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Immortal North
He’s known as the trapper and his family has a long history in these isolated woods. Now it’s just him and the boy, and he’ll raise him in the world he knows, the forest, where threats take recognizable forms: harsh weather, peak predators, the encroachment of civilization at odds with their lifestyle. But for those lands and minds with an unsettled past, other dangers may lurk the woods where father and son hunt the timber. One fateful day their woodland life is violently broken—shouldn’t those guilty of such injustice be held to account? Though at times gritty even violent, there is raw grace in these pages like veins of gold running through black quartz.
A tale told in captivating prose of wild living, where human skin is no boundary for
either the beauty or cruelty of nature. A book studded with reflective wonder, wholly a story of the profound bonds of human love. The big woods of the Far North in all its naked majesty become an arena for the dueling forces of life: joy and suffering, good and evil, compassion and vengeance. Though the forest is isolated, this may be a story of the wilderness existing within us all. A story that won't easily be forgotten as there is something enduring here. Immortal North.
A tale told in captivating prose of wild living, where human skin is no boundary for
either the beauty or cruelty of nature. A book studded with reflective wonder, wholly a story of the profound bonds of human love. The big woods of the Far North in all its naked majesty become an arena for the dueling forces of life: joy and suffering, good and evil, compassion and vengeance. Though the forest is isolated, this may be a story of the wilderness existing within us all. A story that won't easily be forgotten as there is something enduring here. Immortal North.
364 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2023
144 people are currently reading
2611 people want to read
About the author
Tom Stewart
5 books209 followersI aspire to contribute to the craft that I value so highly. I hope you see something in my books, that would matter to me.
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
***** 2023 Whistler Independent Book Awards Winner in Fiction*****
***** 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards finalist in Literary & Contemporary Fiction *****
***** 2022 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book notable author *****
***** A Readers’ Favorite Five Star Author *****
I grow as a writer when I improve as a human. Reading helps. I value this community of readers for its shared love of meaningful words. I feel a type of connection.
Thank you.
For a FREE copy of Immortal North visit: Immortal North
Tom grew up near Winnipeg, Canada where he studied literature and philosophy at University of Manitoba. He worked in northern Canada as a fishing and hunting guide and bush-plane pilot. Tom now lives in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
https://tomswords.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 10, 2022
A quiet book, contemplative and thoughtful.
This is a kind of book that we should see more of but rarely do – a quiet book. And I don’t mean that there is no action or that it is a Sunday school fable – there is plenty of action, but author Tom Stewart fills in this well written narrative with quietude, the kind of solace of a cabin in the woods, with no TV, or smart phone, or radio. Stewart describes the stillness of nature and time with a loved one where subjects can be discussed and meditated upon.
It is as quiet as snow falling in a forest.
Until it is not and then it is a cacophony of violence and sorrow.
Another reviewer said that this book will gut you, tear you apart. I can agree, writer Tom Stewart provided a foundation upon which he erected a monument to a natural life, without the complications of civilization, but without the protections as well and our heroes, wild and beautiful as they are, find themselves at the mercy of primitive laws of tooth and claw, bullet and blade.
There is an ancient law, older than our world, that is appealed to, and Stewart chronicles this atavistic descent in stark contrast to our society of letters and tangible terms.
The Trapper lives with his young son alone in the far north, living off the land and teaching a craft of survivalism, respecting nature while being sustained by it. When they cross paths with hunting guides intent on establishing a remote for profit lodge, Stewart describes a tragedy that is heart wrenching but also terrible in its inescapable consequences.
This beautifully written book features discussions and explorations on philosophy, theology and psychology, all in the context of the cabin in the woods and a life chosen to be free of all but nature’s rules.
5 stars. My Goodreads friends know how grudging I am with high marks, this one deserves it. I’d like to read more from this author.
This is a kind of book that we should see more of but rarely do – a quiet book. And I don’t mean that there is no action or that it is a Sunday school fable – there is plenty of action, but author Tom Stewart fills in this well written narrative with quietude, the kind of solace of a cabin in the woods, with no TV, or smart phone, or radio. Stewart describes the stillness of nature and time with a loved one where subjects can be discussed and meditated upon.
It is as quiet as snow falling in a forest.
Until it is not and then it is a cacophony of violence and sorrow.
Another reviewer said that this book will gut you, tear you apart. I can agree, writer Tom Stewart provided a foundation upon which he erected a monument to a natural life, without the complications of civilization, but without the protections as well and our heroes, wild and beautiful as they are, find themselves at the mercy of primitive laws of tooth and claw, bullet and blade.
There is an ancient law, older than our world, that is appealed to, and Stewart chronicles this atavistic descent in stark contrast to our society of letters and tangible terms.
The Trapper lives with his young son alone in the far north, living off the land and teaching a craft of survivalism, respecting nature while being sustained by it. When they cross paths with hunting guides intent on establishing a remote for profit lodge, Stewart describes a tragedy that is heart wrenching but also terrible in its inescapable consequences.
This beautifully written book features discussions and explorations on philosophy, theology and psychology, all in the context of the cabin in the woods and a life chosen to be free of all but nature’s rules.
5 stars. My Goodreads friends know how grudging I am with high marks, this one deserves it. I’d like to read more from this author.
December 20, 2022
This beautifully written story about a man and his son growing up in the wilderness of Canada was both wonderful and terrifying. Stewart's writing style is very lyrical, which is my favorite style of writing.
Changes
It was the season of the changing of the leaves, and the forest was quiet, except for the sound of the leaves falling. The man in the boy or out hunting, and the man was teaching him how to hunt, how to see, how to listen, and how to cause the least amount of suffering to that which he is killing.
The man had lost his wife, the boy his mother, and they were living in a cabin in the northern woods. This is how he wish to raise him, a life free of confusion, a life of quiet tude.
Then came the season of the white snows, and the man and his son were out hunting. It was late in the day when something occurred, one which changed everything.
A Note About the Author
Tom Stewart is a lyrical writer who can really tell a good story. His descriptions of nature are perfect. He is also a Philosopher which adds to the story. He studied philosophy while in college, was a bush pilot, and a hunting in fishing guide. He lives in Canada.
