The Way

by Cary Groner

A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.

The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers.

Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. So Will sets out, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. A menacing thug is on his tail. Armed militias patrol the roads. And the only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.

A highly original contribution to the canon of dystopian literature, The Way is a thrilling and imaginative novel, full of warmth, wisdom, and surprises that reflect our world in unsettling, uncanny, and even hopeful ways.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Audiobook

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2024

About the author

Cary Groner’s new novel, “The Way,” launched in the U.S. in December 2024, and will come out in the U.K. in March 2025. Cary's debut novel, “Exiles,” was a Chicago Tribune favorite book of 2011. His short stories have won numerous awards, including the Glimmer Train Fiction Open, and have appeared there and in other venues that include American Fiction, Mississippi Review, Salamander, Southern California Review, Sycamore Review, Tampa Review, and Zymbol. Cary earned his MFA from the University of Arizona in 2009, and has taught fiction writing there, at UCLA online, and at the Berkeley Writing Salon. He lives with his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reviews

[Ian Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a quest west across a post apocalyptic America, where a lethal virus has wiped out 80% of the population. It is a strange and compelling mix of contemplative introspection, and danger and jeopardy - sometimes gentle, and sometimes gripping, but always thoughtful.

From the blurb:

Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. So Will sets out, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. A menacing thug is on his tail. Armed militias patrol the roads. And the only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.

A majority of the story is taken up by Will’s quest west. He is accompanied by his cat, Cassie, and a raven, Peau, and somehow, they can all understand each other. This is recognised as being unusual by both Will and those he meets, and is never really explained. The additional perspectives of a cat and a raven - especially the raven - provide an interesting reflection on Will’s own thoughts and emotions, as well as the raven being a handy scout for Will as he treks through unknown territory.

For me, the heart of the book is the reflective nature of Will’s rumination on his own behaviour, thoughts, and emotions as he travels west. As he meets a variety of people in different and difficult situations, Will contemplates the meaning of his own flawed motivations and behaviour, and of the behaviour of others.

This is all rooted in Will’s Buddhist background; the author mentions his own modest knowledge of Buddhist philosophy in the Acknowledgements, and thanks his teachers in the Tibetan tradition. I have no direct knowledge or experience of Buddhism, and have only dabbled with meditation, but I found Will’s gentle and honest introspection very thought provoking, and in places quite moving.

Despite this reflective context, the plot is surprisingly gritty in places, and the realities of survival in the dystopian world in which Will finds himself aren’t romanticised - this is a harsh world, with pockets of human pain amongst the backdrop of the natural world reclaiming its place. Unfortunately, it’s in the resolution of this plot that I felt the book was at its weakest. In the closing chapters, Will’s quest comes to a conclusion, and the details of what Will finds at his destination, and the identity and purpose of his pursuers, is revealed - and I found it oddly unsatisfying.

But despite the ending lacking the emotional impact I was expecting, and some of the explanation of the plot feeling a little contrived, I can forgive this book because of the depth and reflective introspection of the quest. There were many times that I stopped and highlighted a section, and sat and thought about it for a few minutes. This is a book that I will undoubtedly revisit, and get something new from it on each reading.

Thank you #NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the free review copy of #TheWay in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Review

[...She] said [World War 2] must have been a big deal. I told her the world had never really recovered from it. "No country ever trusted another one again," I said. "Which led to more nukes, and biological weapons, and the whole situation that got us to where we are now." (-3:46:00)

I really enjoyed this book, but the climax and denouement were a little soft for my taste. However, I think this ending will work for many readers! It's quite sweet, which I also like, but here I thought the tone wasn't quite right.

I love a good adventure story, and this is one good adventure story. The characters meet all kinds of creatively written animals, which I really enjoy. Touch of magical realism here, with animals and humans communicating, or more accurately, humans interpreting animal utterances and vice versa. I really loved this treatment, even though anthropomorphic animals are usually not my bag.

The says many interesting things about contemporary society and the wild places that would survive our annihilation. In that way, it's one of the better dystopian books I've read.

I recommend this one to fans of dystopian settings, animal lovers, enjoyers of apocolyptic stories, and snappy dialog fans.


I said, "I think you're developing a false sense of security." She laughed. "Is there any other kind?" (-2:56:00)

Reading Notes: (I will update as I read.)

Three things I loved:

1. Groner is a master with dialog! There is little of it in the book because there aren't many people left in this story. But the mmc is being tracked down, so he has run-ins with many small secondary antagonists. The first bit of dialog, at the end of the long first chapter, is terse, clever, tense, and even funny!

2. I learned interesting things from this book, like the science behind animal emotions, and that they feel the same span and intensity of feelings that humans do. This author definitely did extensive research about animal, especially avian, behavior. This is smart fiction.

3. Glowing freshwater crocs. That is all.

4. "My motivations are never pure," I confessed. "There's always a little subterranean whisper– I want this, I want that, me me me." (-06:54:00) I really adore reflective characters, versus those that sprint through their story like their path is painted in glowing paint before them.

