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Children of the Wild
From the bestselling and award-winning author of The Yellow Birds comes a gorgeous, haunting love story set in the Virginia mountains and on the battlefields of World War I France.
Ewer’s Rock, Virginia, 1917. Roy Young is restless, eager to leave this isolated rural valley for university and return with the technical knowledge to modernize his family’s farm and bring them properly into the twentieth century.
Samantha Hatton, the minister’s daughter and Roy’s best friend since childhood, knows that both Roy and the town expect them to marry. But Samantha, a daring and ambitious young woman, hungers for more.
Above them on the mountain, tending to a lost herd of cattle, is silent Ennis Duke, the mysterious wild boy whose arrival in the valley will upend Ewer’s Rock’s understanding of itself and its place in the world.
Within a year, the lives of these three young people will be dramatically transformed. America has joined the Great War, and Roy and Ennis feel duty-bound to join the fight. In the crucible of conflict, thousands of miles from the familiarity of home, the two men forge a fierce bond. Meanwhile, back in Virginia, Samantha’s love and courage endure unthinkable sacrifice in a corner of the world fractured by violence.
With the spare and exquisite prose and the profound insight that made The Yellow Birds a landmark work of American fiction, Kevin Powers illuminates the savage, complex, and timeless bonds of loyalty, honor, and heroism. Children of the Wild captures what it means to be human in times of loss—and how, even in darkness, the light of friendship and love endures.
Ewer’s Rock, Virginia, 1917. Roy Young is restless, eager to leave this isolated rural valley for university and return with the technical knowledge to modernize his family’s farm and bring them properly into the twentieth century.
Samantha Hatton, the minister’s daughter and Roy’s best friend since childhood, knows that both Roy and the town expect them to marry. But Samantha, a daring and ambitious young woman, hungers for more.
Above them on the mountain, tending to a lost herd of cattle, is silent Ennis Duke, the mysterious wild boy whose arrival in the valley will upend Ewer’s Rock’s understanding of itself and its place in the world.
Within a year, the lives of these three young people will be dramatically transformed. America has joined the Great War, and Roy and Ennis feel duty-bound to join the fight. In the crucible of conflict, thousands of miles from the familiarity of home, the two men forge a fierce bond. Meanwhile, back in Virginia, Samantha’s love and courage endure unthinkable sacrifice in a corner of the world fractured by violence.
With the spare and exquisite prose and the profound insight that made The Yellow Birds a landmark work of American fiction, Kevin Powers illuminates the savage, complex, and timeless bonds of loyalty, honor, and heroism. Children of the Wild captures what it means to be human in times of loss—and how, even in darkness, the light of friendship and love endures.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2026
About the author
Kevin Powers
11 books395 followersKevin Powers was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. Since publishing his first novel in 2012, his books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He has been a finalist for the National Book Award and a recipient of the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Guardian First Book Award, the Prix littéraire du Monde prix étranger, and the Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine, among other recognitions. He was a James A. Michener Fellow in Poetry at the University of Texas at Austin from 2009-2012 and later held a Guggenheim Fellowship in Fiction. A U.S. Army veteran of the war in Iraq, Kevin now lives on Florida’s First Coast with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
July 9, 2026
A boy is discovered in the mountains. He’s not feral but he’s not sure how long he has been up there and what happened before.
The town accepts him when he comes down. He becomes one of theirs. As a son, as a brother, as a lover. Then ww1 starts. Taking the young men to the front. That invincibility they wear with its pride and honour. The changes that take place once they experience war.
Powers powerfully captures the adrenaline, the fierceness of these young comrades and then the depression and devastation that accompanies the return. But even deeper, is the loyalty they have for each other as well as the one woman whom they both love. A search for who they are and who they were and the generations that follow in the too familiar footsteps.
5⭐️
I shall check out Powers other stories now!
The town accepts him when he comes down. He becomes one of theirs. As a son, as a brother, as a lover. Then ww1 starts. Taking the young men to the front. That invincibility they wear with its pride and honour. The changes that take place once they experience war.
Powers powerfully captures the adrenaline, the fierceness of these young comrades and then the depression and devastation that accompanies the return. But even deeper, is the loyalty they have for each other as well as the one woman whom they both love. A search for who they are and who they were and the generations that follow in the too familiar footsteps.
5⭐️
I shall check out Powers other stories now!
June 18, 2026
I was moved by so much with this story . Starting with the beautiful writing - the descriptions of the land, of the inner thoughts of the characters, of gruesome details of combat in the bloody battlefields of France during World War I, the trauma in the trenches . Kevin Powers took me to those places . A powerful and emotional story of love, of war, of the depth of friendship where the ultimate sacrifices are made for each other out of so much love . Three young people in mountains of Virginia facing the reality of war, the fierceness of fate with death and loss , tempered by the healing of love and friendship. Roy and Samantha best friends since childhood seemed fated to be together for life until Ennis, the orphan boy from the wild awakens something in Sam and an unforgettable love story for the ages is born.
The boys go to war and when they return nothing will ever be the same - the place, those who were left behind , and neither will they . Their land is in danger and unscrupulous men bring tragedy to the mountain . While they have suffered and exhibited bravery beyond description on the battlefield, Sam is also bold and brave and strong managing difficulties at home .
My only quibble was how the relationships between Sam and Ennis and between Roy and Ennis seem to happen so quickly. However, as the story develops, I fell in love with them and all was forgiven. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful Mr. Brantley, who guided them with wisdom and kindness through the hard times. Heartbreakingly beautiful and a full circle moment in the end brought tears.
I received a copy of this book from Harper through Edelweiss.
The boys go to war and when they return nothing will ever be the same - the place, those who were left behind , and neither will they . Their land is in danger and unscrupulous men bring tragedy to the mountain . While they have suffered and exhibited bravery beyond description on the battlefield, Sam is also bold and brave and strong managing difficulties at home .
My only quibble was how the relationships between Sam and Ennis and between Roy and Ennis seem to happen so quickly. However, as the story develops, I fell in love with them and all was forgiven. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful Mr. Brantley, who guided them with wisdom and kindness through the hard times. Heartbreakingly beautiful and a full circle moment in the end brought tears.
I received a copy of this book from Harper through Edelweiss.
June 23, 2026
Virginia, 1917
In the fictional town of Ewer’s Rock we have Roy, a wealthy young heir returning home from college planning on marrying his childhood friend and sweetheart Samantha.
Samantha has recently taken up with a boy who emerged from the mountain, Ennis Duke…the wild boy..they are in a passionate relationship.
First we see a rivalry among them but then a close friendship.
Both men go off to The Great War and are in the same unit in France.
I will not say anything more about what happens to any of them…
except that this is a very affecting novel..
one of love, loss, and loyalty.
So much happens in this novel… at times the pacing is slow and there is a buildup to emotional happenings.
It’s really very good.
In the fictional town of Ewer’s Rock we have Roy, a wealthy young heir returning home from college planning on marrying his childhood friend and sweetheart Samantha.
Samantha has recently taken up with a boy who emerged from the mountain, Ennis Duke…the wild boy..they are in a passionate relationship.
First we see a rivalry among them but then a close friendship.
Both men go off to The Great War and are in the same unit in France.
I will not say anything more about what happens to any of them…
except that this is a very affecting novel..
one of love, loss, and loyalty.
So much happens in this novel… at times the pacing is slow and there is a buildup to emotional happenings.
It’s really very good.
Read
May 26, 2026Author’s Note to Children of the Wild:
Like many writers, where I get my ideas is among the most frequent questions I’m asked, and the one I find most challenging to answer. In the case of Children of the Wild, the first inkling came a few years ago when I happened to be reading both a history of the American Army in the First World War and Stephen Mitchell’s translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh. In the happiest of accidents, I encountered the story of a group of boys from the Virginia mountains who were thrown against a ferociously defended wood called the Bois des Ogons during the Battle of the Meuse Argonne, and on the same day, read of Gilgamesh and Enkidu confronting the monster Humbaba in the cedar forest.
