What do you think?
Rate this book
Legends of the North Cascades
“A beautifully rendered and cinematic portrait of a place and its evolution through time... A story of survival and the love and devotion between parent and child.” —Jill McCorkle, author of Hieroglyphics.
Dave Cartwright used to be good at a lot of good with his hands, good at solving problems, good at staying calm in a crisis. But on the heels of his third tour in Iraq, the fabric of Dave’s life has begun to unravel. Gripped by PTSD, he finds himself losing his home, his wife, his direction. Most days, his love for his seven-year-old daughter, Bella, is the only thing keeping him going. When tragedy strikes, Dave makes a dramatic the two of them will flee their damaged lives, heading off the grid to live in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.
As they carve out a home in a cave in that harsh, breathtaking landscape, echoes of its past begin to reach them. Bella retreats into herself, absorbed by visions of a mother and son who lived in the cave thousands of years earlier, at the end of the last ice age. Back in town, Dave and Bella themselves are rapidly becoming the stuff of legend—to all but those who would force them to return home.
As winter sweeps toward the North Cascades, past and present intertwine into a timeless odyssey. Poignant and profound, Legends of the North Cascades brings Jonathan Evison’s trademark vibrant, honest voice to bear on an expansive story that is at once a meditation on the perils of isolation and an exploration of the ways that connection can save us.
Dave Cartwright used to be good at a lot of good with his hands, good at solving problems, good at staying calm in a crisis. But on the heels of his third tour in Iraq, the fabric of Dave’s life has begun to unravel. Gripped by PTSD, he finds himself losing his home, his wife, his direction. Most days, his love for his seven-year-old daughter, Bella, is the only thing keeping him going. When tragedy strikes, Dave makes a dramatic the two of them will flee their damaged lives, heading off the grid to live in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.
As they carve out a home in a cave in that harsh, breathtaking landscape, echoes of its past begin to reach them. Bella retreats into herself, absorbed by visions of a mother and son who lived in the cave thousands of years earlier, at the end of the last ice age. Back in town, Dave and Bella themselves are rapidly becoming the stuff of legend—to all but those who would force them to return home.
As winter sweeps toward the North Cascades, past and present intertwine into a timeless odyssey. Poignant and profound, Legends of the North Cascades brings Jonathan Evison’s trademark vibrant, honest voice to bear on an expansive story that is at once a meditation on the perils of isolation and an exploration of the ways that connection can save us.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 8, 2021
192 people are currently reading
7932 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Evison
17 books1,214 followersJonathan Evison is the New York Times Bestselling author of All About Lulu, West of Here, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, This is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, and Lawn Boy.
In his teens, Evison was the founding member and frontman of the Seattle punk band March of Crimes, which included future members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
Born in San Jose, California, he now lives on an island in Western Washington.
In his teens, Evison was the founding member and frontman of the Seattle punk band March of Crimes, which included future members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
Born in San Jose, California, he now lives on an island in Western Washington.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
July 6, 2021
“Legends of the North Cascades” is a tragic story of a man who is disillusioned by society. Dave Cartwright served three tours in Iraq right after high school. He was an earnest and dutiful son and student. He excelled in football, feeling that football taught him necessary life skills. He was disappointed when he couldn’t get a football scholarship, so he signed up for the military.
Life hasn’t gone well with Dave. He has a beautiful eight-year-old daughter, Bella from a volatile marriage. As the novel opens, Dave’s wife, Bella’s Mom, just died. Both Dave and Bella are devastated. Dave becomes increasingly frustrated and angry at society. So, he decides to take his daughter and live in the North Cascade mountains, like survivalists.
The story is mostly Dave and Bella’s existence in the mountains. Author Johnathan Evison chose to add an almost time-warp addition by including a story of an ice age native woman who lived in the same area Dave and Bella are in the mountains. It’s odd, and for me distractive.
This is beautifully written. I felt Dave’s depression and Bella’s distance. A reader who loves to read about nature would enjoy this. I found it interesting, but not enough to recommend it.
I listened to the audio which is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.
Life hasn’t gone well with Dave. He has a beautiful eight-year-old daughter, Bella from a volatile marriage. As the novel opens, Dave’s wife, Bella’s Mom, just died. Both Dave and Bella are devastated. Dave becomes increasingly frustrated and angry at society. So, he decides to take his daughter and live in the North Cascade mountains, like survivalists.