5. I love the humor in this book. Good humor is almost necessary in very tense stories like this one. She found the box of bullets and slid them in, one after the other, until the magazine was full. "It only holds five?" "It's for small game, not storming Normandy." (-5:24:00)

6. I like the little twist of magical realism in here, and it's just *barely* magical! It's perfect.

Three things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. The narrator of this book, Byron Wagner, is ill-fitted for the content. He's a good reader but has the sort of voice I would expect for a Western. His voice is sort of proper and old school. But with this book, an apocolyptic dystopian thriller, the reader's tone clashes with the book's tone. *edit Once I got used to Wagner's distinctive voice, the listen was quite good.

2. Considering the tone of the rest of the book, I thought the ending was a little soft. It honestly just went right by me, and then I was surprised that the book ended there.

Rating: 🐈🐈🐈🐈 /5 nonhuman traveling pals
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Nov 30 '24
Format: Hardcover; Audiobook, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🐦‍⬛ animals that communicate with people
🏚 dystopian settings
🐊 evolved wildlife
🛣 adventure / journey stories
👨‍👧 father daughter dynamics

Thank you to the author Cary Groner and publishers Spiegel & Grau for an advance copy of The Way. Thanks also to NetGalley for an accessible (audiobook) copy. All views are mine.

-------------------

Current Read: I'm really excited about this apocolyptic thriller with an original concept. The description gives The Stand, and I'm so ready for that.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Rounded down from 2.5)

An imaginative and immersive landscape and interesting, complicated characters weren’t enough to make this post-apocalyptic road trip one that worked for me.

The good? Across the board the writing was good. It was descriptive and pleasant, and did a good job of matching the tone—though I am not sure I was always a fan of the tone, yet still the writing and atmosphere felt concordant. Similarly, I thought the characters had a lot of promise, the main characters and ancillary characters both. I could see they had depth, they weren’t simple place holders or archetypes, but at the same time their actions seemed to betray the depths they contained, as they often made the least interesting choices. Additionally, while the pacing and urgency didn’t quite work for me the way the various set-pieces were lined up, the shift from travel to danger to rest to danger to travel monotony and back again, etc., that felt well-balanced. Nothing was stagnant too long and the balance felt right in the world as built. That did really shine for me, the world-building. There are countless visions of what a post-apocalyptic American landscape will look like, and Groner does a good job of, through the course of the characters’ journey, showing a number of different community and survival situations that might emerge in that post-plague landscape. It wasn’t all just a simple barren free-for-all, or something like that, and the possibilities he presented were inventive and fun.

Unfortunately, that is where my fun with the book kind of stops. Ultimately everything felt way too explicit, too convenient and on-the-surface. I never felt any sense of peril or action, and the ways the character resolved each conflict seemed remarkably convenient, and therefore uninteresting. I know the character was supposed to have gone on some sort of emotional journey through this process, but that didn’t come across, and some of the Buddhist elements are what were clumsiest and least interesting to me. I am a Tibetan Buddhist monk, have been for more than thirteen years, so I appreciated the character’s struggles. But everything was so obvious and on the surface, it never felt like he was feeling any of these Buddhist ideas conundrums, he was just saying them. At one point, when reflecting on his trouble communicating with his girlfriend, the main character says, “I wasn’t explaining this very well, and I couldn’t figure out how to put it without sounding dogmatic.” That was the problem, writ large, with the book itself. All the moral quarries he found himself navigating, those were interesting, but it always felt like he was simply explaining a beginner’s understanding of Buddhism instead of actually feeling, actually emotionally and intellectually grappling with, these difficulties. Nothing felt subtle, nothing felt personal, and so those Buddhist preoccupations didn’t feel lived in, they felt like distant explorations or intellectual exercises. There are plenty of ways to talk about the character’s distress at having to harm others or take life without explicitly talking about the Buddhist precept not to harm, and so forth.

I did like the addition of the magical realism elements, the talking animals, but they were also one of the small things that threw a wrench in this world building. It isn’t a serious thing, but just how they could communicate with the main character felt loose and unformed. So, he could understand cat and crow, but they could also understand English? And they eventually could understand each other, too? Why couldn’t he, or they, understand the other animals in their group, the mules and horses and dogs? It just felt fast and loose, and that took away from my enjoyment. Similarly, the discussion of there existing some internet with “servers that kept moving around,” just felt like a baffling inclusion, because that isn’t how the internet works. A number of little small things like this on their own were little speed bumps but added up to keep the narrative always an arm’s distance away from me, never letting me really fall into it or feel immersed in it, because I kept getting pulled out by these small things that just felt a little sloppy or lazy. And the ending, the Buddhist mystical aspects at the end? To be honest it was a little frustrating, because it felt both predictable and unearned, which is a poisonous combination.


I like the ambition of the story, and I liked that the main character had a different emotional grounding than we are used to seeing, and that (hypothetically) lead to a different set of obstacles. The instinct for mixing rambling on the road with action set-pieces with moments of relaxation was good, but since the action and danger never felt genuine it ended up reading as slower than that narrative instinct would suggest. The attempt at blending spirituality with science with magical realism with the perils of a post-apocalyptic landscape was a noble one, and it has the seeds of a lot of interesting ideas. None of them fully ripened in a way that lived up to their promise for me, but your mileage may vary.