For whatever reason, these scenes became conflated in my mind. “Yeah, same thing,” I remember thinking, disregarding almost entirely the several thousand years and miles that separated the two experiences (not to mention one event certainly existed while the other probably exists entirely in the realm of myth). That my next thought was, “This is a love story,” still feels counterintuitive, but it’s just as true as it was that day. I knew that in this strange confluence I could ask myself what it meant for men to love each other unself-consciously, what it might take for someone to understand that the highest ideals they once held about virtue could turn out to be worthless, and that in the end, what if the true measure of a person was not how rich or famous or powerful they became, but how freely and entirely they gave of themselves in the service of those who loved them back?
The story grew from there, first with Roy and Sam and Ennis coming to love each other on the page in their youthful way, and then, when confronted with a hard, cold world, having to find out if their love for each other was a bright enough light to guide them through a life that is often full of darkness. I did not know the answer to those questions when I put the first words on the page, and I’ve found myself asking that last one more and more in the months since I finished. I hope you find their journey meaningful. And I hope at the end you arrive at the same conclusion I did: It is. It is bright enough. It always is.
Kevin Powers
May 26th, 2026
Like many writers, where I get my ideas is among the most frequent questions I’m asked, and the one I find most challenging to answer. In the case of Children of the Wild, the first inkling came a few years ago when I happened to be reading both a history of the American Army in the First World War and Stephen Mitchell’s translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh. In the happiest of accidents, I encountered the story of a group of boys from the Virginia mountains who were thrown against a ferociously defended wood called the Bois des Ogons during the Battle of the Meuse Argonne, and on the same day, read of Gilgamesh and Enkidu confronting the monster Humbaba in the cedar forest.
For whatever reason, these scenes became conflated in my mind. “Yeah, same thing,” I remember thinking, disregarding almost entirely the several thousand years and miles that separated the two experiences (not to mention one event certainly existed while the other probably exists entirely in the realm of myth). That my next thought was, “This is a love story,” still feels counterintuitive, but it’s just as true as it was that day. I knew that in this strange confluence I could ask myself what it meant for men to love each other unself-consciously, what it might take for someone to understand that the highest ideals they once held about virtue could turn out to be worthless, and that in the end, what if the true measure of a person was not how rich or famous or powerful they became, but how freely and entirely they gave of themselves in the service of those who loved them back?
The story grew from there, first with Roy and Sam and Ennis coming to love each other on the page in their youthful way, and then, when confronted with a hard, cold world, having to find out if their love for each other was a bright enough light to guide them through a life that is often full of darkness. I did not know the answer to those questions when I put the first words on the page, and I’ve found myself asking that last one more and more in the months since I finished. I hope you find their journey meaningful. And I hope at the end you arrive at the same conclusion I did: It is. It is bright enough. It always is.
Kevin Powers
May 26th, 2026
July 29, 2026
Color me surprised that my most powerfully moving and beautifully written novel this year was about a war. I rarely read war novels, but I absolutely loved this story, and look forward to reading others by this author.
The setting is 1917 rural Virginia. The novel traces the momentous impact of World War l on the lives of Roy Young and Ennis Duke, two young men from the community who enlisted to fight in the trenches of France.
It's an emotionally resonant novel about the brutality of war and the trauma that continues even after returning home. But, most of all it's an intimate portrayal of the intense bond and deep loyalty between these two young men and the woman they've both loved back home in Virginia.
I've had a dry run lately, but I couldn't put this one down. It made me cry..........
The setting is 1917 rural Virginia. The novel traces the momentous impact of World War l on the lives of Roy Young and Ennis Duke, two young men from the community who enlisted to fight in the trenches of France.
It's an emotionally resonant novel about the brutality of war and the trauma that continues even after returning home. But, most of all it's an intimate portrayal of the intense bond and deep loyalty between these two young men and the woman they've both loved back home in Virginia.
I've had a dry run lately, but I couldn't put this one down. It made me cry..........
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I was absolutely blown away by Children of the Wild by Kevin Powers. A historical sweeping saga of three friends from the mountains of Virginia that begins during the first world War. Roy, Ennis, and Sam are beautifully written and their stories evoke a depth of emotion that runs deep. There were times I read the book with a smile on my face and others with tears in my eyes or a sense of melancholy so deep it followed me into real life. I rarely highlight passages but there are so many phrases that jumped from the page for me. Children of the Wild is not just a story of war but of friendship, grief, humanity, grit, perseverance and more. It will be hard to top this book for my favorite book of the year. Outstanding!
July 25, 2026
Given the gushing comments of many other reviewers, I’m wondering if my copy of the book was written by a different author. In any event, the novel focuses on the love triangle between three young people—Ennis, Roy, and Samantha—in the mountains of Virginia just before WWI. From a somewhat bucolic, peaceful scene, the story changes dramatically when Ennis and Roy head for the battlegrounds of Europe; where they not only become decorated heroes, but the two of them struggle with PTSD during a time period when neither the term nor help existed. From there, the story takes a depressing dive involving impulsivity and poor decisions.
For me, this was a book of many high’s and low’s. While parts of the novel were almost impossible to stop reading, there were also lengthy passages that moved at a snail’s pace. For that matter, many of the key moments took a leap of faith; including the teenage Ennis and Samantha having sex moments after meeting for the first time (*this was 1914)…as well as Roy and Ennis almost instantly ending a ferocious fight to become lifelong friends. In addition, while Roy and Ennis were very believable characters, Samantha often came across as little more than a cardboard figure in the triangle.
All in all, I think if the novel had ended without had ended earlier without taking a decisive dark turn in the road, I would have enjoyed it much more. As it was, I felt the book was a 3-star read.
For me, this was a book of many high’s and low’s. While parts of the novel were almost impossible to stop reading, there were also lengthy passages that moved at a snail’s pace. For that matter, many of the key moments took a leap of faith; including the teenage Ennis and Samantha having sex moments after meeting for the first time (*this was 1914)…as well as Roy and Ennis almost instantly ending a ferocious fight to become lifelong friends. In addition, while Roy and Ennis were very believable characters, Samantha often came across as little more than a cardboard figure in the triangle.
All in all, I think if the novel had ended without had ended earlier without taking a decisive dark turn in the road, I would have enjoyed it much more. As it was, I felt the book was a 3-star read.
June 30, 2026
This is a gorgeous, powerful story, filled with beautiful, evocative descriptions of both the places and the people. It is a love story about three friends, Roy, Ennis, and Sam (and their families) from the mountains of Virginia that begins during World War I There’s a lot of pain and hurting in Children of the Wild, but Powers finds love and kindness in the darkness. It an amazing story of war but also of deep friendship, grief, humanity, and perseverance. Toward the end of the book, Roy’s octogenarian Uncle Preston, shares what amounts to a closing benediction: “Go home and put that little one’s hand in yours. Hold your wife. If you don’t have one, get one. Tell somebody that you’ll love them until you die then make it true. Tell them that after you die you will love them still. That’s all there is. That’s forever. That’s the glimpse we get of eternity.” I love this book and will contemplate the wisdom within its pages for a long time.
July 6, 2026
3.5 stars.
The writing was first rate, beautiful and eloquent but the storyline with Ennis was a bit baffling, didnt understand actions of his character.
The writing was first rate, beautiful and eloquent but the storyline with Ennis was a bit baffling, didnt understand actions of his character.
June 1, 2026
4 stars. Not a perfect story, but it grabbed me right away, and each of the three main characters felt like living, breathing people right from the first pages. At first, I thought I wasn't going to like one of the three, but in time, I ended up caring deeply for them, and their families. Recommend.