The story is mostly Dave and Bella’s existence in the mountains. Author Johnathan Evison chose to add an almost time-warp addition by including a story of an ice age native woman who lived in the same area Dave and Bella are in the mountains. It’s odd, and for me distractive.
This is beautifully written. I felt Dave’s depression and Bella’s distance. A reader who loves to read about nature would enjoy this. I found it interesting, but not enough to recommend it.
I listened to the audio which is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.
August 10, 2021
An interesting story, but one where I thought too much was happening. The present day story has Dave, suffering from PTSD after serving multiple tours in Iraq. After his wife dies, he can no longer deal with the grief, the everyday challenges of life, other people so he decides to take his daughter Bella and live off the grid, in a cave he found. So, that's one part of the story. Another part is about Dave's life in the past, why he joined the military and his service. Then we have Bella and her visions, an alternate time frame, where a neanderthal mother and her son are living in this same place, but during the ice age.
The writing is wonderful, the cover and title both gorgeous. Each individual story is interesting in and of itself. Bella and Dave both interesting characters, but I never felt a cohesive whole. The constant breaks, wanderings kept me from being fully vested in any, they just distracted. Other readers may have better luck following where the author leads.
The writing is wonderful, the cover and title both gorgeous. Each individual story is interesting in and of itself. Bella and Dave both interesting characters, but I never felt a cohesive whole. The constant breaks, wanderings kept me from being fully vested in any, they just distracted. Other readers may have better luck following where the author leads.
July 6, 2021
3.5 stars
This was…complex. After sleeping on it, it boils down to this: it was a memorable, engaging, and haunting story. But ultimately not for me.
Writing: ★★★★
Story structure: ★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
Dave Cartwright is done. Unwilling to look his PTSD from Iraq in the eye, when his wife dies in a car accident after their last fight it's the last straw for Dave--he throws in the towel. With society.
He becomes convinced that the only way to take charge of his life--and the life of his seven-year-old daughter, Bella--is that he needs to move them into the North Cascades, a mountain range in rural Washington. So he does. He leaves his house, his life, his money, and his support network and takes Bella.
So the two Cartwrights move into the wilderness. So far, so good. Bella thinks its an adventure, and Dave can finally breathe away from all of the gunk that he didn't want to face in town.
But then things start to turn, and Bella's life changes--she starts seeing these visions. Not flashbacks, per se, but more glimpses into the life of an ancient Native American woman who lived in these mountains at the end of the last Ice Age.
With those two dual narratives--Bella and Dave's in the present, Sitka and her son's in the far ancient past--this novel unfolds with atmospheric undertones and an ominous edge.
Will the North Cascades let either duo survive?
If this feels very much like the concept of Into the Wild to you, you're not alone. I felt very similar vibes and reactions to this decision while Dave was putting it into place. (Into the Wild frustrated me to no end.) Does Dave think this will work? How does he think this is good for his daughter, who is still learning things in school and is grieving herself? How long does he think he can keep this up? Why are we spending so much time with this Native American family? Why is Bella seeing their lives play out like a disassociated movie in her head?
Those were my questions.
Maybe it was just me, as a 26-year-old female with no overly outdoor bone in her body. Maybe it was also my complete lack of experience with PTSD as it relates to our current veterans returning from a war with more grey areas than justice. But. At the end of the day, I just didn't understand Dave or his motivations. And when I couldn't get behind his decisions, I found myself upset with the story. I was worried for Bella, for their survival, for their sanity. I was also extremely perturbed by the lack of action taken by the town and Dave's surrounding family.
I don't know, folks. I found myself more concerned with the logistics and logic of this book to the point that I couldn't enjoy the story. My family calls me the extreme "over -worrier" though, so take my ??? with a grain of salt.
Another element of the story that confused me was the interjections of Sitka, the Native American woman, surviving with her young family in the same wilderness. I completely understood the parallels taking place--one family versus another in the same place, with the same desperate wills to survive. But to have Sitka's story displayed to Bella, and not to Dave, felt strange to me. How is a young child supposed to make sense of that story, and what was she supposed to do with this information?