I want to thank the author, the publisher Spiegel & Grau, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alex Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly - thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher Speigel & Grau for the ARC of this book.

So, I had genuinely no idea what to expect from The Way because I requested it ages ago and forgot to read it when I got approved. All I know is when I originally read the description I thought it sounded great.

And do you know what? It was.

The Way follows the story of Will, traversing a destitute and dystopian American midwest on a personal and practical journey. In a world ruled by the young, as the old have died out due to a pandemic preventing ageing, it's sobering to realise that you have to live your life as quickly as you possibly can, or risk never living at all.

Cary Groner takes us on a beautiful and hazardous journey through the spiritual and natural world, offering a very unique take on the traveller's story. It weaves science, religion - namely Buddhism - the natural world, and what it means to be a family.

Animals play a significant part in Will's story, and without spoiling too much, the dynamic travelling companion duo of a Raven and a Cat was hilariously - and sometimes shockingly - refreshing.

It wasn't my usual go-to read, but I'm extremely glad I picked up the ARC, and I'd highly recommend giving it a go. If you're not afraid of a warm and at times arduous journey, I think you'll like this.

3.9/5.0

You can find my NetGalley review here.

[Vana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Way is expected on December 3, 2024
Thank you, Netgalley and Spiegel and Grau for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I don’t think I was the intended audience for this book. The Way is a post-apocalyptic story with spiritual undertones. However, for my taste, the spirituality was too prominent in places and took away from the post-apocalyptic part. There are detailed sections about their supplies, Buddhism, movies, and books that slowed the pace and tended to confuse me. In one of the chapters, there is a scene of interspecies mating, something that was very strange to read, especially because it didn’t add anything of importance to the story. The Way has a slow pace, and the writing style isn’t for me, which hindered my reading experience.

In spite of all this, the last 20% caught my attention with all the twists that I didn’t see coming. I liked how The Way explores the moral dilemma of how you would avoid hurting people in the apocalypse if your religion forbids it. The characters are fleshed out and relatable, especially Sophie. Peau and Cassie are a nice addition to the book. They add banter and warmth, where in a dystopian world is much needed! Overall, for me, The Way is an interesting read that has a lot of great aspects but ended up failing to reach my expectations.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cary Groner's The Way is an imperfect book—but it's one of those imperfect books that more than merits a five-star review given all that the author accomplishes. Groner acknowledges both Ridley Walker and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as being inspirations for The Way, and one can see the connections—but The Way is very much its own creature and not just a knock-off.

The Way is set in the not-too-distant future following a series of pandemics and armed conflicts. Will Collins, the central character, who had been living at a Buddhist monastery, caught one of the pandemic diseases. After weeks of near-incoherence, he comes to and discovers that he is the only living person remaining at the monastery. So he uses a backhoe to bury the dead and becomes the de facto caretaker for the buildings that remain. This bit is back-story.

The novel begins when Will has agreed to have a potential cure for a current pandemic that prevents pretty much everyone from living past the age of forty surgically implanted on his body (he will not know where) and to attempt the journey from Colorado, where the potential cure is, to California, where the man who may have the know-how to produce the new compound and put it to use is located. Or not.

Will is accompanied on this journey by a raven and a cat he learns he can communicate with. He's in a gutted Ford F-150 being pulled by two mules. About halfway along in his journey, he's joined by a fourteen-year-old orphan who is querulous, angry, cynical, and genuinely brilliant. She was raised in an orphanage where she learned how to handle guns and built up a broad knowledge of classic movies. An unexpected, but helpful, pair of knowledges. He's also being pursued by a violent sociopath who wants the cure for himself.

Over the course of Will's journey, Groner takes us through a variety communities, all surviving only marginally, some having established relatively peaceful means of coexisting, others ruled only by violence. Having not just Will's perception of these communities, but also the perceptions of raven, cat, and orphan, allows readers to experience this dystopian life from a variety of not just perspectives, but species.

I don't want to say more about The Way because part of what makes it so effective is the unexpected moments it offers readers. I generally avoid dystopian fiction, since I already all too often feel like I'm living in dystopian fact, but The Way transcends the genre. So, yes, read it if you like dystopian fiction, but even if you don't, read it. It will take you to new, interesting, disturbing, and very occasionally magic places.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.25

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

The Way by Cary Groner is a thought-provoking and unexpectedly satisfying read that I didn’t anticipate liking it as much as I did—or in the way that I did. The Way is set in a world ravaged by a deadly virus that has wiped out 80% of the population, leaving our protagonist, and while this post-apocalyptic/post-pandemic novel might initially seem like a bleak tale of survival, its heart and tone seem to lean towards a more hopeful overall atmosphere.

The story centers on Will Collins who has been taking care of a Buddhist monastery when he is tasked with delivering a potential cure to a facility in California, which means a long journey west is in store for him. Will's journey is a perilous adventuer full of risks and encounters with a fairly eclectic cast of people and animals. His Buddhist background and beliefs added a lot of depth to his observations of both the world around him, as well as his own inner thoughts and struggles, all of which provides some truly thought-provoking perspectives on humanity and survival.

