegame by Seanan McGuire-kids with abilities
* The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow-whimsical, romantic
My Selling Pitch:
Are you obsessed with the quirky, artsy, free-spirit mom trope? Will you trade magical realism for a suspension of disbelief to feel any whiff of whimsical romanticism? Do you like books where nothing happens?
Pre-reading:
It irrationally irks me that the spine is white when the cover is blue.
Thick of it:
I do not buy that she does not know who Coco Chanel is.
Steve and Kathy are so nice.
So just like that sunflower book (Where Darkness Blooms), I don’t buy that you wouldn’t go looking for your mother. Like I just don’t. How could you not look for her? Looking for one day doesn’t count as looking.
Also, how could the police not suspect foul play if there’s jewelry left on the driveway? That’s very suspicious.
I am 153 pages into this book and nothing has happened. It’s all filler and unnecessary descriptions that add nothing. It’s not even characterization descriptions because it’s happening in the exact moment. It’s fucking boring filler. Cut it all out (You can’t there wouldn’t be a book otherwise.)
Yeah, that’s so mean to Kathy and Steve. They’ve been nothing but nice to you.
Astrology. They give more Cancer, Libra energy to me 👀
Blacklight for Scorpions? (No.)
Cults love volleyball just ask NXIVM.
This book’s action is so odd. Like you’re going to know their exact hand placement in every scene for no reason.
Replete? In this book? C’mon now.
Oh look, libra non-answer bull shit.
Literally Kathy and Steve are the absolute nicest. They would’ve helped find her mom. Like I don’t get keeping this from them.
Literally just put a toddler leash on Finn and problem solved.
What the fuck kinda explanation is this? Oh, mom has a birdbrain so it’s fine. What?!?
And you won’t get adopted by them? What do you mean it was her indomitable spirit that kept her alive? Like no, it was Steve and Kathy, who gave her food, and a roof over her head, and a fucking education.
Is..is that a washing machine masturbation joke? Because not the place.
And who paid for college? Oh wait, it was Kathy and Steve for the daughter they didn’t fucking adopt. Garbage.
Post-reading:
Have you ever wished you could unread a book? There is literally nothing in this book for me. I fundamentally don’t understand how you take the concept of two psychic sisters road-tripping to find their missing mom and make it boring. No one feels like an actual human in this book. Which maybe that’s intentional when your big explanation for why everything happened was-oh she’s just kind of bird-ish. I feel like the book shot for whimsical, and romantic, and quirky, and just failed miserably. All the characters are fundamentally unlikeable, save the adoptive parents who are barely more than a footnote. I think it dips into toxic messaging of blood family is always your real family, and if your family hurts and abandons you, it’s always for a good reason. That’s complete and utter shit. The language is clunky. There are no healthy relationships in this book. There’s no concept of real-world consequences or integration of law enforcement or money. Um, don’t read this.
Who should read this:
No one?
Bird fanatics
People obsessed with the quirky, artsy, free-spirit mom trope
Do I want to reread this:
No. I would like to unread this.
Similar books:
* Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah-missing mothers, kids with psychic powers
* Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt-family drama, supernatural
* The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, quirky art mom
* Middlegame by Seanan McGuire-kids with abilities
* The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow-whimsical, romantic
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