June 29, 2026
Kevin Powers is a phenomenal writer whose power on the page transcends through every chapter. His attention to detail is so elegantly crafted that each scene feels immersive, drawing the reader fully into the moment. One of the most striking elements of his work is his deep connection to nature—real, raw, and wholly organic. The landscapes are not just backdrops. Real nature and its inhabitants shape the story and characters throughout each chapter.
From the mountains and valleys of Virginia to the epic battlefields of France, the novel unfolds with a cinematic quality. The story opens with the hauntingly beautiful image of Ennis Duke, a wild boy orphaned at a young age, raised among the mountains, trees, and animals—each described with lovely precision. When Ennis is discovered by the people of the valley, we are soon introduced to Roy, the novel’s leading man, whose life intersects with Ennis’s in subtle yet profound ways. Though similar in spirit, the two are shaped by different paths. Through Roy, we learn of his relationship with Samantha, a bond already fraying as she begins to move beyond a childhood friendship. Sam’s journey through the cold winter night, set beneath a starfilled sky, leads to a pivotal and unforgettable meeting with Ennis a moment where fate unmistakably intervenes.
What follows is a deeply emotional love triangle, both romantic and heartbreaking. Ennis and Samantha emerge as the emotional core of the novel, their love and compassion growing naturally as they come of age together and build a shared life. This relationship is soon tested when Roy returns home to announce his decision to join the Army and fight the Germans. After a painful struggle of loyalty and friendship, Ennis is persuaded to join him, driven by duty and his sense of belonging to Roy’s family— specifically Ewer’s Rock.
The war scenes are rendered with brutal heroics, transporting the reader directly to the front lines. It is there that Powers further reveals the inner lives of Ennis and Roy, affirming that their bond—though strained—will never truly be broken. If you enjoyed Powers’s debut novel The Yellow Birds, you’ll find similar traces of brotherhood, loyalty, and the brutality of war in this book as well. When the war ends, the novel does not simply conclude but deepens, offering an exploration of love, loss, and redemption. The story closes with shocking twists that stays with you long after the final page. For me, confirming the author’s place as a writer of great literary fiction.
A final thought is that the author casted his net wide across all genres. While it is largely categorized as historical fiction, there is also a beautiful romance story within as well as drama suspense, and an ending that felt complete. The story ties together well. Watch out for this one. One of my favorite books of the year!
From the mountains and valleys of Virginia to the epic battlefields of France, the novel unfolds with a cinematic quality. The story opens with the hauntingly beautiful image of Ennis Duke, a wild boy orphaned at a young age, raised among the mountains, trees, and animals—each described with lovely precision. When Ennis is discovered by the people of the valley, we are soon introduced to Roy, the novel’s leading man, whose life intersects with Ennis’s in subtle yet profound ways. Though similar in spirit, the two are shaped by different paths. Through Roy, we learn of his relationship with Samantha, a bond already fraying as she begins to move beyond a childhood friendship. Sam’s journey through the cold winter night, set beneath a starfilled sky, leads to a pivotal and unforgettable meeting with Ennis a moment where fate unmistakably intervenes.
What follows is a deeply emotional love triangle, both romantic and heartbreaking. Ennis and Samantha emerge as the emotional core of the novel, their love and compassion growing naturally as they come of age together and build a shared life. This relationship is soon tested when Roy returns home to announce his decision to join the Army and fight the Germans. After a painful struggle of loyalty and friendship, Ennis is persuaded to join him, driven by duty and his sense of belonging to Roy’s family— specifically Ewer’s Rock.
The war scenes are rendered with brutal heroics, transporting the reader directly to the front lines. It is there that Powers further reveals the inner lives of Ennis and Roy, affirming that their bond—though strained—will never truly be broken. If you enjoyed Powers’s debut novel The Yellow Birds, you’ll find similar traces of brotherhood, loyalty, and the brutality of war in this book as well. When the war ends, the novel does not simply conclude but deepens, offering an exploration of love, loss, and redemption. The story closes with shocking twists that stays with you long after the final page. For me, confirming the author’s place as a writer of great literary fiction.
A final thought is that the author casted his net wide across all genres. While it is largely categorized as historical fiction, there is also a beautiful romance story within as well as drama suspense, and an ending that felt complete. The story ties together well. Watch out for this one. One of my favorite books of the year!
June 22, 2026
The first half of the book was beautiful. What happened with Ennis after the war was unnecessarily tragic, pointless, and illogical.
August 9, 2026
In the pre WWI era a wild young man, who has no recollection of a prior family, comes down from the Virginia mountains and is welcomed and nurtured by a loving family. He falls in love fast and hard and soon there are three main characters who dominate this story. Ennis the wild one, Samantha his love and Roy who thought Samantha was to be his future wife.
There seems to be three sections in this story. The welcoming, the WWI story of Ennis and Roy who enlisted in the army, and then the post war years.
The historical fiction dealing with WWI was informative but sometimes a bit hard to believe but then again this is fiction. I enjoy the last section of the book the most as the characters matured and their lives go on.
There seems to be three sections in this story. The welcoming, the WWI story of Ennis and Roy who enlisted in the army, and then the post war years.
The historical fiction dealing with WWI was informative but sometimes a bit hard to believe but then again this is fiction. I enjoy the last section of the book the most as the characters matured and their lives go on.
July 18, 2026
Roy grew up the wealthiest kid in his rural area and lived Samantha the reverend s daughter. Then a wild child, poorly raised by a hermit in the mountains arrives in the village, he and Sam fall for each other - and immediately have sex. This is 1914 and this seemed a little premature to me.
Roy and Ennis the wild boy then get into a fight, and afterwards Ennis is Roy's absolutely best friend for life, and I found this relationship a little too sudden.
Roy and Ennis go off to WW1, come back heroes, Ennis and Sam resume their relationship but both Ennis and roy have hardened. Roy's pre-war engagement creates a toxic situation between Roy, his girlfriend and her influential brother.
The story covers Spanish flu, political shenanigans, revenge, murder.
There were elements that I found improbable and I found the writing style a little staccato, a little urgent, although the language was eloquent.
Many characters preached short lessons rather than engaging in normal dialogue and it felt that their speech rather than the story was trying to make the authors points.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reading copy
Roy and Ennis the wild boy then get into a fight, and afterwards Ennis is Roy's absolutely best friend for life, and I found this relationship a little too sudden.
Roy and Ennis go off to WW1, come back heroes, Ennis and Sam resume their relationship but both Ennis and roy have hardened. Roy's pre-war engagement creates a toxic situation between Roy, his girlfriend and her influential brother.
The story covers Spanish flu, political shenanigans, revenge, murder.
There were elements that I found improbable and I found the writing style a little staccato, a little urgent, although the language was eloquent.
Many characters preached short lessons rather than engaging in normal dialogue and it felt that their speech rather than the story was trying to make the authors points.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reading copy
August 9, 2026
I made the decision to DNF this approx 100 pages in. I didn't hate it and could've carried on but I just failed to find a single believable character here. There is no doubt Powers can write a beautiful sentence, but this novel feels riddled with clichés. The sex scene in the wild at the beginning felt ridiculous, as were the characters actions that followed. Everything just felt a bit on the edge of corny to me.
July 5, 2026
This is a beautifully written, literary, character-driven novel, but I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it. I felt like nothing good happened to any of the characters and it was relentlessly sad. TW for graphic violence, description of war, and veteran mental health issues.
July 28, 2026
Over a decade has elapsed since Kevin Powers first tackled the psychological horrors of war in his debut novel, Yellow Birds, an intimate look at guilt, memory, and survivor’s trauma. Some of these themes weave through Children of the Wild too but this is different: for one thing, it’s set in World War I to a different time and era.