Accompanying Will are Cassie, his cat; Peau, a raven whom Will has learned to successfully communicate with; a couple mules; and a variety of other people and creatures that pop in and out of this journey. I especially enjoyed how Groner explored the lives of various survivors of the virus and delved into the unique ways individuals and communities have adapted to the harsh realities of a post-virus world. I always enjoy getting to meet different people and see how they've all set up their lives and what their own opinions and perspective are on everything that's been going on. These glimpses into survival and rebuilding were some of my favorite aspects of the story as I felt they added so much more depth to the story and narrative.

I previously mentioned that The Way has an overall hopeful tone to it, but that's not to say that it does not also take a cold hard look at the realities of a post-virus world. There are many moments when Will and readers alike are confronted with the unflinching reality of loss, desperation, and many more hardships that would likely occur after such a traumatic event. There's a strong balance of realism and optimism that I thought worked perfectly for this story that prevented it from becoming too dark.

I particularly liked the ending and thought it was well-deserved and more satisfying than I anticipated. I can see it not working well for some people and I can certainly understand why, but it's one of those where I sort of secretly wanted a certain ending and this one really hit the mark for me with how earned and meaningful it felt.

Lastly, I listened to the audiobook version and thought the. narrator did an excellent job capturing the tone of Will throughout. I felt they captured Will’s voice and the tone of the story perfectly, which made it an even more immersive experience.

The Way is a fantastic post-apocalyptic novel that blends insight, adventure, and heart. I would readily recommend it to readers across genres—whether you’re here for the premise, the philosophy, or the character-driven storytelling, there’s a little something for everyone.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Halloween Goodreaders! 🎃👻🍭

There's nothing like a dystopian tale to set the mood for my favorite holiday of all time.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Way.

I'm always up for an end of the world tale since there are so many ways to tell a post-apocalyptic story

Not to mention it sort of feels like we're living in one.

This is one of the calmest (if that's the right word to use) post-apocalyptic stories I've ever read, which isn't a bad thing.

It's got kind of a The Last of Us vibe, especially in the second half, but with less violence.

Will Collins has been tasked to deliver a potential cure to California.

It won't be an easy journey, especially since Will is one of the few middle-aged people still alive.

A slew of viruses and epidemics has decimated the population and the average lifespan is 4o.

Luckily, Will has a few things on his side; his Zen attitude, a brilliant raven, a grumpy cat, and a street smart teenage girl.

What's not to like about this story?

It's safe to say I love pretty much any story with animals in them, especially ones that talk.

If it wasn't for Peau, Will and his crew would never have made it to Cali. Seriously.

I also learned quite a few things about Buddhism, its cosmology and philosophy, and what a gonpa is.

I liked the author's writing style, and Will and Sophie are likable, relatable characters.

My only caveat is how nicely everything ties up at the end.

It's a little too pat, especially for a dystopian setting.

[Chris Bissette · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.*

I'm always a sucker for post-apocalyptic dystopian survival stories, and I like the structure of road novels where a character is on a journey with a fixed end point. The blurb promised a "highly original contribution" to the genre, so I was excited to give The Way a go. Here's that blurb:

> A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.

> The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers.

> Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. So Will sets out, haunted by dreams of the woman he once loved, in a rusted-out pickup pulled by two mules. A menacing thug is on his tail. Armed militias patrol the roads. And the only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.

> A highly original contribution to the canon of dystopian literature, The Way is a thrilling and imaginative novel, full of warmth, wisdom, and surprises that reflect our world in unsettling, uncanny, and even hopeful ways.

Initially I really enjoyed this. Although it's billed as SF&F the speculative elements (aside from "the majority of the global population have perished due to a mystery contagion") are initially fairly light, and at first it read much more like a western. Journeying across an American west populated by escaped zoo animals in an old Ford F-150 pulled by a pair of mules is very compelling to me, and the opening sequences had me hooked.

Unfortunately as time wore on I became less enamoured with things. Will spends his time talking to his cat Cassie and a raven named Peau that has adopted him, and initially it's hinted that his belief he can talk to them is linked to the illness that's killed everyone over the age of 30 (but not, for some reason, him). It's a little weird, but weird is fine. As things progress, though, his conversations with the bird and the cat become much less ambiguous, until he's holding explicit dialogues with them - something that other characters begin to take part in, too. It all became a little too farfetched for me, particularly as there's never any real attempt made to explain why humans can suddenly communicate with animals without any real issues. Things get even more ridiculous in a sequence in which the cat goes into heat and has sex with the raven, which is played off as being completely unremarkable. I almost put the book down at this point, but the rest of the story was compelling enough that I wanted to see where things went.

Ultimately I don't know if it was really worth persevering. There are some good set pieces and moments here, and it's competently written, but the ending feels like it suddenly rushes to tie everything up after having previously feeling like the book was happy to take its time getting to where it's going, and the ending it rushes towards isn't an especially good one. Particularly as so much of the book is concerned with Buddhist philosophy and talking about allowing things to take their natural course, I had hoped that a little more time would be allotted to allow things to resolve themselves.