Changes
It was the season of the changing of the leaves, and the forest was quiet, except for the sound of the leaves falling. The man in the boy or out hunting, and the man was teaching him how to hunt, how to see, how to listen, and how to cause the least amount of suffering to that which he is killing.
The man had lost his wife, the boy his mother, and they were living in a cabin in the northern woods. This is how he wish to raise him, a life free of confusion, a life of quiet tude.
Then came the season of the white snows, and the man and his son were out hunting. It was late in the day when something occurred, one which changed everything.
A Note About the Author
Tom Stewart is a lyrical writer who can really tell a good story. His descriptions of nature are perfect. He is also a Philosopher which adds to the story. He studied philosophy while in college, was a bush pilot, and a hunting in fishing guide. He lives in Canada.
March 12, 2022
There’s language to the woods and it’s speaking to those capable of listening, to ears taught to decode meanings mild or malignant. Geese flying, bees buzzing. Howl of a wolf, height of the clouds, face of the moon, colour of the night and the morning sky, movement of game, snowfall heavy or light — things mostly lost on most people. Where others heard the winds in the maples, the trapper smelled the sap on the breeze. A wind veered northerly and where another might think the evening cold, he knew frost was coming early and the temperatures would stay cold for a week and the bears would feed heavily before the berry bushes died and the deer would be more active at dusk, at dawn. Inflections of the forest, cadence of the wilderness, language of the North.
Oh my heart. I want to start by saying that author Tom Stewart reached out to me and, based on the kinds of books I appear to like, suggested that I just might enjoy reading his first novel, Immortal North. And: yes, yes, yes; this is the sort of thing I like. That I love. It’s about nature and about people and about how a person attempts to live in the world and create the meaning he cannot find there. The story of a widower, a trapper in the northern wilderness doing his best to raise a ten-year-old son alone — to make him tough enough to survive while protecting the sweet kernel at his core — written in prose both lyrical and meaty, the plot is intelligent and propulsive and touched my jaded heart. I also want to note that I wasn’t given a review copy — I bought Tom’s book in order to support an indie author and can say that the novel didn’t feel amateurish or unpolished — and I want to stress my purchase because I am not beholden to the author for anything and my opinions are my unencumbered own, and saying that, I would encourage others to pick this up. Absolutely recommended.
In the hospital of the small town when she gave birth and he saw for the first time this new little human they had made, crying eyes and flushed skin and fingers and toes and everything so tiny that they couldn’t even be real at all, in this newborn boy he saw those same divine contours as his wife’s, the artist’s telltale style and signature apparent at this second unveiling of holy work. Though he’d mostly lost his belief by that time, seeing the child being born nearly returned it like a dam broke and that belief came flooding in. So what did that make him? Some keeper of godly artifacts. And that was his working definition of father, of husband. So carve him in stone and give him a sword and set him outside the walls.
Immortal North is primarily the story of the trapper and his son — with memories of his wife and how she died and how that shrank his tender heart; with memories of the family line that was on this land before him and the lessons that they passed down for him to impart to his own child — and every bit of it worked for me. I was enthralled by the detailed (not graphic or lurid) hunting scenes, I was charmed by the father-son interactions, and it actually brought a heart-touching mist of parental relatability to my eyes when he gathered his sleeping child, “picked up the noodleboy somehow gone limp in every muscle and cradled him with the crook of his own elbow supporting the boy’s head and gently carried him up the stairs to the loft.” The mix of tough and tender and thoughtful consideration of a child’s quest for understanding his world made me love the character of this trapper; this man who read from his dead wife’s bookshelf because “he got some respite from the heartache by reading her favourite books, his eyes moving over the same words hers once had, being moved by what she’d been moved by.” The trapper may have been a backwoods survivalist, but he’s literate and contemplative and discusses seriously with his young son the ideas of god and fate and reality:
“I asked your mom something similar. I asked her if she thought things happened for a reason. That’s what you and I are talking about here. She said to me yeah but not the way people mean it. The reason might just be something big exploded a long time ago and we’re bouncing around like marbles now. Complex marbles that somehow feel things...But she thought the world was beautiful too, regardless if someone was writing it. Regardless of chaos and marbles. Not always. But in lucky places. That’s what she believed.”
“What do you believe?”
“That’s what I believe too.”
“Yeah, me too,” said the kid.
I was emotionally affected at many points during this story, and the author’s writing style — coming slightly sideways at an idea and making me think for meaning — is exactly the kind of writing I admire, but if one is simply looking for an adventure tale, Immortal North doesn’t disappoint on that score either: my heart was thumping as the story reached its climax and the ending felt inevitable and true. Oh my heart. Rounded up to five stars because, yes, this is the sort of thing I like.
June 22, 2022
The Trapper lives on his family’s land in the isolated northern woods. His wife died, leaving him and his son behind in the harsh wilderness that they call home. He’s satisfied overall, enjoying teaching his son the ways of the land that he learned from his father and his father before him. But eventually, the modern world begins to encroach on their life. During one fateful afternoon, their lives are changed forever, and the peace of the woods is shattered.
The author did a good job with setting descriptions and creating a suitable atmosphere for this work. It was easy to picture the desolate forest and rivers, the lonely cabin, and feel the isolation of the characters. However, the author overutilized flowery and grandiose language, which detracted from many of the moments that should have been emotionally intense. Sometimes simplicity is better in these cases, but the whole work felt like wading through a swamp of similes and metaphors.
There was also almost no plot in the first 60% of the book. The work was largely flashbacks, remembrances, or detailed, flowery descriptions of the setting. Similarly, despite how much we’re in the Trapper’s thoughts, it was difficult to find him a relatable character and I lacked any sort of connection to him. There was no character growth or development, he just existed.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work, which is the majority of the reason for my lower rating. The author interrupted the narrative after the second chapter and again in the middle of the book to apologize for his narration, which completely broke the immersion of the work. And unfortunately, the narration itself was not good. I didn’t mind the author’s voice, and actually felt that it was well suited for the work. But the number of sniffs and gasping breaths that were left in the audio was awful. There were also many instances of the narrator stumbling on words or restarting sentences. Twice, the narrator restarted sentences during what was a highly emotional part, completely breaking my immersion in the story and replacing my feeling of sadness with one of annoyance. These things should have been edited out.
