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Matthew Ted's Reviews > The Vaster Wilds
The Vaster Wilds
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92nd book of 2023.
2.5. Groff has written her new novel about survival. The blurb suggests this is part of a trilogy about the end of empire. The protagonist here is a girl who has escaped her mistress and now must survive in the wilderness. There are a few flashbacks to her time with the mistress and looking after said woman's child, but most of the novel is dedicated to running through forests, sucking the insides out of eggs, eating worms, hiding in caves, dodging wolves and bears and generally just moving place to place. I've never read Groff before; I found her readable, but I needed more from this, I think. I'm a big fan of 'plotless' novels. My professor used to say there's no such thing as plotless, as long as a character wants something. That's enough. I guess the girl wants to survive, but I wasn't invested in this want. It seemed too simple. If you like the idea of a girl surviving in the vaster wilds of the world, hunting, hiding, sneaking, then pick this up in September. I wonder what established fans of Groff will think. Other ARC reviews look promising. Thanks to Random House for sending me this advance copy for review.
2.5. Groff has written her new novel about survival. The blurb suggests this is part of a trilogy about the end of empire. The protagonist here is a girl who has escaped her mistress and now must survive in the wilderness. There are a few flashbacks to her time with the mistress and looking after said woman's child, but most of the novel is dedicated to running through forests, sucking the insides out of eggs, eating worms, hiding in caves, dodging wolves and bears and generally just moving place to place. I've never read Groff before; I found her readable, but I needed more from this, I think. I'm a big fan of 'plotless' novels. My professor used to say there's no such thing as plotless, as long as a character wants something. That's enough. I guess the girl wants to survive, but I wasn't invested in this want. It seemed too simple. If you like the idea of a girl surviving in the vaster wilds of the world, hunting, hiding, sneaking, then pick this up in September. I wonder what established fans of Groff will think. Other ARC reviews look promising. Thanks to Random House for sending me this advance copy for review.
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Reading Progress
July 17, 2023
–
Started Reading
July 17, 2023
– Shelved
July 24, 2023
–
Finished Reading
July 25, 2023
– Shelved as:
21st-century
July 25, 2023
– Shelved as:
lit-american
July 25, 2023
– Shelved as:
read-2023
Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)
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Thanks for your thoughts, Goodreads never notified me that you'd commented. Did you ever get to the end and did your opinion change? A very flat novel.
When I finished this book and went to mark it on my Goodreads I was really surprised to see that it averaged almost 4 stars. I also gave it a 2. Matrix is the only other piece by Groff I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. Mostly because it is a speculative historical musing on the life of Marie de France, who is one of my favorite historical figures. But I absolutely agree that this book fell very flat. It wasn’t until about halfway through that I realized the story was….exactly what was happening. Just a mercilessly descriptive book about almost dying over the course of a few weeks. I really do find Groff’s writing to be quite excellent but I feel that she relies heavily on being subversive. Like was it a bold choice to write a novel so one note that it would have been unbearably boring if it weren’t for the few times you thought she was going to die? I don’t know. I see what she was going for but it was altogether unfulfilling.
Eve wrote: "When I finished this book and went to mark it on my Goodreads I was really surprised to see that it averaged almost 4 stars. I also gave it a 2. Matrix is the only other piece by Groff I’ve read an..."Thanks for your thoughts, Eve. I feel like it was structurally missing something, either in the middle of the novel to explode around or to rise towards. Very flat. A part of me think it isn't even ambitious, but just a short story idea dragged into novel form for no reason. Just wasn't enough story (and I'm a guy who loves plotless novels!).
Great review. I guess you helped me realize what I felt while reading, as well: I just needed more.
Melissa wrote: "Great review. I guess you helped me realize what I felt while reading, as well: I just needed more."Thanks, Melissa. It had potential but it felt like Groff didn't delve into anything beyond the surface level.
I am not afraid of experimental literature. I am willing to work as a reader. But I need something that this book—so far—isn't giving me to find the will to keep reading.