My biggest problem, though, is one of simply not believing the central premise. A few characters mention that Will is uniquely suited to the task of urgently transporting a potential miracle cure across thousands of miles of hostile territory, but it's never made clear why this is true of a former science writer who has spent 15 years living in seclusion in a meditation centre. And during the course of his journey he isn't really tested in any way that demonstrates why he's the best choice. Everything comes fairly easily to him, and even in moments of peril he's often saved by acts of nature that verge on deus ex machina.

This isn't to say that there's nothing to like here. The post-catastrophe world is well realised and the few characters we meet feel real and complex. Some of the set pieces are really fun - particularly the train ride across the desert - and I just wish everything had a little more weight to it.

Overall this was an enjoyable, if inconsistent, read that may have benefitted from doing less with the speculative elements - specifically the conversational animals and weird interspecies sex scene - and leaning harder into the western side of things.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Cary Groner's latest novel "The Way," we journey through a transformed American landscape where civilization has crumbled, leaving behind a world both familiar and startlingly alien. The story follows Will Collins, a 52-year-old caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, as he embarks on a perilous cross-country journey to deliver a potential cure for a mysterious ailment known as Disease X to California.

A Changed World

Groner paints a vivid picture of an America fourteen years after "Mayhem" - a cascade of catastrophes including a devastating bird flu pandemic, limited nuclear exchanges, and the collapse of civilization. In this new reality, most humans over forty have perished, leaving behind a world where teenagers run towns, armed militias control territories, and escaped zoo animals roam freely. The author's background as a science journalist shines through in his detailed and scientifically plausible worldbuilding.

Characters That Breathe Life Into the Wasteland

What sets "The Way" apart from typical post-apocalyptic fiction is its rich character development and the unusual companions who join Will on his journey:

- Peau, an intelligent raven whose species has developed a sophisticated form of communication with humans
- Cassie, a Maine Coon cat with strong opinions and survival instincts
- Sophie, a remarkably resilient fourteen-year-old girl who brings both tactical skills and emotional depth to the story

The relationship dynamics between these characters form the emotional core of the novel. Their interactions are both humorous and touching, providing light moments in an otherwise grim setting.

Writing Style and Narrative Structure

Groner's prose is contemplative yet precise, reflecting both his journalistic background and Buddhist influences. The narrative alternates between present-day action and Will's memories, particularly those of his lost love Eva, creating a layered storytelling approach that adds depth to the protagonist's motivations.

Philosophical Underpinnings

One of the novel's greatest strengths is its exploration of Buddhist concepts without becoming preachy. Themes of impermanence, interconnectedness, and the nature of consciousness are woven naturally into the narrative. The author manages to make complex philosophical ideas accessible through practical situations and character interactions.

Environmental and Social Commentary

The novel offers thoughtful commentary on humanity's relationship with nature. The description of passenger pigeons returning to American skies and bison herds reclaiming their ancient territories serves as both a warning and a hope for ecological restoration. The social structures that emerge in this new world—from the teen-run town of Princely to the California coastal communities—provide interesting perspectives on human adaptation and resilience.

Critique

While the novel excels in many areas, there are some aspects that could have been stronger:

- The pacing occasionally slows during philosophical discussions, which might challenge readers more interested in action
- Some plot developments, particularly regarding the antagonist Buck Flynn, feel slightly contrived
- The scientific explanation for Disease X could have been more thoroughly developed

Technical Excellence

The author demonstrates remarkable skill in several areas:

- Detailed world-building that feels both realistic and surprising
- Complex character development that avoids post-apocalyptic stereotypes
- Integration of scientific concepts with spiritual themes
- Natural dialogue that brings characters to life
- Vivid descriptions of transformed landscapes

Cultural Impact and Relevance

Published in 2024, "The Way" resonates strongly with contemporary concerns about pandemics, climate change, and societal resilience. The novel's exploration of how humanity might rebuild after catastrophic events feels particularly relevant in our current global context.

Final Verdict

"The Way" is a remarkable achievement that transcends typical genre boundaries. It offers:

- Thoughtful exploration of philosophical themes
- Engaging character relationships
- Scientifically plausible worldbuilding
- Environmental and social commentary
- Emotional depth and humor

While not perfect, the novel's strengths far outweigh its minor flaws. It is worth reading for its ambitious scope, careful execution, and ability to balance action with meaningful reflection.

[Sarah Harney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for an ARC of The Way.

After a bit of a slow start I really enjoyed this book! I had such a clear vision of the story in my mind while I was reading and I think this would make a great movie. I also loved the odd family dynamic with Will, Sophie, Cassie and Peau, their characters will definitely stand out in my memory.

I could have done without the lengthy detailed sections about Buddhism, classic novels, quantum mechanics and more. These sections made the book feel too high-brow for me and took away from the exciting pace of the main post-apocalyptic storyline.

4 stars!