I think this work would have been more powerful and I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it rather than listen to the audio version of it. I don’t recommend the audiobook, but the physical book is probably worth a read.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The author did a good job with setting descriptions and creating a suitable atmosphere for this work. It was easy to picture the desolate forest and rivers, the lonely cabin, and feel the isolation of the characters. However, the author overutilized flowery and grandiose language, which detracted from many of the moments that should have been emotionally intense. Sometimes simplicity is better in these cases, but the whole work felt like wading through a swamp of similes and metaphors.
There was also almost no plot in the first 60% of the book. The work was largely flashbacks, remembrances, or detailed, flowery descriptions of the setting. Similarly, despite how much we’re in the Trapper’s thoughts, it was difficult to find him a relatable character and I lacked any sort of connection to him. There was no character growth or development, he just existed.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work, which is the majority of the reason for my lower rating. The author interrupted the narrative after the second chapter and again in the middle of the book to apologize for his narration, which completely broke the immersion of the work. And unfortunately, the narration itself was not good. I didn’t mind the author’s voice, and actually felt that it was well suited for the work. But the number of sniffs and gasping breaths that were left in the audio was awful. There were also many instances of the narrator stumbling on words or restarting sentences. Twice, the narrator restarted sentences during what was a highly emotional part, completely breaking my immersion in the story and replacing my feeling of sadness with one of annoyance. These things should have been edited out.
I think this work would have been more powerful and I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it rather than listen to the audio version of it. I don’t recommend the audiobook, but the physical book is probably worth a read.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 12, 2022
Tom Stewart brings us a book full of raw emotions. You can really feel the thoughts and emotions that he poured into these pages. I felt like this books was specifically written for a Son, but that ending got me.
The writing style was beautiful and descriptive. Although this is a really good book I did not necessarily relate to any of the characters. The narration was a whole new level of challenge for me. Narrated by Tom himself it took me a bit to really get into it. He does warn us in the author's note and again half way and apologizes, but I think that's what makes it so special. Even though the voice comes across a bit flat it has very raw emotion when needed. Overall a very special story that will make you think of deeper things.
Thank you Netgalley and Lucky Dollar Media for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The writing style was beautiful and descriptive. Although this is a really good book I did not necessarily relate to any of the characters. The narration was a whole new level of challenge for me. Narrated by Tom himself it took me a bit to really get into it. He does warn us in the author's note and again half way and apologizes, but I think that's what makes it so special. Even though the voice comes across a bit flat it has very raw emotion when needed. Overall a very special story that will make you think of deeper things.
Thank you Netgalley and Lucky Dollar Media for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 3, 2022
How do you move on if you call the past to every scene?
Immortal North is a haunting and atmospheric novel about survival and perseverance in the unforgiving and bitter wild; the strong bond between a father and son; life, love and loss.
The vivid descriptions of the sometimes grim and harsh and on occasions kind and indulgent nature are beautifully written.
Thanks to the talented author, Tom Stewart, for providing me with a copy of the book in return for my honest review.
Immortal North is a haunting and atmospheric novel about survival and perseverance in the unforgiving and bitter wild; the strong bond between a father and son; life, love and loss.
The vivid descriptions of the sometimes grim and harsh and on occasions kind and indulgent nature are beautifully written.
Thanks to the talented author, Tom Stewart, for providing me with a copy of the book in return for my honest review.
February 13, 2023
Immortal North by Tom Stewart is a gritty tale of isolation, the wilderness, (in)justice, and responsibility.
Back in my youth I read The Hatchet and HATED it. It was a story about the wilderness but to me it was just SO DARN BORING. I read it in school and just wanted it to end. Flash forward to my adulthood and I pick up a book that sounds similar, except it's actually GOOD. What happens to a Father and his son while they live out in the wilderness? When things don't go well, how will they cope? Isolation, the cruelty and beauty of nature, and human love all come together in one truly intriguing tale.
I really enjoyed Immortal North! It was ab book that I had to keep binging and I couldn't stop. I just knew something was going to happen and I really had to know what, so little old me binge this sucker in one take. Throw in Tom's beautiful writing style and his clear love of prose. He paints such a beautiful picture of the Canadian wilderness and the life humans live when they connect to the beauty of nature. This book is an art form and Tom is a wonderful artist. His way of presenting our two leads alone in the north and their battle for survival, as well as appreciating the bountiful nature around them is incredible. Of course, he brings in some pesky hunters that go and make life a lot more difficult for our leads. He also tells the story of loss, through the loss of a wife and a Mother. It pulled at my heart strings, was a sight to see, and honestly was a story I never thought I'd enjoy after my battle with The Hatchet. Tom brought back my life for Canadian Literature.
I highly recommend this book if you want to read something that is beautiful and cruel all at the same time. It'll make you contemplate life as you know it and make you question humanity.
Four out of five stars!
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
Back in my youth I read The Hatchet and HATED it. It was a story about the wilderness but to me it was just SO DARN BORING. I read it in school and just wanted it to end. Flash forward to my adulthood and I pick up a book that sounds similar, except it's actually GOOD. What happens to a Father and his son while they live out in the wilderness? When things don't go well, how will they cope? Isolation, the cruelty and beauty of nature, and human love all come together in one truly intriguing tale.
I really enjoyed Immortal North! It was ab book that I had to keep binging and I couldn't stop. I just knew something was going to happen and I really had to know what, so little old me binge this sucker in one take. Throw in Tom's beautiful writing style and his clear love of prose. He paints such a beautiful picture of the Canadian wilderness and the life humans live when they connect to the beauty of nature. This book is an art form and Tom is a wonderful artist. His way of presenting our two leads alone in the north and their battle for survival, as well as appreciating the bountiful nature around them is incredible. Of course, he brings in some pesky hunters that go and make life a lot more difficult for our leads. He also tells the story of loss, through the loss of a wife and a Mother. It pulled at my heart strings, was a sight to see, and honestly was a story I never thought I'd enjoy after my battle with The Hatchet. Tom brought back my life for Canadian Literature.
I highly recommend this book if you want to read something that is beautiful and cruel all at the same time. It'll make you contemplate life as you know it and make you question humanity.
Four out of five stars!