Some things never change. Boys who think they’re men go to war and come back changed forever and they never, ever learn. Just as Private Bartle promises the mother of the wet-behind-the-ears “Murph” that he will bring her son home alive in the Iraq war, Ennis makes the same promise to the Young family. Ennis is a feral boy who is found in the mountains and eventually taken in by Roy’s parents, a well-respected Virginia family. While there (and while Roy is away at college), he wins the heart of Samantha, who Roy always thought would eventually become his wife.
Ennis doesn’t want to fight in the war but he’s a fearsome fighter. And the horrors that they witness while fighting the Germans in France forges a bond of brotherhood that is deep and unbreakable. In the meanwhile, Samantha, who is deeply in love with Ennis and loves Roy like a sister, is dealing with her own horrors: a small town stripped of men and the grippe killing off those who are left.
Kevin Powers writes, “We’re nothing but a dream from start to finish. Just a little dream in the mind of God. And we spend our whole lives scared of what’ll happen if he wakes up.” The boys, now men, will need to grapple with the knowledge that the opposite of despair isn’t hope, but acceptance. They will need to accept what life has dealt them and be amazed for what is in front of them – and realize that even in loss, there is growth.
As in his past novels, this author writes poetically and crafts scenes beautifully. There were times when I wished there were slightly less melodrama (for example, Samantha fell head over heels for Ennis quickly, Ennis settled into his new life seamlessly after not even knowing what his name was or who his parents were, and I wondered why Ennis’ brotherhood bond with Roy superseded the passionate love he had with Samantha). In some ways, I felt tiny whiffs of Heathcliff! Still, the novel is stirring with its evocation of love, loss, courage, and the journey to one’s authentic self.
Some things never change. Boys who think they’re men go to war and come back changed forever and they never, ever learn. Just as Private Bartle promises the mother of the wet-behind-the-ears “Murph” that he will bring her son home alive in the Iraq war, Ennis makes the same promise to the Young family. Ennis is a feral boy who is found in the mountains and eventually taken in by Roy’s parents, a well-respected Virginia family. While there (and while Roy is away at college), he wins the heart of Samantha, who Roy always thought would eventually become his wife.
Ennis doesn’t want to fight in the war but he’s a fearsome fighter. And the horrors that they witness while fighting the Germans in France forges a bond of brotherhood that is deep and unbreakable. In the meanwhile, Samantha, who is deeply in love with Ennis and loves Roy like a sister, is dealing with her own horrors: a small town stripped of men and the grippe killing off those who are left.
Kevin Powers writes, “We’re nothing but a dream from start to finish. Just a little dream in the mind of God. And we spend our whole lives scared of what’ll happen if he wakes up.” The boys, now men, will need to grapple with the knowledge that the opposite of despair isn’t hope, but acceptance. They will need to accept what life has dealt them and be amazed for what is in front of them – and realize that even in loss, there is growth.
As in his past novels, this author writes poetically and crafts scenes beautifully. There were times when I wished there were slightly less melodrama (for example, Samantha fell head over heels for Ennis quickly, Ennis settled into his new life seamlessly after not even knowing what his name was or who his parents were, and I wondered why Ennis’ brotherhood bond with Roy superseded the passionate love he had with Samantha). In some ways, I felt tiny whiffs of Heathcliff! Still, the novel is stirring with its evocation of love, loss, courage, and the journey to one’s authentic self.
July 16, 2026
With exquisite descriptive writing, visceral, emotional story-telling, and the raw, violent combat stories of 1918 WW1 in France; the rural, primitive, youthful beginnings of this novel, ultimately form a romantic, “love-triangle,” and a tragic conclusion that will keep you riveted to these characters as you track your way through the book. Four enthusiastic ****-stars!
However, sometimes the publisher, like in this case, HarperCollins® will make an unfortunate decision presenting the title of a book, and my opinion is that this title: Children of the Wild, does a disservice to this award-winning author, and may detract from its marketing. Hopefully, this is not a relevant point, or I am being overly vague. It was a poor choice of "title" wording.
Nevertheless, the humanity is appealing, many lessons about life are elucidated along the way, and there is a dark, “mortality” present in every situation, which brings out sadness and empathy for readers, not often found in modern fiction. Early 20th century history imposed many worldly burdens, prior to the industrial age; including disease, war, natural calamity, and poor government.
Following Roy Young through to his long, dry, complex, circuitous, spiritual “destiny,” was a journey I highly recommend; because the elegant story is worth the trip, even if it is set in a desolate era, over 100-years ago! The author uses prose that frequently borders on the poetic, and I predict that this will be a successful addition to the best books of 2026, in part b/c of the positive reception on Goodreads®
However, sometimes the publisher, like in this case, HarperCollins® will make an unfortunate decision presenting the title of a book, and my opinion is that this title: Children of the Wild, does a disservice to this award-winning author, and may detract from its marketing. Hopefully, this is not a relevant point, or I am being overly vague. It was a poor choice of "title" wording.
Nevertheless, the humanity is appealing, many lessons about life are elucidated along the way, and there is a dark, “mortality” present in every situation, which brings out sadness and empathy for readers, not often found in modern fiction. Early 20th century history imposed many worldly burdens, prior to the industrial age; including disease, war, natural calamity, and poor government.
Following Roy Young through to his long, dry, complex, circuitous, spiritual “destiny,” was a journey I highly recommend; because the elegant story is worth the trip, even if it is set in a desolate era, over 100-years ago! The author uses prose that frequently borders on the poetic, and I predict that this will be a successful addition to the best books of 2026, in part b/c of the positive reception on Goodreads®
June 9, 2026
The story follows Roy, Samantha, and Ennis in a small Virginia mountain town just before World War I. Roy dreams of leaving home and bringing new ideas back to the family farm. Samantha wants more out of life than the future everyone else has planned for her. Then there’s Ennis, a boy who grew up in the mountains and feels more at home among animals and trees than among people.
At its core, this isn’t just a war novel. It’s a story about friendship, first love, loyalty, fathers and sons, and the families we create when blood alone isn’t enough. The bond that develops between Roy and Ennis is one of the most moving portrayals of brotherhood I’ve read in a long time.
As a military veteran, I especially appreciated how Powers refuses to romanticize war. The battle scenes are vivid and powerful, but the real focus is on the emotional cost—the weight soldiers carry home and the pain borne by the people left behind. Those parts hit hard.
I also found myself thinking about how often we decide for other people that we aren’t worthy of their love, friendship, or trust. So much of the heartbreak in this novel grows from that very human tendency to step aside from the things we want most.
And then there’s Samantha. She could have easily been pushed to the side, but she isn’t. She’s strong, ambitious, compassionate, and carries her own share of the story’s emotional weight. Her relationships with both Roy and Ennis shape so much of what follows.
In the end, this is a book about friendship, love, fathers and sons, sacrifice, perseverance, and belonging. It’s beautifully written without ever losing sight of the people at its center.
At its core, this isn’t just a war novel. It’s a story about friendship, first love, loyalty, fathers and sons, and the families we create when blood alone isn’t enough. The bond that develops between Roy and Ennis is one of the most moving portrayals of brotherhood I’ve read in a long time.
As a military veteran, I especially appreciated how Powers refuses to romanticize war. The battle scenes are vivid and powerful, but the real focus is on the emotional cost—the weight soldiers carry home and the pain borne by the people left behind. Those parts hit hard.
I also found myself thinking about how often we decide for other people that we aren’t worthy of their love, friendship, or trust. So much of the heartbreak in this novel grows from that very human tendency to step aside from the things we want most.
And then there’s Samantha. She could have easily been pushed to the side, but she isn’t. She’s strong, ambitious, compassionate, and carries her own share of the story’s emotional weight. Her relationships with both Roy and Ennis shape so much of what follows.
In the end, this is a book about friendship, love, fathers and sons, sacrifice, perseverance, and belonging. It’s beautifully written without ever losing sight of the people at its center.
