A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest

by Charlie J. Stephens

A dark yet hopeful tale about a child's search for love and safety.  "A pulsing novel filled with so much love and tenderness.” — MORGAN TALTY , national bestselling author of  Night of the Living Rez

In 1980's Oregon, Smokey is figuring out how to survive childhood with a young mom who is increasingly desperate in her search for love. As their mother's boyfriends come and go, Smokey aches for the comfort and safety their mother can never quite provide. When a dangerous new man moves into the house, Smokey seeks refuge in the nearby forests--finding comfort as they give themselves over to the strength and beauty of the natural world.

Genres: Fiction, Queer, Nature, LGBT, Adult

181 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

When trying to describe this book, all the words, superlatives included, seem insufficient to capture my feelings about this book. So for now I will say that this is an incredibly special piece of literary fiction. Art makes you feel things. This is art.

Those who enjoy the emotional depth of Tommy Orange and Ocean Vuong would be well served by reading Charlie J Stephens' debut novel. This book does have challenging content, yet what lingers isn't the trauma, but the tenderness with which Stephens' writes.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title comes from "The smitten rock that gushes, The trampled steel that springs: A cheek is always redder Just where the hectic stings! ‘A Wounded Deer—leaps highest’ written by Emily Dickinson, a quote that depicts how people and animals hide behind masks of mirth when they are at their weakest or near death. The author Charlie J. Stephens writes of a young mixed race child who lives in poverty with her single mother. The men in this child's life prove they are not to be trusted, and the mother who has emotional detachment does not protect the child the way she should. However the writing is beautiful and focuses on the healing power of nature.

[Lizzie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreakingly beautiful. In A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest, Charlie elegantly and expertly weaves together a story of a young boy, Smokey, who lives alone with his mother in a small wilted Oregon town. Smokey’s mom brings home bad man after bad man in a desperate pursuit of love. Smokey, who wishes his love was enough for his mom, dreams of running away into the lush wilderness to live amongst the trees and the deer. Smokey’s thought process and questions about the world were wonderful and convincingly childlike. I loved this story, even when it was dark and horrible. Excited to read more from Charlie!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fuck me. If you’re going to read this and have any childhood trauma, do yourself a favor just book yourself an emergency appointment with a therapist right now.

This is a beautifully written book and I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about it. Oh, because they’re busy crying in fetal position in the back of their closet.

Too close to home, down to the bunny and my obscure childhood comfort read “The Animal Family” that no one else knows.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. Emotional. Unforgettable.
Charlie J Stephens is a brilliant, talented author who writes from the heart and has much to say. This book will make you happy, sad, angry but will make you fall in love with Smokey, a character you will remember long after turning the last page. A remarkable debut. Keep writing Charlie J Stephens.

[Finley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Devastating yet so beautifully written - For the type of book that this is, it was well done. However this type of book just isn't my favorite and felt slow to get through. It almost felt like a collection of vignettes, rather than a novel with a clear plot/storyline. I think it was very well written, the tragedy and despair but also simple beauties of life were so well laid out, it just isn't the type of book for me.

[Erick Mertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book, liked the voice and the writing, but I just couldn't finish it. The dread in the story was as real as it was relentless -- something bad was coming for the character and I just couldn't be there to read it. I give it high marks because, despite my inability to go there, I saw the bravery in the prose and challenge of writing something like this.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked parts of the book. I really liked the way Smokey speaks about nature and animals. I didn't like almost any of the adults in the book. And I know real life is not all sunshine and rainbows and we make the best that we can about life, but I really wanted to shake Smokey's mom during the entire last third of the book.
It's a good book, I'm just not the target audience for it.
Unnecessarily long explanation of why I picked this book up in the first place, even though I knew it wouldn't really be my genre of book in the spoiler.
I picked this book up because somehow I saw the author has a dog that looks almost identical to mine. Like, I saw the dog in a reel on instagram, and I had to see if they were local to me and might have gotten a litter mate to my dog somehow. Then I saw they had a book coming out, and it was on the new shelf at my local library and I picked it up.