[Miranda Summerset · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 STARS! This book blew me away. How the author managed to create a unique society in a dystopian world this day & age (where I feel we've done everything in that genre) is a testament to being incredibly creative. This world felt fresh & colorful, & even though its the end of the world, you feel hope. The characters are deep & well written, & the animals are just perfect. I literally fell in love with a raven & cat duo, like EPIC. The humor is spot on & I loved the modern references (made it feel so real). This book is a must needed refresher in the dystopian space & I SAY RUN TO GET THIS BOOK ASAP.
*I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I loved the post-apocalyptic setting and the journey across the altered landscape. The inclusion of meditation and Buddhist principles periodically were distracting to me and felt disjointed and unnecessary. Enjoyed the rest of the book immensely.

[Nadine in California]

This book started out strong - I was happily reminded of The Dog Stars, but with an interesting Buddhist twist. At first I loved the narrator/protagonist, the treatment of human/crow communication, the plot and the Buddhist-oriented reflections (hinted in the title) on the dystopian world and the resurgence of animal life (native and not). But once Will found his friend David, it all suddenly collapsed for me; the characters became empty shells the author manipulated rather than 'real' people, and the Buddhist reflections felt too obvious and easy. I was especially disappointed that communication with the crow started to feel twee-ish. I love animal-human communication in fiction, but it's tricky not to fall into the charm trap. A book that did it perfectly for me was The Axeman's Carnival - a totally different story, but one where the crow communicated while never being anything more than a 'real' bird.

[NrsKelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that makes me wish we could give half stars on Goodreads. It felt to me like more than a 4 star book and honestly I was close to giving it 5 stars until the ending which though not bad also wasn’t the conclusion I needed.
Perhaps I am just terrible at deciding for myself how the rest of it all would play out.
Either way, as someone who has studied Buddhism I did especially like how the author incorporated it into a dystopian plot. And how Will struggled with not harming vs protecting.
All in all a good solid 4.5/5 stars for me.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the mash up between The Road (Cormac McCarthy) and Dr. Doolittle you didn't know you needed. Will sets off on a dystopian road trip from Colorado to California with his friends Peau (like "Poe" - a raven) and Cassie (a cat) to try and deliver a disease cure to researchers. Guided by his Buddhist principles and chased by armed militants, Will does his best to remain spiritual while being pragmatic. Did I mention he talks to Peau and Cassie, and they talk back? It isn't as weird as it sounds. Who knew a cozy apocalypse was a thing? I think fans of Becky Chambers would love this.

[Suki J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Canongate Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A deadly virus has vastly reduced the world's population and left America much changed. In this near future, people rarely live above the age of 30-40. An unusually old man named Will who is in his 50s, is tasked to cross the country and hand-deliver a potential cure along with his trusty companions Peau and Cassie.
I felt like I should have enjoyed this book more. The post-apocalyptic setting and animal companions (there's a crow - how cool!) were great, and there was something interesting contemplative stuff about Buddhism and the value of human existence. I also enjoyed the relationship between Will and the other main character.
However, I found the pacing a little strange, and some of the plot contrivances felt unearned and unrealistic. There was also a strange mating scene between two different species which seemed really out of place. The latter part of the book let the final score down ultimately which was a shame as I felt it had a lot of potential

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will with his deep philosophical thoughts was sometimes a bit much 😄 Sophie was a fun character, but I am not sure if any of the characters stole my heart. They were okay but not brilliant. Sophie was still quite relatable.

I appreciate how this book succesfully offered a dystopian story that wasn't dark but more optimistic. There were some horrifying moments and it was obvious how much they had lost after "Mayhem" (like they call it) but Will had quite beautiful way to see things.

I prefer stories with more action, there were pretty many philosophical moments where Will thoughts were revealed and not so much happened. Even though I would have loved to have more action I still enjoyed this one as well.

The ending felt quite rushed, especially compared to the pacing otherwise. There were some pretty unrealistic things happening as well. I still liked the very ending, it was quite satisfying.

[Jan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate it when authors resort to name-calling politics where there is no need of it to try to get a few added stars.

[Marne - Reader By the Water · Rating 5 out of 5]

👉🏻For my friends who want a warm and witty dystopian buddy road trip (where the buddies are a raven and a cat).

THE WAY by Cary Groner (Byron Wagner, Narrator)

🎧Thanks, @spotify @spiegelandgrau, for the advanced review copy of the book and audiobook via #NetGalley. (Available 3 Dec 24) 9 Hours, 19 Minutes

I love dystopian novels because I enjoy watching the ingenuity that people reveal once the modern conveniences are stripped away. Stories usually include a heaping helping of found family, an epic journey, and a touch of mysticism. I should caveat this: I love dystopian novels with pleasant endings. (I grew up watching “Swiss Family Robinson” on repeat.)

“The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Against this perilous backdrop, Will Collins, the de facto caretaker of a Buddhist monastery in Colorado, receives an urgent and mysterious request: to deliver a potential cure to a scientist in what was once California. The only way he’ll make it is with the help of a clever raven, an opinionated cat, and a tough teenage girl who has learned to survive on her own.”