July 15, 2026
This was the July book for my indie bookstore’s book club. Let’s discuss the positives of this book first.
I usually quite like sweeping epics, novels that start in one time period and move through several more. The generational thing really attracts me, and while this book doesn’t actually go through the generations, it is a novel that starts before WWI and ends just as WWII begins. Most of the book occurs during the war and just after, but it still feels like a sweeping epic, I suppose because a lot happens. The writing of this novel is also quite good; the flow is excellent, and the pages kept turning under my fingers. It didn’t take me long at all to read it. Plus I love that it took place in my home state, though not in a part I’m terribly familiar with (though I do know how to pronounce Tazewell).
However, this book left me wanting so much more. It feels to me like a story that’s been told a thousand times before. War is declared, young men sign up to serve their countries, young men are subjected to the worst that war has to offer, young men come back from war wounded both physically and psychologically, knowing they left so many of their compatriots dead on the battlefield. Now these young men have to learn how to keep living, and to figure out why they should even try. We even get the wise old man, who had once been a young man who served his country in wartime, who dispenses pithy advice on how and why to keep living to the young man whose quest it was to find him.
I was also disappointed in the character of Sam. This book is supposed to be about Roy, Ennis, and Sam, but it’s really just about Roy and Ennis. I know many male authors can write women well, but I feel like Powers just decided not to bother. We do get a couple of chapters of her holding down the fort while Roy and Ennis are in France, doing her best to care for the land after her father and Roy’s parents died of the flu during the pandemic. But we don’t get inside her head the way we do with Roy and Ennis. She’s far more two-dimensional of a character, and that was a let-down for me.
I can definitely see why Powers’s novels have high ratings, and while this book was much better than many of the books I’ve read for this book club, it still didn’t captivate me.
I usually quite like sweeping epics, novels that start in one time period and move through several more. The generational thing really attracts me, and while this book doesn’t actually go through the generations, it is a novel that starts before WWI and ends just as WWII begins. Most of the book occurs during the war and just after, but it still feels like a sweeping epic, I suppose because a lot happens. The writing of this novel is also quite good; the flow is excellent, and the pages kept turning under my fingers. It didn’t take me long at all to read it. Plus I love that it took place in my home state, though not in a part I’m terribly familiar with (though I do know how to pronounce Tazewell).
However, this book left me wanting so much more. It feels to me like a story that’s been told a thousand times before. War is declared, young men sign up to serve their countries, young men are subjected to the worst that war has to offer, young men come back from war wounded both physically and psychologically, knowing they left so many of their compatriots dead on the battlefield. Now these young men have to learn how to keep living, and to figure out why they should even try. We even get the wise old man, who had once been a young man who served his country in wartime, who dispenses pithy advice on how and why to keep living to the young man whose quest it was to find him.
I was also disappointed in the character of Sam. This book is supposed to be about Roy, Ennis, and Sam, but it’s really just about Roy and Ennis. I know many male authors can write women well, but I feel like Powers just decided not to bother. We do get a couple of chapters of her holding down the fort while Roy and Ennis are in France, doing her best to care for the land after her father and Roy’s parents died of the flu during the pandemic. But we don’t get inside her head the way we do with Roy and Ennis. She’s far more two-dimensional of a character, and that was a let-down for me.
I can definitely see why Powers’s novels have high ratings, and while this book was much better than many of the books I’ve read for this book club, it still didn’t captivate me.
June 25, 2026
Took a long time to circle back to the same thing. Just not my thing
June 27, 2026
I was constantly doing research while reading this book and the writing is beautiful. So many lessons about life, love, war and sacrifice… huge 5 star for me
June 11, 2026
A beautifully written novel about three people before, and after the great war.
June 11, 2026
First book by this author. Loved it. So much life - the struggle, hardship, love, figuring out who we are. Highly recommend. Audio version is great.
August 9, 2026
Struggled with this one. The pacing and writing was not my favorite at times. Also a touch confused on the title’s connection? Idk 2.5 for me
July 27, 2026
3.5 stars. The writing was absolutely beautiful but the story itself did not ring true for me, and just left me sad snd wondering what was the point.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
THIS IS AN ADVANCED READING COPY BY NETGALLEY:
Roy Young and Samantha “Sam” Hatton had been the best of friends as children who had roamed the woods at Ewers Rock, where the Young’s had owned most of the valley and the kids would spend their days swimming in the creeks, exploring the woods, and playing make believe games that all young will. Yet, lately since Roy has returned home from Vanderbilt, on his college break, he has become so obnoxious and has a set plan to revitalize the valley with phones, electricity build more buildings and buildings and have a train line be brought to their valley. He is certain that Sam is his soon to be wife although he hasn’t even asked her if she wants to be let alone what her thoughts b for the future may be or if they align with his. To be fair and honest, Sam thinks nothing Roy says is aligned with her beliefs and he doesn’t even know her anymore. When she tries to express this or discuss one of his ideas he becomes petulant like a child and pouts as he did when they were younger. The more Sam resists Roy, the harder he starts to push back and even grabs her wrist with much force to make his point to get her to listen to him and concede, Sam isn’t the type of woman who wants to be talked to and be a background scenery. She wants to be involved in her life, her own ideas considered and certainly she wants to be loved not only chosen because it’s convenient.
Soon word reaches the valley by the way of Mr. Seth Brantley, Roy’s parents farmhand and manager of the lands. He tells Roy’s parents that he found the old coal maker dead and though it had seems he was gone quite some time someone is still lighting his stove and lanterns and he spotted a feral looking boy about the same age as Roy. The plan is take Roy up the treacherous mountainside to see if the boy will speak to someone his own age as Brantley had no luck. But the journey was for naught, as the boy remained in the tree line where Roy did spot him but remained quiet and then transfixed as he watched the boy walk into an enormous group of elks the largest male was huge, his antlers were dangerously large and as the herd parted like a sea as the boy walked through it Roy was stunned into silence and awe struck over just who this boy who was dirtied beyond any resemblance to a human. The caked mud all over him, his matted and untamed hair was a sight. The one thing that lent him humanity was the striking blue eyes, a color Roy had never seen before and that almost seemed to glow they were so bright and startlingly blue. On the journey down the mountain Roy couldn’t think of anything but the boy and how he’d ended up on that mountain and why he was all alone. He wondered if the coal man had taken him in. That night Roy had nightmares and the boy was in them.
At breakfast he shares his dream with his mother, and unintentionally mentions the boy who’s living alone out in the mountains. This gets her church going good deeds in full swing as she scolds the men at her table for leaving him there and why hadn’t they told her. She is determined to gather the church women and go gather him herself. She laments over his plight and loneliness. The females do set out to go find the boy but he remained hidden from their overtures and doesn’t know what it is they want from him. And he has known nothing but this area and his spot under the porch of the coal man’s house where he bedded down in poor conditions and weather. The woods are the only home he’s known. He doesn’t remember how he came to be there and can’t remember having parents or anything before he came to this point in place. The herd has kept him company for as long as he can remember and he has very strong emotions about them.