I don't know. As you can see, I have a lot of feelings and strong emotions around this story. Because of that, I DO strongly encourage others to pick up Legends of the North Cascades if the story seems of interest to you. The writing is stellar and the plot is compelling, and it clearly provokes a response--which is the best type of fiction.
Thank you to Algonquin for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
This was…complex. After sleeping on it, it boils down to this: it was a memorable, engaging, and haunting story. But ultimately not for me.
Writing: ★★★★
Story structure: ★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
Dave Cartwright is done. Unwilling to look his PTSD from Iraq in the eye, when his wife dies in a car accident after their last fight it's the last straw for Dave--he throws in the towel. With society.
He becomes convinced that the only way to take charge of his life--and the life of his seven-year-old daughter, Bella--is that he needs to move them into the North Cascades, a mountain range in rural Washington. So he does. He leaves his house, his life, his money, and his support network and takes Bella.
So the two Cartwrights move into the wilderness. So far, so good. Bella thinks its an adventure, and Dave can finally breathe away from all of the gunk that he didn't want to face in town.
But then things start to turn, and Bella's life changes--she starts seeing these visions. Not flashbacks, per se, but more glimpses into the life of an ancient Native American woman who lived in these mountains at the end of the last Ice Age.
With those two dual narratives--Bella and Dave's in the present, Sitka and her son's in the far ancient past--this novel unfolds with atmospheric undertones and an ominous edge.
Will the North Cascades let either duo survive?
If this feels very much like the concept of Into the Wild to you, you're not alone. I felt very similar vibes and reactions to this decision while Dave was putting it into place. (Into the Wild frustrated me to no end.) Does Dave think this will work? How does he think this is good for his daughter, who is still learning things in school and is grieving herself? How long does he think he can keep this up? Why are we spending so much time with this Native American family? Why is Bella seeing their lives play out like a disassociated movie in her head?
Those were my questions.
Maybe it was just me, as a 26-year-old female with no overly outdoor bone in her body. Maybe it was also my complete lack of experience with PTSD as it relates to our current veterans returning from a war with more grey areas than justice. But. At the end of the day, I just didn't understand Dave or his motivations. And when I couldn't get behind his decisions, I found myself upset with the story. I was worried for Bella, for their survival, for their sanity. I was also extremely perturbed by the lack of action taken by the town and Dave's surrounding family.
I don't know, folks. I found myself more concerned with the logistics and logic of this book to the point that I couldn't enjoy the story. My family calls me the extreme "over -worrier" though, so take my ??? with a grain of salt.
Another element of the story that confused me was the interjections of Sitka, the Native American woman, surviving with her young family in the same wilderness. I completely understood the parallels taking place--one family versus another in the same place, with the same desperate wills to survive. But to have Sitka's story displayed to Bella, and not to Dave, felt strange to me. How is a young child supposed to make sense of that story, and what was she supposed to do with this information?
I don't know. As you can see, I have a lot of feelings and strong emotions around this story. Because of that, I DO strongly encourage others to pick up Legends of the North Cascades if the story seems of interest to you. The writing is stellar and the plot is compelling, and it clearly provokes a response--which is the best type of fiction.
Thank you to Algonquin for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
February 27, 2021
True to form Evison has written a beautiful novel full of empathy and nature. But this is also a story of survival. After 3 tours in Iraq, the death of his wife and the current state of discord in America, who can blame Dave Cartwright for taking his 7 year old daughter and their pregnant house cat to live in a cave in the Cascades? Amid the novelty of the situation and the majestic beauty of the Cascades, Bella taps into the ancient story of the mother and son who lived in their Cave during the end of the ice age. As both families confront the brutal reality of the elements they also have to deal with the encroaching fact that community is essential. What begins as a heartbreaking tale ends as redemption grounded in the ordinary grace of family and community.
June 7, 2021
I am going to DNF at 100 pages.
Legends of the North Cascades comes across as very hyper masculine. Dave is a recently single Dad, ex small town football star, and recently retired from the marines. Reading about his football greatness and his tours in Iraq are not topics that I find interesting. However, depending on the storyline and the rest of the book, I can still get invested.