I received this book for free from the author, Tom Stewart, in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2022
Wow!
5⭐️
This book was deep. Deep with emotions, deep with questions and deep with meaning and pain. Written very well. I hope this book reaches many readers. Part of this ripped my heart out and part of it held me close.
Being a parent is a hard thing. A beautiful thing, but a hard thing. And I thought the author did a great job with that. The novel was atmospheric and stunning in its descriptions. I felt that the author drove the plot with nature and the human condition. This novel is painful and suspenseful. Near the end I couldn’t stop. I had to finish it.
I highly recommend this powerfully moving story. It’s something you don’t want to miss.
Did this author do a good job narrating this? *Smile* I thought so and I loved his noted comment after chapter 2. You were great!
Thanks Lucky Dollar Media via NetGalley.
5⭐️
This book was deep. Deep with emotions, deep with questions and deep with meaning and pain. Written very well. I hope this book reaches many readers. Part of this ripped my heart out and part of it held me close.
Being a parent is a hard thing. A beautiful thing, but a hard thing. And I thought the author did a great job with that. The novel was atmospheric and stunning in its descriptions. I felt that the author drove the plot with nature and the human condition. This novel is painful and suspenseful. Near the end I couldn’t stop. I had to finish it.
I highly recommend this powerfully moving story. It’s something you don’t want to miss.
Did this author do a good job narrating this? *Smile* I thought so and I loved his noted comment after chapter 2. You were great!
Thanks Lucky Dollar Media via NetGalley.
January 9, 2024
You have not experienced a book like this
"White speckled firmament in the vaulted black What fell weightless individually was heavy together and over the night branches began bending like heads bowing to a presence worthy of respect."
This writing is what is worthy of respect. I've not read poetic prose this gripping, beautiful, and immersive in so long. Every single one of my senses was welcomed and challenged in my 4 day journey among the northern woods of Canada. I am not the same.
Immortal North follows the isolated daily life of the Trapper and his son in the North woods. These woods are their sanctuary, their food, their shelter, their Souls. Their ancestors lived here once, owning much of the land, until their Grandfather gambled away most of it, save the small cabin that is their home. But there are signs of intruders. What do they want here? Tragedy strikes the Trapper and his son. There is vengeance to be had.
For all nature lovers: THIS IS FOR YOU. So calm. Then it does triple bypass surgery on your heart. Completely immersive. You will live and experience detailed life alongside these characters - everything they see, hear, touch, feel, and do. Tom Stewart is a master with his character development and forest skills, apparently. I don't see how he could write this without being an expert on outdoor life. It's so detailed. I will send up the flare warning for hunting and death of animals, sometimes graphic. If that is something that bothers you, I will also let it be known that the hunting scenes are written tastefully and poetically. This book has been hiding and needs to be front and center in the spotlight. You have not experienced a book like this.
"White speckled firmament in the vaulted black What fell weightless individually was heavy together and over the night branches began bending like heads bowing to a presence worthy of respect."
This writing is what is worthy of respect. I've not read poetic prose this gripping, beautiful, and immersive in so long. Every single one of my senses was welcomed and challenged in my 4 day journey among the northern woods of Canada. I am not the same.
Immortal North follows the isolated daily life of the Trapper and his son in the North woods. These woods are their sanctuary, their food, their shelter, their Souls. Their ancestors lived here once, owning much of the land, until their Grandfather gambled away most of it, save the small cabin that is their home. But there are signs of intruders. What do they want here? Tragedy strikes the Trapper and his son. There is vengeance to be had.
For all nature lovers: THIS IS FOR YOU. So calm. Then it does triple bypass surgery on your heart. Completely immersive. You will live and experience detailed life alongside these characters - everything they see, hear, touch, feel, and do. Tom Stewart is a master with his character development and forest skills, apparently. I don't see how he could write this without being an expert on outdoor life. It's so detailed. I will send up the flare warning for hunting and death of animals, sometimes graphic. If that is something that bothers you, I will also let it be known that the hunting scenes are written tastefully and poetically. This book has been hiding and needs to be front and center in the spotlight. You have not experienced a book like this.
January 9, 2024
It gutted me. Like slice me open, pull out my entrails, remove and tan my skin, and wear it like a cape gutted. This is part philosophy and part tragic story about the randomness of fate, the small flap of a butterfly's wing, the seemingly inconsequential choices of humans as they traverse the wild landscape of life. It's about our interconnectedness and our independence, the ways we live our lives for ourselves or for others. It's beautiful and thoughtful and brooding, and as you examine your intention and purpose in this life, it will pull you through the microscope and ensnare you. Tom Stewart has a reader for life.
3/13/23 UPDATE: I've just listened to Stewart's reading of his novel, an Audible recording that has since been replaced with one read by a professional reader. This is my second reading of this novel, and my first review stands validated. I also really loved listening to this novel read by the author. While not a professional voice actor, his intensity of emotion was truly heartening, and I feel as if I've been inside the characters' heads for real. I'll probably purchase the newly recorded Audible, as well. I need every copy. Now to read Immortal North Two!
3/26/23 UPDATE: After listening to the author's reading of his book, I immediately started the version recorded by Stephen L. Vernon. I'll say this for Mr. Vernon: He really brought the second half of this book to life for me, but I had to speed him up to 1.2. I had a really hard time with his reading of this wonderful book at the start. He pronounced a few words differently than I know them, so that threw me off, AND his reading at the start just didn't sound as authentic as Tom's reading. If I'd listened to this book the first time with him as the reader, I'd have stopped it and picked up the hard cover. That being said, he brought me to tears in a way even the author did not near the end. 😭
3/13/23 UPDATE: I've just listened to Stewart's reading of his novel, an Audible recording that has since been replaced with one read by a professional reader. This is my second reading of this novel, and my first review stands validated. I also really loved listening to this novel read by the author. While not a professional voice actor, his intensity of emotion was truly heartening, and I feel as if I've been inside the characters' heads for real. I'll probably purchase the newly recorded Audible, as well. I need every copy. Now to read Immortal North Two!