The townspeople have a funeral for the coal man’s and after the church they all go back to Roy’s parents house where Roy is still trying to tell Sam they will be married and the plans he has once he’s finished college and when she does disagree with reminding him he’s changed and she doesn’t feel the strong bond she once felt for him and if he knew her as he once did he would know she isn’t the kind of girl to become something owned and controlled. She runs off for air and continues back up the mountainside where she and the women had ventured looking for the poor boy. She comes across a bellowing mama elk who is clearly in labor as her udders have become pronounced and she is writhing on her side. Soon a gush of fluids and a baby is thrust forth wrapped in a clear caul that the mother licks off her baby. Sam had been quietly whispering to the mother throughout her labor and was complimenting her on her job well done when she sees the boy standing a few feet away. She stays where she and is and begins a conversation with him, She soon learns he is nothing like anyone she has ever known and wants to know everything about him and know every inch of him. He amazes her and she is mesmerized by how well he speaks and as he offers her his jacket because she is cold, she accepts it. She inquires about his life how he came to be there and what it was like to be out there alone. She asks if he gets lonely and he tells her he may be alone but isn’t lonely and she confides that down there in the valley she is never alone but feels very lonely. They begin to kiss and that leads to the first intimate encounter for them both, Sam invites him to the valley. He relents. She brings him to the Young’s since they’ve the room the money and it is just herself and her dad at her own house. She lost her mother when she was being born. She and the boy agree that the name inside his jacket that reads Emmit Smith shall be his name as he doesn’t recall his given one. As she introduced Emmitt to the Young’s they’re thrilled to have the boy under their guidance. As he is taken to bathe, two tubs of clean water and a hair cut by Sam along with clothes that Roy no longer wears and he glimpses himself in the mirror and feels so overwhelmed he has to sit. The bed is so soft and warm he’s never known such luxury. They next eat and as he pours all the food on his plate piling each item on top of the other and using the jello dessert as a dressing for the top he inhales it all with his hands and when he is finished he apologizes to the Young’s and Sam explaining he doesn’t know how to use utensils or what is considered proper at the table. They assure him to eat as he pleases there’s enough time to teach him but for now he should catch up on his hunger. As the weeks pass, Sam and Emmitt steal time away to make love and connect on a baser and deeper level than she ever knew existed and he is equally as emotional and his feelings for her are the happiest of all feelings he’s known his whole life. He belongs to her and she is an absolute angel with him and they share everything about themselves as possible while Sam also schools Emmitt on all the things he didn’t know or recognize and tells him what their function is for.
Soon it’s time for Roy to come back for the Spring break and he arrives in a car with company. His roommate Fintan and his sister Esther who is the most loveliest beauty the valley has seen. Though Emmitt feels she doesn’t hold a candle to Sam. Fintan is an entitled snob and while Esther is quiet she does seem to be very nice and as Fintan heavily drinks and belittles Emmitt he is showing his true colors to Emmitt as well as to Sam. It’s obvious that even Roy is not at all happy by the circumstances that he’s been replaced and starts a physical fight with Emmitt in which they both were a mess when done yet somehow stranger still it had bonded them into a mutual respect and eventually love for one another.
As the headlines have more on the war front it is known the government is looking for volunteers and those to enlist and are also recruiting men to fight in a foreign country most likely in Europe. Drafts are becoming more and more common in the valley and many families are getting them requiring all the men of fighting ages to report to the military.
The two men, Emmitt and Roy enlist much to the chagrin and anger of the Young’s and the angst of Sam. She’s distraught . Her love for Emmitt is all encompassing. Roy makes his wishes to marry Esther known before he is to leave for training and Sam has Emmitt promise to return.
Years go by, the war and battle is so intense and soul shattering that the two men who were as close as brothers trained together and also have been chosen for the same troop. Emmitt’s impeccable shot and Roy’s leadership give them respectable roles within the company. Letters are often received from Sam to Emmitt yet Roy receives none from Esther though he does write her. Though disappointed, he’s happy that the two people he loves most in this world love one another and are the happiest he’s ever seen a pair. For years their duty goes on. They are in precarious and extremely brutal situations and nearly both die at the end of the mission they were ordered to complete. Their brave actions, especially Emmitts, will be what wins the war for them and while it was written by an embedded journalist with one of the units how Emmitt was a hero, when it came time to receive commendations and medals from the military Emmitt didn’t want the recognition or the notoriety, He told Roy to say he did it all. So Roy did because his friends had never asked anything of him and ge would be dead if not for him.
A parade and much celebration and hero worship for Roy was met as he got to Ewers Rock, Having lost many to the war and basically the rest to the influenza that killed Roy’s parents, Sam’s father and nearly took their beloved Seth Brantley from them. Without hands to help on the farm, much of the natural woods and forests had taken over the valley and there was a fenced in areas that prevented their livestock from wandering off into the paved road that was now also new to them. Roy recognized for his bravery is offered money for his life story that is to be turned into a book then a movie. Insisting that Emmitt split it with him, he is not keen on the attention anymore and has since fallen back into Esther’s sights now he’s home and a hero. She is announcing to all their engagement yet Roy hasn’t officially proposed and doesn’t want to marry her. He’s changed, Hie dreams to own all the valley and be monetary wealthy isn’t important nor are the elite that her parents rub elbows with. When he tells her that he’s been changed and that she deserved someone more similar to herself she is inconsolable and Roy feels it’s due to the embarrassment of the broken engagement not her feelings for him. When Emmitt finds out that Fintan had it out for Roy he’s worried. He paces the streets keeping an eye out that night in case Fintan sobers up and comes to make trouble. Soon they receive notice that their taxes are in arrears and there’s a company that is already interested and has promised to pay off the taxes to buy all their land and home in which they want to run the train through it and mine oil. But Emmitt knows this is Fintan, this is how he plans to put an end to Roy and Sam himself and Seth Brantley. Roy finds a lawyer yet doesn’t have the money to the years of taxes that went unpaid when their family lawyer dies of influenza. Right before the court case, Emmitt travels to where Fintan is staying, He storms into his hotel room, brandishing a gun, much to Esther’s screaming pleas. He will run far from Ewers Rock and for a long while he remains hidden in another state. Yet Fintans father has hired investigators to track down Emmitt and make sure he receives his due. Roy is anxious daily and Sam is inconsolable and pregnant as well.
The ending is too revealing to share with those who haven’t had the privilege and enjoyment of reading this very well written and heartfelt story. The love that is shared here between these three characters is once in a lifetime kind of love. One that deserves the investment and acknowledgment it had been given and acted upon, What an incredibly lovely story, about perseverance, forgiveness, love of many kinds and the importance of our home base and the people we call family and share our life with.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, thank you to Kevin Powers for writing such an inspiring and immersive book, THE CHILDREN OF THE WILD and to HARPER publishing for this opportunity.
#CHILDRENOFTHEWILD #KEVINPOWERS #NETGALLEYARC #HARPERPUBLISHING
Roy Young and Samantha “Sam” Hatton had been the best of friends as children who had roamed the woods at Ewers Rock, where the Young’s had owned most of the valley and the kids would spend their days swimming in the creeks, exploring the woods, and playing make believe games that all young will. Yet, lately since Roy has returned home from Vanderbilt, on his college break, he has become so obnoxious and has a set plan to revitalize the valley with phones, electricity build more buildings and buildings and have a train line be brought to their valley. He is certain that Sam is his soon to be wife although he hasn’t even asked her if she wants to be let alone what her thoughts b for the future may be or if they align with his. To be fair and honest, Sam thinks nothing Roy says is aligned with her beliefs and he doesn’t even know her anymore. When she tries to express this or discuss one of his ideas he becomes petulant like a child and pouts as he did when they were younger. The more Sam resists Roy, the harder he starts to push back and even grabs her wrist with much force to make his point to get her to listen to him and concede, Sam isn’t the type of woman who wants to be talked to and be a background scenery. She wants to be involved in her life, her own ideas considered and certainly she wants to be loved not only chosen because it’s convenient.
Soon word reaches the valley by the way of Mr. Seth Brantley, Roy’s parents farmhand and manager of the lands. He tells Roy’s parents that he found the old coal maker dead and though it had seems he was gone quite some time someone is still lighting his stove and lanterns and he spotted a feral looking boy about the same age as Roy. The plan is take Roy up the treacherous mountainside to see if the boy will speak to someone his own age as Brantley had no luck. But the journey was for naught, as the boy remained in the tree line where Roy did spot him but remained quiet and then transfixed as he watched the boy walk into an enormous group of elks the largest male was huge, his antlers were dangerously large and as the herd parted like a sea as the boy walked through it Roy was stunned into silence and awe struck over just who this boy who was dirtied beyond any resemblance to a human. The caked mud all over him, his matted and untamed hair was a sight. The one thing that lent him humanity was the striking blue eyes, a color Roy had never seen before and that almost seemed to glow they were so bright and startlingly blue. On the journey down the mountain Roy couldn’t think of anything but the boy and how he’d ended up on that mountain and why he was all alone. He wondered if the coal man had taken him in. That night Roy had nightmares and the boy was in them.
