Critics' Opinion:
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Published Sep 2010
288 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Echo Canyon is a disappearing pocket of wilderness outside of Bend, Oregon, and the site of conflicting memories for Justin Caves and his father, Paul. It’s now slated for redevelopment as a golfing resort. When Paul suggests one last hunting trip, Justin accepts, hoping to get things right with his father this time, and agrees to bring his son, Graham, along.
As the weekend unfolds, Justin is pushed to the limit by the reckless taunting of his father, the physical demands of the terrain, and the menacing evidence of the hovering presence of bear. All the while, he remembers the promise he made to his skeptical wife: to keep their son safe.
Benjamin Percy, a writer whose work Dan Chaon called "bighearted and drunk and dangerous," shows his mastery of narrative suspense as the novel builds to its surprising climax. The Wilding shines unexpected light on our shifting relationship with nature and family in contemporary society.
"Starred Review. A taut plot and cast of deeply flawed characters - Justin is a masterwork of pitiable wretchedness - will keep readers rapt as peril descends and split-second decisions come to have lifelong repercussions." - Publishers Weekly
"The Wilding seems a bit overambitious, but, even so, it draws readers in and holds them in its grasp." - Booklist
"Unsatisfying, both as suspense and as an inquiry into our violent impulses." - Kirkus
This information about The Wilding was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Jennifer Percy
Benjamin Percy has won a Whiting Award, a Plimpton Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, an NEA fellowship, and the iHeartRadio Award for Best Scripted Podcast. He is the author of the novels The Ninth Metal, The Unfamiliar Garden, The Dark Net, The Dead Lands, Red Moon, and The Wilding; three story collections; and an essay collection, Thrill Me. He also writes Wolverine and X-Force for Marvel Comics. He lives in Minnesota with his family.
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