3/26/23 UPDATE: After listening to the author's reading of his book, I immediately started the version recorded by Stephen L. Vernon. I'll say this for Mr. Vernon: He really brought the second half of this book to life for me, but I had to speed him up to 1.2. I had a really hard time with his reading of this wonderful book at the start. He pronounced a few words differently than I know them, so that threw me off, AND his reading at the start just didn't sound as authentic as Tom's reading. If I'd listened to this book the first time with him as the reader, I'd have stopped it and picked up the hard cover. That being said, he brought me to tears in a way even the author did not near the end. 😭
February 2, 2022
Author Tom Stewart grasps, understands and captures nature, particularly the northern forests in Canada, in ways no one else can. His detail and imagery are unmatched. I can feel the chill in my bones, the silence in my head, and the hunt in my bones. This is unsurprising as he has worked across the North as a fishing and hunting guide himself. Flying as a bush pilot, working as an oil-rig roughneck, and even backpacking through the offseason, his experience lends well to crafting such an immersive read.
Never once mentioning the names of our widowed trapper and his son, referring to them only as “the trapper” and his son or boy, this lack of naming adds to the deeper sense of the reclusive life they lead. Having been sculpted by the north, the trapper’s way of life is that of living amongst the wildernesses. Going into town just once a year to sell furs and make enough to stock up for the next winter. With a wife that is no longer with him, it is just him and his son, secluded in their postage stamp of land. Foraging, hunting, and living where their family before them has created a life and raised generation after generation. From present day to memories of the past, “Immortal North” holds a beautifully complete story, told amidst a tapestry of nature and the animals living within.
Both the townsfolk, the widowed trapper, and the landscape amongst which they are surrounded are displayed in full color through the text Stewart weaves for readers. From the sights and sounds around them, to the feelings and thoughts within, readers are fully immersed in the Canadian North.
“Immortal North” is a story of the north woods, a life far outside of my own, but yet still relatable, as it is a story that holds family, the solitude of father and son, loss and grief, strength and perseverance. Powerfully written, the trapper’s existence is a captivatingly brutal life of winter and survival, lonely but not.
Never once mentioning the names of our widowed trapper and his son, referring to them only as “the trapper” and his son or boy, this lack of naming adds to the deeper sense of the reclusive life they lead. Having been sculpted by the north, the trapper’s way of life is that of living amongst the wildernesses. Going into town just once a year to sell furs and make enough to stock up for the next winter. With a wife that is no longer with him, it is just him and his son, secluded in their postage stamp of land. Foraging, hunting, and living where their family before them has created a life and raised generation after generation. From present day to memories of the past, “Immortal North” holds a beautifully complete story, told amidst a tapestry of nature and the animals living within.
Both the townsfolk, the widowed trapper, and the landscape amongst which they are surrounded are displayed in full color through the text Stewart weaves for readers. From the sights and sounds around them, to the feelings and thoughts within, readers are fully immersed in the Canadian North.
“Immortal North” is a story of the north woods, a life far outside of my own, but yet still relatable, as it is a story that holds family, the solitude of father and son, loss and grief, strength and perseverance. Powerfully written, the trapper’s existence is a captivatingly brutal life of winter and survival, lonely but not.
April 29, 2022
After having my heart broken over and over throughout this story, I can think of no better description than the author’s own words referencing the night sky. “It’s a strange place where things can be both brilliant and devastating.”
I am utterly devastated. Well done, sir.
I am utterly devastated. Well done, sir.
April 22, 2023
This standout novel is about a trapper and his son who live off the land in the northern Canadian wilderness. It’s about life and loss and love. It’s contemplative and evocative, and often strikingly beautiful. But it’s not peaceful, or safe. Just when I was being lulled into a sort of sweet melancholy idyll—BOOM!—the hammer drops.
I know I’m not the first to compare Stewart’s writing style to Cormac McCarthy’s, but it’s hard not to notice some similarities. If The Road led North it would end up here.
I know I’m not the first to compare Stewart’s writing style to Cormac McCarthy’s, but it’s hard not to notice some similarities. If The Road led North it would end up here.
August 3, 2022
Immortal North is about a father and his son living out in the woods of Canada. The story itself is slow in the beginning, but not slow like "OMG this is such a drag I can't continue"...it's more a slow of what the book is...it's a story about the woods, the forest, the animals, the rivers. For anyone who has ever been to the forest, life there IS slow...and that's what this book is...
Tom Stewart writes like a painter. You can SEE the trees, you can hear the birds chirp, feel the cold of the air when you open the door. Details are not lacking and as a reader you feel like the 3rd member of a camping/forest trip. It makes you yearn to be in the trees, while also appreciating the luxuries of life in the city. For me, this book felt like a calling, and now I feel more than ever I need to go visit the forest soon.
The story itself is...wow...I did not expect what happened to happen (no spoilers will be mentioned). It hurts, this story makes you feel and feel HARD. There is a lot of lessons to be learned in this book, and I think anyone taking the time to read it (and going at a "forest" pace) will gain a lot out of this piece.
If you're a fan of woodsy type stories, real life woodsy type survival stories not fantasy fairy stories, then you will enjoy this book. It is very real and will take you on a vacation to somewhere you might never get to see in real life. The ending will stay with you well after the book is closed. Read it!
(bonus points to the author for putting my favorite quote ever in it, I recognized it right away and it truly fits the theme)
Tom Stewart writes like a painter. You can SEE the trees, you can hear the birds chirp, feel the cold of the air when you open the door. Details are not lacking and as a reader you feel like the 3rd member of a camping/forest trip. It makes you yearn to be in the trees, while also appreciating the luxuries of life in the city. For me, this book felt like a calling, and now I feel more than ever I need to go visit the forest soon.
The story itself is...wow...I did not expect what happened to happen (no spoilers will be mentioned). It hurts, this story makes you feel and feel HARD. There is a lot of lessons to be learned in this book, and I think anyone taking the time to read it (and going at a "forest" pace) will gain a lot out of this piece.
If you're a fan of woodsy type stories, real life woodsy type survival stories not fantasy fairy stories, then you will enjoy this book. It is very real and will take you on a vacation to somewhere you might never get to see in real life. The ending will stay with you well after the book is closed. Read it!
(bonus points to the author for putting my favorite quote ever in it, I recognized it right away and it truly fits the theme)
March 26, 2022
This is the second work written by Mr. Stewart and is about a fictional man and boy. His first was his memoir that I found read like an adventurous diary. I'm very impressed with both books.
