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A review by amysbrittain
Into the Savage Country by Shannon Burke
4.0
3.75 stars. A serenely told story of a band of fur traders--some wild, some considered gentlemen, some one but striving to be the other--striking out into the West in the first half of the 1800s. The writing style involves a lot of telling, which seemingly intentionally slows the pacing--and which I usually don't like, but here it gives a fittingly old-fashioned quality to the writing that suits the time and the main protagonist and the tale itself.
So while the group encounters friendly and hostile Native Americans; copes with antagonized and antagonistic British trappers; is threatened with imprisonment; experiences cruel and potentially fatal betrayal by one of their own; faces the wild and its many dangers; suffers grave wounds; and saves each other's skin countless times--including after foolish and easily avoided situations such as literally waking a bear and baiting an injured bull--you aren't necessarily going to be on the edge of your seat while you read about all of it.
But there is a deeper, quiet, surprisingly affecting story beneath the Western adventure, which is about trust, loyalty, sometimes begrudging but deeply felt affection, discovery of self-worth, celebrating differences, and love. It's the pacing and tone of the story that allows for all of those elements to feel real.
I keep thinking about this one, and when I began the book I wouldn't have predicted how it's sticking with me now.
So while the group encounters friendly and hostile Native Americans; copes with antagonized and antagonistic British trappers; is threatened with imprisonment; experiences cruel and potentially fatal betrayal by one of their own; faces the wild and its many dangers; suffers grave wounds; and saves each other's skin countless times--including after foolish and easily avoided situations such as literally waking a bear and baiting an injured bull--you aren't necessarily going to be on the edge of your seat while you read about all of it.
But there is a deeper, quiet, surprisingly affecting story beneath the Western adventure, which is about trust, loyalty, sometimes begrudging but deeply felt affection, discovery of self-worth, celebrating differences, and love. It's the pacing and tone of the story that allows for all of those elements to feel real.
I keep thinking about this one, and when I began the book I wouldn't have predicted how it's sticking with me now.