The Clearing

by Alexander Shalom Joseph

Fleeing a lifetime of disconnection and quiet despair, a man retreats to a remote forest to carve a path through three thousand acres of private wilderness, and perhaps through his own haunted past. As he labors alone among the trees, an escalating series of strange encounters, centered around a clearing deep in the woods, begin to unravel the boundary between his waking life and that of his vivid dreams. With poetic precision and thrilling prose, Alexander Shalom Joseph’s Award Winning Novella, The Clearing, explores isolation, longing, and the aching human need to belong, ultimately asking what might be found when we leave everything behind.

81 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2025

Reviews

[Epistafi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful novella, seeping with loneliness and desire to belong. I thank my book friend Anna for telling me about this book and netgalley for providing a copy to read.

I enjoyed reading it, relating to the one and only character in the story. The man with no name who represents to me the forever conflict of human existence. I had my share of troubles with such topics, so the story was somewhat soothing for me. To not exist in this painful world but not die is beautiful idea.

October is the best time to read it, as winter approaches and we all prepare for the winter long sleep.

[Hanna Bexley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Clearing explores what it means to be both lost and found in the wilderness within and without.

This novella has one of the clearest synopses I have ever read. It does not tell too much or too little, just exactly what this story is about. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece. It is beautifully written and made me relate to the hero so much.

When talking about this novella, it is hard for me to pinpoint the genre. I wouldn't call it horror or mystery. What comes to mind is that it is philosophical, deeply personal and spiritual. So anyone who is like me and loves the exploration amongst multiple genres would love this story.

It is a short story, and I enjoyed reading it in one sitting, and I would love to come back and reread it later.

Thanks to netgalley.com for providing a free copy for my honest review.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is an existential thriller that mainly takes place within the hero's mind. It explores the intense feelings of wanting to escape a hurting reality, along with feelings of separation, isolation, and madness. This novella captures the struggle of mental illness and the deep suffering exceptionally close to the truth. Though it is brief, its writing is poignant and haunting. Not everyone may understand it, but I do, and I wish it were longer to dive into that fever fully (and probably go mad myself).

[Rachael Gula · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Clearing, a breathtaking novella, Alexander Shalom Joseph explores light, shadow, and our human need for belonging against the backdrop of the Rockies. His poetic voice shines through in images such as his comparison of ocean waves to the clouds rolling along the mountains. The critique of isolationism's destructive tendencies emerges through the narrator's choices that echo Chris McCandless's fatal retreat from society. Joseph beautifully creates a haunting world of immersive sensory detail, highlighting the mysteries of the forest and human nature.

[Moudi Sbeity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella takes you on a journey down the shared elemental and existential experience of both rage at the world and love for it, and finally, to find our place of belonging. Alexander writes with an intimacy of walking this path.