How can I begin to tell about this extraordinary book? It's a beautiful, haunting, tragic novel of a father-son's deep loving bond. It brought me to tears several times during the storytelling.
The author writes with egregious beauty in describing the harsh North of Canada. He was able to make me smell, taste, see and even feel the bitter cold and snow storms. I could vividly picture each animal introduced. It was as though I was part of nature.
A series of great losses and misfortunes brings a climatic ending that I did not foresee. This heart-wrenching book will remain with me for a long time to come.
How can I begin to tell about this extraordinary book? It's a beautiful, haunting, tragic novel of a father-son's deep loving bond. It brought me to tears several times during the storytelling.
The author writes with egregious beauty in describing the harsh North of Canada. He was able to make me smell, taste, see and even feel the bitter cold and snow storms. I could vividly picture each animal introduced. It was as though I was part of nature.
A series of great losses and misfortunes brings a climatic ending that I did not foresee. This heart-wrenching book will remain with me for a long time to come.
April 24, 2022
Great story and great prose. I cried! Very jealous of how the author has such skill at writing description. You can tell he went all in when writing this novel. You'll especially like this if you like hunting; while reading I kept thinking how his skill at writing about hunting is probably wasted on me. Definitely worth a read!
May 13, 2023
Just breathtaking, one of the best books I've read.
As someone who loves stories of self-sufficiency and nature this was a real treat, but I think everyone should read it, just spectacular writing.
As someone who loves stories of self-sufficiency and nature this was a real treat, but I think everyone should read it, just spectacular writing.
June 13, 2022
I’d been reading two writers I consider masters of beautiful sentences, William Gay and William Faulkner, and along came this novel unexpectedly to match them. Tom Stewart is a very good writer. His acrobatic sentences, generally unhindered by punctuation, contain some of the best words and most heartfelt, perfectly spoken sentiments I’ve read. The novel's passages about the Trapper meeting and loving his wife then her devastating death (not giving anything away there, since her death is clear from the beginning), how much he felt for her and still pines for her, blew me away. I admit, although the Trapper would probably disapprove, I shed more than one tear. And every other part of this story is perfectly rendered and exquisitely affecting as well, with so much to love: the Trapper’s tender love for and connection with his boy made me have to give mine a big long hug; his ruminations—at the very heart of this story—on God, existence, and the nature of man were tremendously thought-provoking (will linger with me for a long time); and his descriptions of hunting and tracking animals were for me, never a hunter myself, an eye-opening experience making me feel closer to my brothers who are. I’ll look for more great work from Stewart.
February 5, 2022
Beautiful, brilliant, and devastating from the very beginning. As I sit here writing this, tears still stream down my face and my heart continues to break. The bond between father and son as they face the harshness of the northern wilderness and the tragedy that rocks their quiet existence has kindled every emotion within me. The literary devices carefully woven throughout the plot transport the reader into the story to touch, hear, see, smell and taste every bit of it. Every description is vivid and full of life. Every moment of love and loss is honest and true. Amongst all the beauty this novel offers there is also a suspenseful, cruel, and vengeful element that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the brutal end. This is not merely a story; it is a journey into the meaning of life and the limits of the human spirit. Immortal North is an amazing and powerful novel that will have you hooked from the first page. An absolute must-read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 7, 2023
Heartbreakingly beautiful, raw, thought provoking, enchanting. This book… broke my heart, built it back together only to shatter it again and again, and I would keep going back for more. Tom Stewart has this exceptional way of transporting his reader to the very center of his bookly world, immersing you in the cold unforgiving Immortal North. Characters that you feel like you have known your whole life unravel before you, as you share their every emotion. One cannot help but feel emotionally attached to these fictional beings. I will truly miss being immersed in the trapper’s northern refuge. Thank you for the adventure. “Im just your packer”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 16, 2022
Story 3.75
Narration 4.5
Wow. This story is heart-wrenching, beautiful and highly descriptively written. I didn't necessarily connect with any of the characters but I can appreciate how they are written. And the author makes you feel how they might feel. He certainly ripped my heart out in parts!
The author admits his narration will be imperfect however, I thought this was such a great experience. The Author's Note after Chapter 2 was the sweetest thing. There is another about halfway through and at the end. The narration is so full of emotions, it is heartfelt, imperfect yet perfect. Inflection and pacing were on point with what was happening in the story.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Listen Now Audiobook to read and review!
Narration 4.5
Wow. This story is heart-wrenching, beautiful and highly descriptively written. I didn't necessarily connect with any of the characters but I can appreciate how they are written. And the author makes you feel how they might feel. He certainly ripped my heart out in parts!
The author admits his narration will be imperfect however, I thought this was such a great experience. The Author's Note after Chapter 2 was the sweetest thing. There is another about halfway through and at the end. The narration is so full of emotions, it is heartfelt, imperfect yet perfect. Inflection and pacing were on point with what was happening in the story.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Listen Now Audiobook to read and review!
January 23, 2022
I received this book as an ARC and I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.
It took a few chapters for me to catch on to the pace and really get captivated. But wow, it really does pick up and some of the passages are just so exquisitely written. A lot of emotion and setting the scene, it was just so vivid.
Excellent read.
It took a few chapters for me to catch on to the pace and really get captivated. But wow, it really does pick up and some of the passages are just so exquisitely written. A lot of emotion and setting the scene, it was just so vivid.
Excellent read.
February 19, 2022
Action packed, brimming with detail and stunning imagery, and driven by deep characterization, Stewart crafts a moving story of survival, strength, perseverance, heart, and love.
Thank you so much to Tom for sending me an advanced e-copy of Immortal North!! I completely recommend checking out this novel and its brilliant prose once it releases next month.
Thank you so much to Tom for sending me an advanced e-copy of Immortal North!! I completely recommend checking out this novel and its brilliant prose once it releases next month.
April 14, 2022
Well told tale of surviving in the fairly isolated north. Stewart paints a vivid picture. At times my heart was racing and others breaking during hunting scenes and descriptions of losses I am looking forward to reading more by Tom Stewart.