The aspect of the book that made me decide not to finish is that Dave has decided to take his 7 year old daughter, Bella, and go live in the wilderness. Dave finds a cave in the mountains and takes his daughter and their cat to live. While living in the wilderness, Bella starts having visions of an indigenous woman and her life on the glaciers in the North Cascade mountains. At this point I researched the author to see if he is an indigenous person. The author seems to be from California and moved to Washington State as a child. I am not sure if the visions that Bella is having is based upon an actual Native American folktale or if he made it up, either way it is cultural appropriation.
Edited to add: The portrayal of the Native Americans being bloody savages is completely inaccurate. And the idea that Bella was the one seeing these bloody visions and sexual assaults crosses the line for me.
As a person who grew up in the North Cascades region of Washington State, I was very excited about this book. The small town the author wrote about could have been my small town. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong "legend" to write about. Bigfoot probably would have been better.
Legends of the North Cascades comes across as very hyper masculine. Dave is a recently single Dad, ex small town football star, and recently retired from the marines. Reading about his football greatness and his tours in Iraq are not topics that I find interesting. However, depending on the storyline and the rest of the book, I can still get invested.
The aspect of the book that made me decide not to finish is that Dave has decided to take his 7 year old daughter, Bella, and go live in the wilderness. Dave finds a cave in the mountains and takes his daughter and their cat to live. While living in the wilderness, Bella starts having visions of an indigenous woman and her life on the glaciers in the North Cascade mountains. At this point I researched the author to see if he is an indigenous person. The author seems to be from California and moved to Washington State as a child. I am not sure if the visions that Bella is having is based upon an actual Native American folktale or if he made it up, either way it is cultural appropriation.
Edited to add: The portrayal of the Native Americans being bloody savages is completely inaccurate. And the idea that Bella was the one seeing these bloody visions and sexual assaults crosses the line for me.
As a person who grew up in the North Cascades region of Washington State, I was very excited about this book. The small town the author wrote about could have been my small town. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong "legend" to write about. Bigfoot probably would have been better.
September 25, 2021
I really liked the way this book came together at its conclusion, both stories converging to fit the theme of “legends.” In fact, this was a smart book – from the double entendre of “legends” – the legend of a historic people vs. a person becoming a local legend – to the author’s use of community-member interviews about the legend of “Cave Dave” (the present-day main character).
As usual, Evison strings together beautiful sentences and imagery, with an eye toward geographic description:
Farther to the west, where the mountains began to taper, folding themselves into the flatlands, the river grew wider and flatter, until it emptied itself into the sea, a frothy, undulating, expanse more vast than the ice shelf, a vastness the likes of which N’ka could never have previously imagined.
Both of the younger main characters – Bella and N’ka – show tremendous grit in the face of insurmountable odds. The topics of PTSD and the many soldiers forgotten after multiple tours in Iraq are tough issues for any author to tackle, and by all intents and purposes, this book should have gutted me. As it stands, I always felt at arm’s length to Dave’s pain and turmoil – a bit of an emotional remove.
That said, I enjoyed this book, and it’s a quick read for anyone who loves historical fiction and dual-period fiction with a hint of magical realism. And that cover … isn’t it gorgeous?
As usual, Evison strings together beautiful sentences and imagery, with an eye toward geographic description:
Farther to the west, where the mountains began to taper, folding themselves into the flatlands, the river grew wider and flatter, until it emptied itself into the sea, a frothy, undulating, expanse more vast than the ice shelf, a vastness the likes of which N’ka could never have previously imagined.
Both of the younger main characters – Bella and N’ka – show tremendous grit in the face of insurmountable odds. The topics of PTSD and the many soldiers forgotten after multiple tours in Iraq are tough issues for any author to tackle, and by all intents and purposes, this book should have gutted me. As it stands, I always felt at arm’s length to Dave’s pain and turmoil – a bit of an emotional remove.
That said, I enjoyed this book, and it’s a quick read for anyone who loves historical fiction and dual-period fiction with a hint of magical realism. And that cover … isn’t it gorgeous?
July 6, 2021
Legends of the North Cascades is told basically in 3 different timelines. You have the timeline as a solider, then you have a story about a mother and her son and then you have the 'after'. In the story you also have some other people's point of views about this father and daughter relationship. When Dave can't take life anymore he decides to move up to the mountains with his daughter Bella. You have people who try everything in their power to separate them because they feel it's not okay for a little girl to live in the mountains. I found this book to be entertaining and thoughtful. B-
Thank you Algonquin Books for An ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Algonquin Books for An ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
dnf
June 21, 2021DNF around 100 pages.
