The Vaster Wilds: A Novel
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, TIME, ESQUIRE, VOGUE, LA TIMES, SLATE, HARPER'S BAZAAR and others
“Part historical, part horror, part breathless thriller, part wilderness survival tale, The Vaster Wilds is a story about the lengths to which we will go to stay alive."—NPR staff pick
“Lauren Groff just reinvented the adventure novel."—Los Angeles Times
“Glorious…surroundings come alive in prose that lives and breathes upon the page." —Boston Globe
A taut and electrifying novel from celebrated bestselling author Lauren Groff, about one spirited girl alone in the wilderness, trying to survive
A servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her. What she finds in this terra incognita is beyond the limits of her imagination and will bend her belief in everything that her own civilization has taught her.
Lauren Groff’s new novel is at once a thrilling adventure story and a penetrating fable about trying to find a new way of living in a world succumbing to the churn of colonialism. The Vaster Wilds is a work of raw and prophetic power that tells the story of America in miniature, through one girl at a hinge point in history, to ask how—and if—we can adapt quickly enough to save ourselves.
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, TIME, ESQUIRE, VOGUE, LA TIMES, SLATE, HARPER'S BAZAAR and others
“Part historical, part horror, part breathless thriller, part wilderness survival tale, The Vaster Wilds is a story about the lengths to which we will go to stay alive."—NPR staff pick
“Lauren Groff just reinvented the adventure novel."—Los Angeles Times
“Glorious…surroundings come alive in prose that lives and breathes upon the page." —Boston Globe
A taut and electrifying novel from celebrated bestselling author Lauren Groff, about one spirited girl alone in the wilderness, trying to survive
A servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her. What she finds in this terra incognita is beyond the limits of her imagination and will bend her belief in everything that her own civilization has taught her.
Lauren Groff’s new novel is at once a thrilling adventure story and a penetrating fable about trying to find a new way of living in a world succumbing to the churn of colonialism. The Vaster Wilds is a work of raw and prophetic power that tells the story of America in miniature, through one girl at a hinge point in history, to ask how—and if—we can adapt quickly enough to save ourselves.
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Community Reviews
The human body (woman’s body) can be pushed to the brink. This is a story of survival and sadness. Beautiful imagery and descriptions.
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff is a compelling story about the force of life and a being that flees from certain death because it yearns for itself. This narrative about the final weeks of a young woman’s life is so rich with the context of her life and times. I appreciate the character development to a new understanding of belief systems — about the other and god. I most liked Groff’s writing about death as a better alternative to tremendous suffering.
really loved this one. this is the first one i ranked above three stars despite how much i enjoy groff's writing regardless. this one was more of a character study and commentary on humanity, nature, and being a woman.
Excellent descriptive on the run where every piss taken and berry eaten is cataloged. Young girl runs away from a colony facing starvation. Into the woods she runs, and runs, and runs. The sentences are delectable as the content is horrifying. Sometimes scary, at times unbelievable (she knows how to stab a fish, fix a canoe…) bit I couldn’t put it down.
Ms Groff is clearly a gifted and poetic writer, but I found the narrative arc of this novel too flat and unrelenting. No 'warm and fuzzies' to leven this story. Not a book for those looking for an uplifting read.
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