[Cal]

A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest is a vignette of tragedy, painted with the rich quiet of Smokey’s insight. Smokey is non-binary, deeply connected to nature, tender and loving but in a near-constant state of anxiety – Always wanting to protect, to save, to love, to heal. This is a child growing up in an unstable home, in a miserable town, raised by a mom who grew up in an unstable home, in the same miserable town. I keep thinking about what they’ve survived and how. They are so smart and kind, they see the world so clearly, and I want the best for them. Note: There should be more content warnings for this one, as it deals with child-abuse and SA.

[Ailey | Bisexual Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest by Charlie J. Stephens is a deeply moving exploration of poverty, abuse, and intergenerational trauma set against the lush, wild backdrop of Oregon's mountains and forests. At the heart of this poignant tale is Smokey, an eight-year-old, mixed-race, nonbinary child whose life is a tapestry of hardship and resilience. Smokey’s existence is marked by a series of abuses and deprivations, yet they find solace and a sense of belonging in the natural world, developing a profound connection with the wilderness and its creatures.

Smokey’s life is a continuous struggle, overshadowed by the abusive men their mother brings into their home. Despite this, Smokey is captivated by the beauty of the Oregon landscape, where they seek refuge and companionship among the animals. This connection to nature serves as a lifeline, a source of healing amidst the constant turmoil and violence of their home life. The narrative underscores the earth's ability to hold and heal us, a recurring theme that offers a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak reality.

As Smokey navigates their challenging circumstances, they also grapple with their gender identity, a journey complicated by the trauma they endure. The story poignantly highlights the impact of abuse on Smokey’s self-perception and physical well-being, particularly through their chronic stomach pain and struggles with eating. This physical manifestation of their trauma adds a visceral layer to the narrative, making their pain palpable to the reader.

Stephens’s writing style is introspective and evocative, capturing the raw vulnerability and strength of Smokey's experience. The prose is rich with sensory details and metaphorical language, creating an immersive emotional landscape that draws the reader into Smokey's inner world. Through Smokey’s eyes, we witness the complexities of human connection, the desperate search for love and validation, and the small but significant moments of solace found in nature.

While the book is a powerful testament to resilience and the healing power of nature, it is also a difficult read due to its unflinching portrayal of child abuse. Stephens handles these themes with nuance, avoiding gratuitous detail while still conveying the profound impact of these experiences on Smokey’s life. However, the ending of the book is ambiguous, leaving a sense of unresolved tension that may not satisfy all readers. After enduring such a harrowing journey with Smokey, a more definitive and empowering conclusion would have been a more fitting reward.

In summary, A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest is a haunting and evocative tale that masterfully weaves themes of resilience, love, and healing. While the strength of the narrative and the beauty of Stephens’s prose make this book a compelling read, I wanted a more conclusive and empowering ending to Smokey’s experiences with child abuse.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who appreciate introspective and evocative prose, those interested in narratives exploring childhood trauma, anyone drawn to stories of the healing power of nature.

🔑 Key Themes: Intergenerational Trauma, Abuse and Survival, Connection to Nature, Search for Love and Belonging.

Content / Trigger Warnings: Drug Use (minor), Child Abuse (severe), Sexual Assault (severe - pages 75 and 164), Murder (minor), Domestic Abuse (severe), Sexual Content (moderate), Homophobia (minor), Bullying (minor), Suicide (minor), Miscarriage (minor), Animal Death (moderate), Drug Abuse (minor), Suicidal Thoughts (minor), Pedophilia (severe), Self Harm (severe), Violence (severe), Incarceration (minor).

[Jendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal, heartbreaking, exquisite. How can a novel be so bleak yet on another level so life-affirming? In the human world, the narrator's life is defined by poverty, instability, and abuse from their mother's boyfriends. But to Smokey, a nonbinary child with a shamanic connection to animals, the human world is not the only or most important one. The adults are tossed around by delusion and impulse, even Smokey's mother, who is genuinely devoted but succumbs to her addiction to dangerous men. The child's view of reality is clear, compassionate, and attuned to beauty. This is what makes the book hopeful in a strange way, despite the tragedies that pile up.