This book was not for me. I was really looking forward to it, but the story was disjointed and the dialogue was painful to read. I'm not usually that blunt, but I want to be honest. I'm sure a lot of work went into writing this and I think the subject matter of PTSD of a former soldier is most definitely a topic worth exploring, however the execution was a miss.
If you are coming across this "review" and are curious about the book, I encourage you to read the many positive reviews.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was not for me. I was really looking forward to it, but the story was disjointed and the dialogue was painful to read. I'm not usually that blunt, but I want to be honest. I'm sure a lot of work went into writing this and I think the subject matter of PTSD of a former soldier is most definitely a topic worth exploring, however the execution was a miss.
If you are coming across this "review" and are curious about the book, I encourage you to read the many positive reviews.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2022
Legends of the North Cascades
is a beautifully written, ambitious story about love, survival, and recovery.
After his third tour in Iraq, Dave is coming apart at the seams. His PTSD is getting more intense, his marriage to Nadene is on the rocks. The only thing that’s going right is that, despite all the chaos, his 7-1/2-year-old daughter Bella seems to be flourishing.
When tragedy strikes, the only way Dave seems to find peace is through hiking in the North Cascades. The more time he spends there, the more he thinks that retreat from the world around them is the answer, so he makes the decision to move with Bella to an isolated cave in the mountains.
"Dave no longer wished to be around anybody, except for his daughter. And what was left for a child down there but a world that would likely forsake her, a world that would wring the wonder and humanity right out of her, as it sought to reduce her life force to an algorithm? The modern world held no more promise for Bella than it did for Dave."
It’s a beautiful setting but a difficult life, and people become more concerned about Bella’s safety. But as the two grow more comfortable living off the land, Bella starts to have visions, of a mother and son who lived in the same cave during the Ice Age. Both families will need to have strength in order to survive the world around them.
Jonathan Evison is a beautiful writer. I’ve enjoyed a few of his other books in the past, but his prose here is particularly luminous and poetic. I liked the different components of the story, and it brought attention to the treatment of veterans in this country. However, I felt like the pieces of the story lacked cohesion and it all didn’t quite flow together.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for inviting me on the tour and providing a complimentary copy of Legends of the North Cascades in exchange for an unbiased review!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2021 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2021.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
After his third tour in Iraq, Dave is coming apart at the seams. His PTSD is getting more intense, his marriage to Nadene is on the rocks. The only thing that’s going right is that, despite all the chaos, his 7-1/2-year-old daughter Bella seems to be flourishing.
When tragedy strikes, the only way Dave seems to find peace is through hiking in the North Cascades. The more time he spends there, the more he thinks that retreat from the world around them is the answer, so he makes the decision to move with Bella to an isolated cave in the mountains.
"Dave no longer wished to be around anybody, except for his daughter. And what was left for a child down there but a world that would likely forsake her, a world that would wring the wonder and humanity right out of her, as it sought to reduce her life force to an algorithm? The modern world held no more promise for Bella than it did for Dave."
It’s a beautiful setting but a difficult life, and people become more concerned about Bella’s safety. But as the two grow more comfortable living off the land, Bella starts to have visions, of a mother and son who lived in the same cave during the Ice Age. Both families will need to have strength in order to survive the world around them.
Jonathan Evison is a beautiful writer. I’ve enjoyed a few of his other books in the past, but his prose here is particularly luminous and poetic. I liked the different components of the story, and it brought attention to the treatment of veterans in this country. However, I felt like the pieces of the story lacked cohesion and it all didn’t quite flow together.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for inviting me on the tour and providing a complimentary copy of Legends of the North Cascades in exchange for an unbiased review!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2021 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2021.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
June 11, 2021
The Legends of the North Cascades is written from multiple perspectives across dual timelines. One being set during the Ice Age and the other in the present. The two storylines converge on each other not just in the setting, but also with the themes of isolation, enduring and the making of legends.
The pacing of the book was rather fast as it is written in short chapters, many of which read like interviews from the townsfolk that Dave and Bella have left behind. For some he is a madman. For others he will forever be a hero.