December 24, 2025
The Road meets The Revenant meets Seraphim Falls, with a dose, or two, of one side of the conversation from The Sunset Limited. The north is harsh.
January 20, 2023
review originally published at https://amanjareads.com/2023/01/19/im...
Thank you to author Tom Stewart for providing me with a copy of Immortal North in exchange for this honest review.
This is a spoiler free review in the sense that I do not discuss major plot points. However, it is not emotional spoiler free. I will be saying how the book made me feel and that may give you an idea of what kinds of things happen in the book. I would love it if you went in to this book cold and unassuming if you could just take my word for it, then return to this review and let me know if you felt the same.
I read a lot of books so I've said this a lot but Immortal North is a once in a lifetime book. Many books can be once in a lifetime books, they're all unique so they all can stand out. That's why they're once in a lifetime.
Immortal North is, in simplest terms, what I wanted The Revenant to be. On the surface it's a story about a trapper and his son living out in the wilderness together. At it's core it's a raw story of human nature and the full spectrum of emotions that drive all actions. It demonstrates how easily our humanity can tip over into animalistic voracity.
This trapper has lived outside of the city for so long that he has an aura around him the townsfolk cannot understand. They spread wild rumors about him to the point that he has become a mythical legend. His accomplishments are inflated but the real version of events are not to be discounted.
The trapper has been left to care for his son alone since his wife died of an illness. He was unable to get her to the hospital in time and burdens himself with this guilt. He misses her, still loves her, and grieves her nightly. He wants nothing more than to be a good father and raise his son properly. He knows part of that is allowing him to go to school in town but he also fears that society and wants to keep him sheltered.
He agonizes over these decisions, his only goal is to raise a good man. This automatically endeared me to him as the main character. He holds his emotions in silence as the manliest of men do but we get to peak in and see his suffering. At times I felt like an arrow had shot through my heart as I watched him suffer alone. I wish I could have reached into the pages and shown him compassion.
The first half of the book is written in long stylized sentences describing days out hunting and surviving off the land. The style of the writing allows us to feel what it's like to live without hurry and be able to take things slow to do everything right the first time.
The plot in the first half of the book is sparse, we are merely bearing witness to their lifestyle. When the conflict does begin this makes it all the more jarring. The initial excitement is shocking when juxtaposed against the otherwise quiet landscape. It's a splotch of red staining the snowy landscape and it only expands.
Author Stewart gives us a master class in intensity and anticipation as he breaks down every detail of a horrific event. We know what's coming, we hope it doesn't, we want to skip ahead chapters to get to the part that just tells us already but we are forced to wait. This waiting, this drawing out of moments, amps up the sheer fear of knowing you're about to witness a tragedy.
After this catalytic event the pacing changes. Everything is suddenly much more urgent. It feels more modern, rushed, and hateful. We go from peace to war, from white to red.
Immortal North ends with its climax. A climax so perfect and so tear drenched in beauty it made my hands shake. My eyes couldn't read fast enough to catch up to the endless outcomes my mind couldn't predict fast enough to keep up with the pace of the words in front of me.
The ending offers no relief, it feels like edging on orgasm when your partner suddenly up and leaves you right on the brink. I put down the book tingling, excited, shaking, and begging but so happy that it happened at all.
I cannot recommend Immortal North enough. I have since learned that there will be a sequel and this makes me nervous. A big part of me is yearning for that conclusion, that relief from peaking at a climactic high, but the other part is content to leave it as is. Can Stewart recapture this feeling two books in a row? Will he have two once in a life time books? I'll keep you posted.
Thank you to author Tom Stewart for providing me with a copy of Immortal North in exchange for this honest review.
This is a spoiler free review in the sense that I do not discuss major plot points. However, it is not emotional spoiler free. I will be saying how the book made me feel and that may give you an idea of what kinds of things happen in the book. I would love it if you went in to this book cold and unassuming if you could just take my word for it, then return to this review and let me know if you felt the same.
I read a lot of books so I've said this a lot but Immortal North is a once in a lifetime book. Many books can be once in a lifetime books, they're all unique so they all can stand out. That's why they're once in a lifetime.
Immortal North is, in simplest terms, what I wanted The Revenant to be. On the surface it's a story about a trapper and his son living out in the wilderness together. At it's core it's a raw story of human nature and the full spectrum of emotions that drive all actions. It demonstrates how easily our humanity can tip over into animalistic voracity.
This trapper has lived outside of the city for so long that he has an aura around him the townsfolk cannot understand. They spread wild rumors about him to the point that he has become a mythical legend. His accomplishments are inflated but the real version of events are not to be discounted.
The trapper has been left to care for his son alone since his wife died of an illness. He was unable to get her to the hospital in time and burdens himself with this guilt. He misses her, still loves her, and grieves her nightly. He wants nothing more than to be a good father and raise his son properly. He knows part of that is allowing him to go to school in town but he also fears that society and wants to keep him sheltered.
He agonizes over these decisions, his only goal is to raise a good man. This automatically endeared me to him as the main character. He holds his emotions in silence as the manliest of men do but we get to peak in and see his suffering. At times I felt like an arrow had shot through my heart as I watched him suffer alone. I wish I could have reached into the pages and shown him compassion.
The first half of the book is written in long stylized sentences describing days out hunting and surviving off the land. The style of the writing allows us to feel what it's like to live without hurry and be able to take things slow to do everything right the first time.
The plot in the first half of the book is sparse, we are merely bearing witness to their lifestyle. When the conflict does begin this makes it all the more jarring. The initial excitement is shocking when juxtaposed against the otherwise quiet landscape. It's a splotch of red staining the snowy landscape and it only expands.
Author Stewart gives us a master class in intensity and anticipation as he breaks down every detail of a horrific event. We know what's coming, we hope it doesn't, we want to skip ahead chapters to get to the part that just tells us already but we are forced to wait. This waiting, this drawing out of moments, amps up the sheer fear of knowing you're about to witness a tragedy.
After this catalytic event the pacing changes. Everything is suddenly much more urgent. It feels more modern, rushed, and hateful. We go from peace to war, from white to red.
Immortal North ends with its climax. A climax so perfect and so tear drenched in beauty it made my hands shake. My eyes couldn't read fast enough to catch up to the endless outcomes my mind couldn't predict fast enough to keep up with the pace of the words in front of me.