At breakfast he shares his dream with his mother, and unintentionally mentions the boy who’s living alone out in the mountains. This gets her church going good deeds in full swing as she scolds the men at her table for leaving him there and why hadn’t they told her. She is determined to gather the church women and go gather him herself. She laments over his plight and loneliness. The females do set out to go find the boy but he remained hidden from their overtures and doesn’t know what it is they want from him. And he has known nothing but this area and his spot under the porch of the coal man’s house where he bedded down in poor conditions and weather. The woods are the only home he’s known. He doesn’t remember how he came to be there and can’t remember having parents or anything before he came to this point in place. The herd has kept him company for as long as he can remember and he has very strong emotions about them.
The townspeople have a funeral for the coal man’s and after the church they all go back to Roy’s parents house where Roy is still trying to tell Sam they will be married and the plans he has once he’s finished college and when she does disagree with reminding him he’s changed and she doesn’t feel the strong bond she once felt for him and if he knew her as he once did he would know she isn’t the kind of girl to become something owned and controlled. She runs off for air and continues back up the mountainside where she and the women had ventured looking for the poor boy. She comes across a bellowing mama elk who is clearly in labor as her udders have become pronounced and she is writhing on her side. Soon a gush of fluids and a baby is thrust forth wrapped in a clear caul that the mother licks off her baby. Sam had been quietly whispering to the mother throughout her labor and was complimenting her on her job well done when she sees the boy standing a few feet away. She stays where she and is and begins a conversation with him, She soon learns he is nothing like anyone she has ever known and wants to know everything about him and know every inch of him. He amazes her and she is mesmerized by how well he speaks and as he offers her his jacket because she is cold, she accepts it. She inquires about his life how he came to be there and what it was like to be out there alone. She asks if he gets lonely and he tells her he may be alone but isn’t lonely and she confides that down there in the valley she is never alone but feels very lonely. They begin to kiss and that leads to the first intimate encounter for them both, Sam invites him to the valley. He relents. She brings him to the Young’s since they’ve the room the money and it is just herself and her dad at her own house. She lost her mother when she was being born. She and the boy agree that the name inside his jacket that reads Emmit Smith shall be his name as he doesn’t recall his given one. As she introduced Emmitt to the Young’s they’re thrilled to have the boy under their guidance. As he is taken to bathe, two tubs of clean water and a hair cut by Sam along with clothes that Roy no longer wears and he glimpses himself in the mirror and feels so overwhelmed he has to sit. The bed is so soft and warm he’s never known such luxury. They next eat and as he pours all the food on his plate piling each item on top of the other and using the jello dessert as a dressing for the top he inhales it all with his hands and when he is finished he apologizes to the Young’s and Sam explaining he doesn’t know how to use utensils or what is considered proper at the table. They assure him to eat as he pleases there’s enough time to teach him but for now he should catch up on his hunger. As the weeks pass, Sam and Emmitt steal time away to make love and connect on a baser and deeper level than she ever knew existed and he is equally as emotional and his feelings for her are the happiest of all feelings he’s known his whole life. He belongs to her and she is an absolute angel with him and they share everything about themselves as possible while Sam also schools Emmitt on all the things he didn’t know or recognize and tells him what their function is for.
Soon it’s time for Roy to come back for the Spring break and he arrives in a car with company. His roommate Fintan and his sister Esther who is the most loveliest beauty the valley has seen. Though Emmitt feels she doesn’t hold a candle to Sam. Fintan is an entitled snob and while Esther is quiet she does seem to be very nice and as Fintan heavily drinks and belittles Emmitt he is showing his true colors to Emmitt as well as to Sam. It’s obvious that even Roy is not at all happy by the circumstances that he’s been replaced and starts a physical fight with Emmitt in which they both were a mess when done yet somehow stranger still it had bonded them into a mutual respect and eventually love for one another.
As the headlines have more on the war front it is known the government is looking for volunteers and those to enlist and are also recruiting men to fight in a foreign country most likely in Europe. Drafts are becoming more and more common in the valley and many families are getting them requiring all the men of fighting ages to report to the military.
The two men, Emmitt and Roy enlist much to the chagrin and anger of the Young’s and the angst of Sam. She’s distraught . Her love for Emmitt is all encompassing. Roy makes his wishes to marry Esther known before he is to leave for training and Sam has Emmitt promise to return.
Years go by, the war and battle is so intense and soul shattering that the two men who were as close as brothers trained together and also have been chosen for the same troop. Emmitt’s impeccable shot and Roy’s leadership give them respectable roles within the company. Letters are often received from Sam to Emmitt yet Roy receives none from Esther though he does write her. Though disappointed, he’s happy that the two people he loves most in this world love one another and are the happiest he’s ever seen a pair. For years their duty goes on. They are in precarious and extremely brutal situations and nearly both die at the end of the mission they were ordered to complete. Their brave actions, especially Emmitts, will be what wins the war for them and while it was written by an embedded journalist with one of the units how Emmitt was a hero, when it came time to receive commendations and medals from the military Emmitt didn’t want the recognition or the notoriety, He told Roy to say he did it all. So Roy did because his friends had never asked anything of him and ge would be dead if not for him.
A parade and much celebration and hero worship for Roy was met as he got to Ewers Rock, Having lost many to the war and basically the rest to the influenza that killed Roy’s parents, Sam’s father and nearly took their beloved Seth Brantley from them. Without hands to help on the farm, much of the natural woods and forests had taken over the valley and there was a fenced in areas that prevented their livestock from wandering off into the paved road that was now also new to them. Roy recognized for his bravery is offered money for his life story that is to be turned into a book then a movie. Insisting that Emmitt split it with him, he is not keen on the attention anymore and has since fallen back into Esther’s sights now he’s home and a hero. She is announcing to all their engagement yet Roy hasn’t officially proposed and doesn’t want to marry her. He’s changed, Hie dreams to own all the valley and be monetary wealthy isn’t important nor are the elite that her parents rub elbows with. When he tells her that he’s been changed and that she deserved someone more similar to herself she is inconsolable and Roy feels it’s due to the embarrassment of the broken engagement not her feelings for him. When Emmitt finds out that Fintan had it out for Roy he’s worried. He paces the streets keeping an eye out that night in case Fintan sobers up and comes to make trouble. Soon they receive notice that their taxes are in arrears and there’s a company that is already interested and has promised to pay off the taxes to buy all their land and home in which they want to run the train through it and mine oil. But Emmitt knows this is Fintan, this is how he plans to put an end to Roy and Sam himself and Seth Brantley. Roy finds a lawyer yet doesn’t have the money to the years of taxes that went unpaid when their family lawyer dies of influenza. Right before the court case, Emmitt travels to where Fintan is staying, He storms into his hotel room, brandishing a gun, much to Esther’s screaming pleas. He will run far from Ewers Rock and for a long while he remains hidden in another state. Yet Fintans father has hired investigators to track down Emmitt and make sure he receives his due. Roy is anxious daily and Sam is inconsolable and pregnant as well.
The ending is too revealing to share with those who haven’t had the privilege and enjoyment of reading this very well written and heartfelt story. The love that is shared here between these three characters is once in a lifetime kind of love. One that deserves the investment and acknowledgment it had been given and acted upon, What an incredibly lovely story, about perseverance, forgiveness, love of many kinds and the importance of our home base and the people we call family and share our life with.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, thank you to Kevin Powers for writing such an inspiring and immersive book, THE CHILDREN OF THE WILD and to HARPER publishing for this opportunity.
