Wolf

by Douglas A. Martin

Begun as a response to a front page photograph illustrating a tragedy that the media quickly sensationalized in the early 2000’s, Wolf tells the composite truth of two brothers, a family friend, a father, and a murder. Skeptical of news cycles and the way trials become page-turners, this book forgoes the standards of true crime: quick conclusions and moralistic underpinnings. Instead, motivated by an attempt to extend empathy, its reconstruction unfolds in tones of witness and meditation. What results is a story about the extremities to which deeply unchecked abuse and ongoing trauma can push a family.

Genres: Fiction

104 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

Reviews

[S̶e̶a̶n̶ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once, not too long ago, when it was still of some use to wish for what one wanted, once there were those who believed they would find themselves in their rightful places in the end, everything that had been coming to them all along there finally for the taking. Once those boys really did live.

[Delia Rainey · Rating 4 out of 5]

felt like the language of survival-mode, written down in the dark, and it took awhile for my eyes to adjust. poetic, fear lingering, and trust-breaking, always ready to bolt. douglas a. martin is definitely testing what constitutes as a "novel", with a narrative composed of mostly memory wisps, incomplete thoughts and voices repeating.

[pk · Rating 5 out of 5]

despite being an "anti true crime" novel, i can't help but feel like this was a spectacle, coming out of it completely in awe. he rewired the english language without the sort of rhythm/beat that stylistic sentences might have, in my mind, even when individually different, but brute forced an internal logic that demanded focus while also creating almost a trance like state of dis-rhythm. you don't "read" it, you drown in it, painful like drowning. the story itself is straightforward enough, but wildly obscured, fragmented, intimate and distant. it was difficult to read slowly.

[Carrie Laben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense and concentrated as a jar of anchovies, and like a jar of anchovies somewhat a matter of taste - but extremely well-done.

[Tama · Rating 1 out of 5]

The contents of the book should be frustrating. Unfortunately the prose is what’s frustrating. Obscuring the story. But what one can gather from the muddled language is a pretty simple story of uneasiness, fear, domestic violence, childhood.
There’s nothing outstanding or revealing about the human experience we don’t already know. And the poor language creates a never ending stream of confusion, sentiments of a struggling writer rather than an abused child. Whether I would prefer the latter I can’t say, but I would prefer to be moved by something.

[Io Perl-Strahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very unique form - written in undone language, like a child's inner monologue but I don't think that was quite the intention not exactly. disturbing and compelling. the picture of this thing that happened emerges slowly and circuitously and uncertainly, tiptoeing around the edges. didn't realize the author teaches at wesleyan until i was telling my boss about the book. wish i had taken a class with them.

[Ben Brackett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written more for mood than to tell a story

[Ethan]

Dnf

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's something about the way Douglas A Martin writes that just absolutely melts my brain and I don't know if I like that yet.