The ending offers no relief, it feels like edging on orgasm when your partner suddenly up and leaves you right on the brink. I put down the book tingling, excited, shaking, and begging but so happy that it happened at all.
I cannot recommend Immortal North enough. I have since learned that there will be a sequel and this makes me nervous. A big part of me is yearning for that conclusion, that relief from peaking at a climactic high, but the other part is content to leave it as is. Can Stewart recapture this feeling two books in a row? Will he have two once in a life time books? I'll keep you posted.
July 25, 2022
This one is complicated. The end result being, I would like to find a physical copy.
The author narrates the book himself. Two places come to mind where he stops narrating and addresses those he knows are listening. He apologizes for his lack of skill performing. I was okay with him narrating until midway through the story, his voice is weakening, audibly, and he realizes it. He thanks the listeners for sticking with him.
As for the story, I was enjoying it. I felt Stewart as the narrator had a lot of energy. This coming of age, right of passage story choked me up. I particularly liked how Stewart wrote in a simple fashion the part where a father struggles with keeping his young son's respect while teaching him how to kill dinner. He answered a question I have wondered for years. I thought the entire scene was beautiful. The story goes on with several teachings.
Sadly I lost my connection when the narration changed. At this point, I would like a physical copy to make notes. The E-book is not going to cut it. I have visions. I wish the author much success.
Thank you NetGalley and Lucky Dollar Media for accepting my request to read and review Immortal North.
The author narrates the book himself. Two places come to mind where he stops narrating and addresses those he knows are listening. He apologizes for his lack of skill performing. I was okay with him narrating until midway through the story, his voice is weakening, audibly, and he realizes it. He thanks the listeners for sticking with him.
As for the story, I was enjoying it. I felt Stewart as the narrator had a lot of energy. This coming of age, right of passage story choked me up. I particularly liked how Stewart wrote in a simple fashion the part where a father struggles with keeping his young son's respect while teaching him how to kill dinner. He answered a question I have wondered for years. I thought the entire scene was beautiful. The story goes on with several teachings.
Sadly I lost my connection when the narration changed. At this point, I would like a physical copy to make notes. The E-book is not going to cut it. I have visions. I wish the author much success.
Thank you NetGalley and Lucky Dollar Media for accepting my request to read and review Immortal North.
April 4, 2022
This will gut you.
It gutted me. Like slice me open, pull out my entrails, remove and tan my skin, and wear it like a cape gutted. This is part philosophy and part tragic story about the randomness of fate, the small flap of a butterfly's wing, the seemingly inconsequential choices of humans as they traverse the wild landscape of life. It's about our interconnectedness and our independence, the ways we live our lives for ourselves or for others. It's beautiful and thoughtful and brooding, and as you examine your intention and purpose in this life, it will pull you through the microscope and ensnare you. Tom Stewart has a reader for life.
It gutted me. Like slice me open, pull out my entrails, remove and tan my skin, and wear it like a cape gutted. This is part philosophy and part tragic story about the randomness of fate, the small flap of a butterfly's wing, the seemingly inconsequential choices of humans as they traverse the wild landscape of life. It's about our interconnectedness and our independence, the ways we live our lives for ourselves or for others. It's beautiful and thoughtful and brooding, and as you examine your intention and purpose in this life, it will pull you through the microscope and ensnare you. Tom Stewart has a reader for life.
April 10, 2025
The writing is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy, with a LOT of philosophical thoughts thrown in. I was entranced at first but couldn't sustain that feeling to the end. The "non ending" is one of those things where you have to fill it in yourself. (Of course the author has a sequel, so there's that....) All in all, thought provoking but ultimately very depressing.
February 16, 2022
This book had a number of qualities which I really liked, but also a number of drawbacks. Some key elements are very well done. The plot leads the reader to expect that there will be some sort of interaction between the trapper and his neighbours, but when it comes it is completely unexpected and that is very nicely done. The main characters are full, well worked out and believable.
The book is well-written, with a nice turn of phrase. "Some nights memories reached out from the shadows and coiled around the handle and turned the blade" is a nice example. However, sometimes there seems to be missing words ("Was regretting this since it started" misses a subject) or punctuation ("... of them old all of them tack drivers in capable hands" really needs a comma). It is hard to tell if this is sloppy editing or some sort of intended style effect (or maybe both).
There are a few things which don't quite fit. The trapper apparently virtually never goes into town, but he has a plentiful supply of coffee (black?) and flour for bread. He has some broken ribs, but no problem giving his son a big hug. Those type of things should have also been caught by a good editor.
What I have most difficulty with is that there is a lot of space explaining how the trapper has great respect for the animals he is hunting, but then he doesn't confine himself to hunting, but also traps animals. Trapping is a very cruel way of killing animals; trapped animals are often suffering for a considerable time in pain before they die. I am also of the opinion that hunting is over-romanticised in this book, but having lived in the Midwest of the US for a couple of years, I do understand that attitude.
Nevertheless, despite the drawback, I enjoyed the book, it has a good sense of place, and it makes for a good read.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is well-written, with a nice turn of phrase. "Some nights memories reached out from the shadows and coiled around the handle and turned the blade" is a nice example. However, sometimes there seems to be missing words ("Was regretting this since it started" misses a subject) or punctuation ("... of them old all of them tack drivers in capable hands" really needs a comma). It is hard to tell if this is sloppy editing or some sort of intended style effect (or maybe both).
There are a few things which don't quite fit. The trapper apparently virtually never goes into town, but he has a plentiful supply of coffee (black?) and flour for bread. He has some broken ribs, but no problem giving his son a big hug. Those type of things should have also been caught by a good editor.
What I have most difficulty with is that there is a lot of space explaining how the trapper has great respect for the animals he is hunting, but then he doesn't confine himself to hunting, but also traps animals. Trapping is a very cruel way of killing animals; trapped animals are often suffering for a considerable time in pain before they die. I am also of the opinion that hunting is over-romanticised in this book, but having lived in the Midwest of the US for a couple of years, I do understand that attitude.
Nevertheless, despite the drawback, I enjoyed the book, it has a good sense of place, and it makes for a good read.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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