#CHILDRENOFTHEWILD #KEVINPOWERS #NETGALLEYARC #HARPERPUBLISHING
June 14, 2026
2.5 stars
I'm bummed that I didn't end up loving this more because I was really looking forward to this book and the premise sounded really interesting. However, things fell flat for me.
I wasn't able to connect with the characters, especially Samantha, so it left me less interested in what happened to them. I found the chapters spent at Ewer's Rock to be lackluster and I wasn't as invested in them. The war chapters were more interesting to me, and they packed an emotional punch.
I thought the actual writing and the descriptions were beautiful. But I think that may have been part of the problem too. The writing stayed a bit loftier and removed, and because of this, the passages where we're with the characters and their thoughts and emotions felt removed as well. (Hopefully, that makes sense)
Maybe this is a case that the writing and the style of the book is just not for me. Anyways, if this sounds interesting to you, go for it. You may end up loving it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I'm bummed that I didn't end up loving this more because I was really looking forward to this book and the premise sounded really interesting. However, things fell flat for me.
I wasn't able to connect with the characters, especially Samantha, so it left me less interested in what happened to them. I found the chapters spent at Ewer's Rock to be lackluster and I wasn't as invested in them. The war chapters were more interesting to me, and they packed an emotional punch.
I thought the actual writing and the descriptions were beautiful. But I think that may have been part of the problem too. The writing stayed a bit loftier and removed, and because of this, the passages where we're with the characters and their thoughts and emotions felt removed as well. (Hopefully, that makes sense)
Maybe this is a case that the writing and the style of the book is just not for me. Anyways, if this sounds interesting to you, go for it. You may end up loving it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for the opportunity to read an ARC.
July 21, 2026
Certainly! Here's the review with all dashes removed. I also replaced the phrase "First World War" for "World War I" to ensure there are no hyphens anywhere in the text.
Some novels tell a beautiful story, but a rare few leave you feeling as though you have lived alongside the characters. *Children of the Wild* by Kevin Powers is one of those unforgettable books. From the very first pages, I felt myself drawn into the quiet beauty of rural Virginia, only to be carried into the unimaginable heartbreak and hope of a world forever changed by war.
What moved me most was how deeply human every character felt. Roy Young's dream of leaving home to build a better future is so relatable because it reflects that universal desire to honor where we come from while longing for something more. Samantha Hatton touched my heart just as much. She is not content to let the expectations of others define her life, and her courage quietly shines throughout the story. Her strength never feels forced. Instead, it grows naturally from her love, resilience, and determination to endure even when life asks more of her than anyone should have to bear.
Then there is Ennis Duke, perhaps the character who fascinated me the most. His mysterious presence on the mountain gives the novel an almost timeless quality. Watching him slowly become connected to Roy and the wider world was both beautiful and heartbreaking. The friendship that develops between Roy and Ennis during World War I became one of my favorite parts of the novel. It reminded me that even in the darkest moments, genuine human connection has the power to keep hope alive.
Kevin Powers writes with remarkable grace and restraint. His prose never overwhelms the story, yet every sentence seems carefully chosen to capture both the beauty of nature and the devastation of war. I found myself slowing down just to appreciate the quiet elegance of his writing. There is a tenderness running through the novel that made every joyful moment feel brighter and every painful moment feel deeply personal.
What stayed with me long after I finished was the novel's reflection on loyalty, love, and sacrifice. It made me think about how ordinary people find extraordinary strength when faced with impossible circumstances. Even as the characters experience profound loss, the story never loses sight of compassion or the enduring light that friendship can bring.
I closed this book with a full heart and a quiet sense of gratitude. *Children of the Wild* is not simply a historical novel or a story about war. It is a deeply moving exploration of what it means to love, to endure, and to remain human when the world around you is falling apart. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you are looking for a novel that will touch your heart and stay with you long after the final page, this is one you absolutely should not miss.
Some novels tell a beautiful story, but a rare few leave you feeling as though you have lived alongside the characters. *Children of the Wild* by Kevin Powers is one of those unforgettable books. From the very first pages, I felt myself drawn into the quiet beauty of rural Virginia, only to be carried into the unimaginable heartbreak and hope of a world forever changed by war.
What moved me most was how deeply human every character felt. Roy Young's dream of leaving home to build a better future is so relatable because it reflects that universal desire to honor where we come from while longing for something more. Samantha Hatton touched my heart just as much. She is not content to let the expectations of others define her life, and her courage quietly shines throughout the story. Her strength never feels forced. Instead, it grows naturally from her love, resilience, and determination to endure even when life asks more of her than anyone should have to bear.
Then there is Ennis Duke, perhaps the character who fascinated me the most. His mysterious presence on the mountain gives the novel an almost timeless quality. Watching him slowly become connected to Roy and the wider world was both beautiful and heartbreaking. The friendship that develops between Roy and Ennis during World War I became one of my favorite parts of the novel. It reminded me that even in the darkest moments, genuine human connection has the power to keep hope alive.
Kevin Powers writes with remarkable grace and restraint. His prose never overwhelms the story, yet every sentence seems carefully chosen to capture both the beauty of nature and the devastation of war. I found myself slowing down just to appreciate the quiet elegance of his writing. There is a tenderness running through the novel that made every joyful moment feel brighter and every painful moment feel deeply personal.
What stayed with me long after I finished was the novel's reflection on loyalty, love, and sacrifice. It made me think about how ordinary people find extraordinary strength when faced with impossible circumstances. Even as the characters experience profound loss, the story never loses sight of compassion or the enduring light that friendship can bring.
I closed this book with a full heart and a quiet sense of gratitude. *Children of the Wild* is not simply a historical novel or a story about war. It is a deeply moving exploration of what it means to love, to endure, and to remain human when the world around you is falling apart. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you are looking for a novel that will touch your heart and stay with you long after the final page, this is one you absolutely should not miss.
June 9, 2026
Sure, Kevin Powers’ Children of the Wild is World War I novel, but don’t let that overly simplified description mislead you. It’s actually a love story—or, to put the point more finely, a story about love. For all its battlefield verisimilitude (you’ll come away understanding that World War I was fought as much in shallow holes created by mortar blasts as it was in trenches), this book is suffused with variations of love felt and experienced by its three main characters Roy, Ennis, and Sam. Even its secondary characters recognize the smallness of everything beyond the people they’ve loved. Reflecting on the long-ago losses of his wife and daughter, the farm caretaker Seth describes the pain he feels this way:
“I had to get lucky for losing them to hurt like this.”
There’s a lot of losing and hurting in Children of the Wild, but Powers finds ample light in the darkness. Toward the end of the book, another secondary character, Roy’s octogenarian uncle Preston, shares what amounts to a closing benediction:
“Go home and put that little one’s hand in yours. Hold your wife. If you don’t have one, get one. Tell somebody that you’ll love them until you die then make it true. Tell them that after you die you will love them still. That’s all there is. That’s forever. That’s the glimpse we get of eternity.”
Children of the Wild is a gorgeous book, filled with lush descriptions of both its places and people. I can’t recommend it enough.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
“I had to get lucky for losing them to hurt like this.”
There’s a lot of losing and hurting in Children of the Wild, but Powers finds ample light in the darkness. Toward the end of the book, another secondary character, Roy’s octogenarian uncle Preston, shares what amounts to a closing benediction:
“Go home and put that little one’s hand in yours. Hold your wife. If you don’t have one, get one. Tell somebody that you’ll love them until you die then make it true. Tell them that after you die you will love them still. That’s all there is. That’s forever. That’s the glimpse we get of eternity.”
Children of the Wild is a gorgeous book, filled with lush descriptions of both its places and people. I can’t recommend it enough.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
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