[Sariah Hafen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book absolutely broke me. Told from the perspective of a child, I was often shifting my own thoughts from adult me to child me. It's beautifully written and was worth the tears.
It should be noted that this book contains references to and/or descriptions of domestic abuse, sexual assault, pedophilia, and CPTSD. I did not realize this based on the description on the back of the book. I am very glad I read it, and will no doubt reread it, but I would have saved it for a time when I could read it in a day or two, rather than in small chunks with lots of life happening between. It deserves to be fallen into.

[Alvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the sort of book I usually read, but I got an advance copy distributed to booksellers for blurbing and wrote this: Using prose that’s at once lyrical and precise, Smokey, the preternaturally observant child narrator of A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest, expertly immerses the reader in their tiny, constricted world. The humans of this world are all deeply wounded by toxic masculinity, but consolation amidst the pain and chaos can be found in a heroic, if highly unorthodox, maternal love and - above all - the companionship of animals. This is not a story that will be quickly forgotten.

[Stephanie Zappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A completely absorbing tale, told by narrator, Smokey. All of the characters are fully drawn, especially his mother and friend, Toby. Stephens shows Smokey's internalized emotions from past and present trauma through expert use of metaphors. The natural world, from plant life to great beasts to tiny insects, is also beautifully rendered, and Smokey turns to them all, in communion, deriving comfort, being and becoming part of it all, and them. Dark and sad, powerfully resolved., written in perfect-pitch prose.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest is a beautiful coming of age story dappled in a sepia glow that sparkles and smells like Oregon rain. Charlie Stephens has channeled the voice of an eight-year-old child like only the most empathetic, observant, and magical writers can. Here is a novel that shows the reader how the human heart expands and grows and learns to survive in a world outside of their control.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend checking out the trigger warnings before picking up this book, because it contains some very rough and heart breaking content. That said, there was such a gentleness and...hmmm, I'm going to say possibility (for definite lack of a better term)...to it as well that it somehow transmuted all that pain into a deep lingering feeling-an almost luminous afterglow- post reading experience.

[Laura Pritchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stellar debut novel with a fresh new voice. Gritty and real. Don't worry - there are no wounded deer! - (that's a line from Emily Dickinson) - it's about a kid in Oregon in the 80s who has wisdom beyond years and a situation that's heartbreaking (but sadly totally believable). Highly recommend!

[Barbara Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbinding debut novel from an incredibly relevant voice. I literally couldn't put this one down. I caught myself holding my breath at times, praying for the safety of the characters. This book provided much needed clarity and empathy for folks walking a different path than mine, we must all work together until every being knows safety.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen’s story is a beautifully written ,tender but unflinching look at how hard being alive in this world can be. How the power of nature can support you and accept who you really are when it seems no one else can .

[Natalie Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding solace in nature is an unspoken language that this author has managed to put into words. This book is gorgeous & to be treasured. It portrays disassociation, friendships, attachments, & what a child's brain does to survive & make sense.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Beautiful and heartbreaking coming of age story. This author really remembers what it feels like to be a child, from the confusion to the powerlessness to the physical manifestations of anxiety and fear.

[R Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Smokey Klein a non-binary kid trying to make the best of a tough childhood. Smokey's voice is fresh, brave, and heartbreaking. Not to be missed.

[C Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Maggie Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a good deal of violence that is somehow rendered beautiful by the grace, love and acceptance of others by the main character. I couldn't put it down.

[Kate Belt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and lyrical writing propels this very dark novel about intimate partner violence & child molestation.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very brutal read. Beautifully written but absolutely heart and gut wrenching. Very depressing.

[Izzy Forrest]

The writing was amazing, but I think this was the saddest book I’ve ever read.

[Elio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ough

[Tim Scritchfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5