I loved Will unconditionally. He’s a seasoned survivor who doesn’t resort to violence unless necessary. He’s just a little bit mystical but pragmatic, too. He’s a man who adapts, overcomes, and keeps putting one foot in front of the other while contemplating the wonders of the universe. Oh, and he understands what the raven (Peau, pronounced “Poe”) and cat (Cassie) say to him, but with a shrug and a “maybe I��m crazy, or maybe this is just evolution after a global evisceration” type of acceptance.

I adored THE WAY. Take THE STAND (but not as gruesome and dark—there are only a couple of fleeting moments of violence), combine it with an inter-species buddy road trip of PROJECT HAIL MARY, and mix in a dash of TAO OF POOH (for some gentle mindfulness) and mix well. It’s warm and funny, and the ending was unexpected but welcome. If you’re only going to try one dystopian novel, try this one.

I adored the narrator, as he seemed to perfectly capture the essence of the characters while adding some special bits to the performance (Peau’s “Grawk!” for example). My favorite example is after Will breaks his nose. For several scenes, you can hear it in Wagner’s voice: “My consonants weren’t really working, and I sounded like I had a bad cold.”

🧽🧽🧽🧽🧽 This was easily a five-sponge audiobook (so captivating you’re willing to clean to keep listening).

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounding up. For a dystopian story this was very mellow and relatively positive which really shocked me. I had mentally prepared myself for devastation, gore, death, rape and almost none of that happened. It was far more focused on the philosophy of life than anything else making it very different than what I thought I was going to read

Will is asked to travel from Colorado to California to bring a cure to a scientist he used to work with. The world has been devastated by a series of health pandemics and nuclear warfare leaving just a small percentage of people alive. As he braves the road with his crow and cat friends he comes across all sorts of people and crises which cause him to question everything he believes in.

The crow and the cat are my favorite characters. With a gentle sprinkling of magical realism that allows Will to communicate with them, it allows for excellent humor in even the more serious parts of the book. I found Sophia’s addition to be interesting but not nearly as critical. The ending kind of lands with a much softer touch than what I would have expected from this book but it makes it easy reading.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most enjoyable aspect of this book was the concept of communicating with animals. However, beyond that, it didn’t quite capture my attention. The pacing felt slow, and I found it difficult to become engaged with the story. Additionally, I wasn’t a fan of the audiobook narrator. His tone for the main character’s dialogue struck me as off-putting, and it often distracted from the experience. In contrast, his narration of the other characters, including the female voices, was much more effective. Overall, this wasn’t a memorable or even enjoyable dystopian read for me.

Popsugar reading challenge: a dystopian book with a happy ending

[Marianne Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels like a nice but challenging meditation

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the structure that the cross-country journey gave to the plot. I liked the fact that Sophia seemed both hard edged and a little nebulous. I enjoyed imagining a North American continent surging with herds and flocks of bison, camels, and birds. Bad characters from human society always lurk around the margins of the picture. Recommended with 5 stars 🌟.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot to like about this novel but also some parts that just didn't work or should have been left out. All in all, a good dystopian story that kept me invested in things working out for better or worse.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a slow start, I couldn't stop reading. This was sad and sweet and optimistic all at once. Now I want a raven.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A hopeful post-apocalyptic quest novel, The Way stands out in its anti-violence protagonist and focus on spiritual concerns.

The main character is great. He’s a middle-aged man who has accepted this lonely fact and struggles to maintain his ethics in a world with very few. He also has befriended a cat and a bird, whom he’s able to communicate with. The level he can “talk” to them I found a bit over-the-top; I have no doubt you could train or learn to read the cues of a raven and vice versa, as they are very smart, and I could “talk” with my cat when she was around, in that I understood certain pitches she made to mean different things, but full-on conversations and the animals' understandings of complex concepts I was like, “I don’t know.” Still, I liked the cat and raven characters a lot, as I did Will. The girl too, when she arrives, is tough, funny, and the father-daughter bond they create is very wholesome.

The setting, a road trip from Colorado to California, is just awesome, but I'm biased because the US Southwest is one of my favourite places to visit. I really enjoyed the setting and how the landscape had been altered based on the calamity. You have herds of camels running around, escaped tigers (as we all know from Tiger King, there are a lot of tigers in the USA), and, because the collapse happened about twenty years from now, some genetically mutated animals. There are the classic small struggling towns, the hermits, the abandoned places … all the tropes of post-apocalyptic quest novels. I definitely enjoyed that aspect.

I also enjoyed the commentary about climate change and our self-destructive nature as a species that ran through the book.

Now, there are two things I found a little bit less than interesting. The first is the plot. The reason for Will going to California has been seen again and again in the sub-genre - there’s a cure for the virus here, or take the cure here, and all will be well. The Last of Us has the same plot essentially. Of course, the reason for doing stuff in post-apoc novels does tend to be limited, and I do enjoy a quest novel, but the reason for the bad guy chasing Will was also sort of confusing, and the end result was quite anti-climactic.

I will also admit I was kind of over the book by about 80%. There’s a lot of philosophizing and soul-searching in the novel that I, who only gets spiritual about the ocean and the desert and minimally at best, found bogged down the story quite a bit and got a little preachy. In the end, when I should have been exhilarated for the climax, it felt more like when you’re jogging, and you think you’ve hit the last bend, and then it turns out you have a whole other kilometre. I was just sort of done with it.

There were also references to movies that someone who is like 20 today most likely will not have seen or heard of; this felt sort of out of place. The setting is 2050s and the guy is like 50, so he'd been born in 2000 technically. If he referenced movies of today, or movies he enjoyed when he was learning about himself and made an impression on him in his late teens/early twenties, that would have been more interesting than talking about Casablanca.

Yet, the book has some beautiful writing it in and the situations behind it were interesting - I just found the spiritual or philosophical aspects a little too heavy-handed; I don’t like being preached at, and while I don’t mind an allegory or even a subtle message, this book sometimes felt like a Buddhism manual. Not really my jam.

[Connie Ling · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 stars rounded down.

The premise had so much potential, only for the book to fail in its delivery. One of my biggest disappointments of 2025 thus far - too many things left a bad taste in my mouth and others were just unbelievably laughable (derogatory). Ultimately, I was not the audience for this book - the spirituality that seeped throughout the decisions made by characters, furthered by the twist at the end of the book, left me frustrated more than anything. While the writing style was fine and at times, engaging with the descriptions of the wildlife and beautiful settings of the West, it was unable to save the story for me.


The Characters
I'm sorry but Will was just...annoying. I understand sticking to one's beliefs and I find that commendable were it any other situation/setting. Unfortunately, there are times when his refusal to either injure or kill was just downright...unrealistic? Perhaps it's the cynic in me as I know, I know, this is a fictional book where events are fictional but it was a conscious decision to have the setting be a dystopian and apocalyptic America. This man has the threat of encountering ARM throughout the areas he's traveling through (and it's explained several times to readers that they're a sadistic and cruel band of racists) and is being actively pursued by a stranger willing to hurt/kill him for a cure he's currently carrying. Point blank? It's just not reasonable, not when you are carrying the potential cure to save a desolate world on the brink of total collapse. While his internal dilemma regarding his Buddhist beliefs was an interesting insight into the man and the actions taken as a reason, unfortunately, it did not hit home for me.

Sophie - I went into this expecting a The Last of Usstyle begrudging man forced to take care of a bratty teen. Sadly, I was not given that. Her introduction was one of the many issues that came up for me, because her introduction was the catalyst that made it obvious that this book was written by a man. The quickness of this girl latching onto Will was laughable - unrealistic! In a post-apocalyptic setting where it has been made clear women are abused and assaulted by men, where she's also lived in a brothel where, once again, women are made a commodity (who, by the way, make light of the fact that they are being forced into s-work), you're telling me this teenage girl is going to trust Will right after they meet? Sleeping beside him in a truck on the first night they're together? Trusting him within days? Latching onto him as though he was her father? I'm sorry but just...no. Unrealistic to the nth degree. There is no way that a woman (teen or adult) would be willing to trust someone this quickly; they'd be cautious and wary, fearful of the potential to be taken advantage of.

Peau and Cassie - I loved their characters and the bond between them and Will until there was a very specific scene that enraged me. It was unnecessary and honestly, served to only disgust me, which happened to be the final straw in my disappointment for this book. There was no reason for the interspecies intercourse to occur between these two animals (a raven and a cat). Just...no. I should have put the book down at this point and that's on me.


Perhaps the author intended the book to be more about the internal debate on the survival of humanity and Will's perspective as someone who has vowed to do no harm in a violent world, but it, unfortunately, failed to leave a good impression on me.

[Alexis Dillon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was one of the worst I’ve read in a long time. The synopsis was made the book sound like it would be far more interesting and adventurous than it was. The last 40 pages, however, I did enjoy. But still. A rather boring book. Would not recommend and would not have finished it had it not been the book club pick this month.

[Lizzy Cooley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This synopsis on the cover was 200x more interesting than the actual book.

[Miranda | _pandathebibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

A postapocalyptic road trip and a quest for redemption.

The world has been ravaged by a lethal virus and, with few exceptions, only the young have survived. Cities and infrastructures have been destroyed, and the natural world has reclaimed the landscape in surprising ways, with herds of wild camels roaming the American West and crocodiles that glow neon green lurking in the rivers.

I was intrigued by the Raven on the cover and immediately had to read this. I’ll have to admit though, in the beginning I was nearly regretting my decision. “The Way” gets off to a rocky start, but at roughly 30% in, it picked up and I was hooked.

”We were hurkle-durkling - luxuriating in wakefulness beneath warm covers for a while before we had to get up” I loved that. Hurkle-durkling is such a fun phrase with a relatable meaning. I also loved the banter that Peau and Cass established with Will.

If you are a fan of dystopian novels be sure to check out “The Way” set to release December 3, 2024.

Thank you to NetGally and Spiegel & Grau for allowing me the chance to read this advanced copy of “The Way” in exhange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own and are my honest opinion.