I found Dave to be a likeable character who loved his daughter wholeheartedly. He wanted the best for her but was too proud and stubborn to seek help even when he knew his demons were getting the best of him. Bella was perhaps my favorite character. She is full of heart and spirit. Curious and full of imagination, she is the brightest star in this book.
There were points in the dialogue where I felt the book would have benefitted from having a sensitivity reader. After authorities show interest in their living situation, Dave likens laws to slavery. As a descendant of slaves I know I am not the only one who would find fault with this sentiment. Following a law or a rule, no matter how heavy-handed or inane, is not the same as being enslaved. It just isn't. And to try to diminish it like that or try to conflate your anger at the system or your unwillingness to follow the rules with being enslaved never works. At another time S'tka talks about outliving her purpose: "that's all the Great Provider had in mind when he created a woman -- to carry men. Carry them in their wombs, and on their backs, and in their hearts, to carry their burdens, and bear their disappointments until such time that a man no longer needs them." In my opinion neither of these statements were necessary to move the narrative along.
Overall, the writing was beautiful. I could just about turn to any page and find sentences that I could read over and over again. I was captivated by Dave and Bella's story and was invested in her outcome.
The pacing of the book was rather fast as it is written in short chapters, many of which read like interviews from the townsfolk that Dave and Bella have left behind. For some he is a madman. For others he will forever be a hero.
I found Dave to be a likeable character who loved his daughter wholeheartedly. He wanted the best for her but was too proud and stubborn to seek help even when he knew his demons were getting the best of him. Bella was perhaps my favorite character. She is full of heart and spirit. Curious and full of imagination, she is the brightest star in this book.
There were points in the dialogue where I felt the book would have benefitted from having a sensitivity reader. After authorities show interest in their living situation, Dave likens laws to slavery. As a descendant of slaves I know I am not the only one who would find fault with this sentiment. Following a law or a rule, no matter how heavy-handed or inane, is not the same as being enslaved. It just isn't. And to try to diminish it like that or try to conflate your anger at the system or your unwillingness to follow the rules with being enslaved never works. At another time S'tka talks about outliving her purpose: "that's all the Great Provider had in mind when he created a woman -- to carry men. Carry them in their wombs, and on their backs, and in their hearts, to carry their burdens, and bear their disappointments until such time that a man no longer needs them." In my opinion neither of these statements were necessary to move the narrative along.
Overall, the writing was beautiful. I could just about turn to any page and find sentences that I could read over and over again. I was captivated by Dave and Bella's story and was invested in her outcome.
The whole rickety bulwark of Dave's defenses were crushed to splinter beneath the realization that . . . he still could not guard Bella from grief or harm, any more than he could deprive her of love and meaningful connection. Bereaved, we are but orphans, dispossessed, impoverished in our solitude. Our only buffer against the cold, cruel world was one another. "
July 25, 2021
I almost always love Jonathan Evison's books and I loved this one. It crept up on me until I was unable to put it down. Evison is kind of the Bruce Springsteen of authors, championing working class, fractured men. Dave Cartwright was a high school football legend who enlisted in the Marines when he failed to get picked up by any college for his skills, served 3 tours in Iraq and came back a PTSD-ridden wreck.
After he loses his wife he takes his 7 year old daughter Bella up into the Cascade mountains where they live in a cave. Family members, social services, and park rangers all try to get them back to town to no avail. You know this is not going to go well, though it does until it doesn't.
In a parallel story set in the same location but during the Ice Age, a mother and son struggle to survive. The slipstream aspect is so well done, as Bella channels the Ice Age characters. I found that so well done and Bella becomes the new legend of the North Cascades.
After he loses his wife he takes his 7 year old daughter Bella up into the Cascade mountains where they live in a cave. Family members, social services, and park rangers all try to get them back to town to no avail. You know this is not going to go well, though it does until it doesn't.
In a parallel story set in the same location but during the Ice Age, a mother and son struggle to survive. The slipstream aspect is so well done, as Bella channels the Ice Age characters. I found that so well done and Bella becomes the new legend of the North Cascades.
May 2, 2021
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review...
DNF @29% This description had so much potential to me... and was extremely disappointing. Other than a list of supplies and chopping firewood, we don’t learn all that much about how Dave and Bella survive in the wilderness. So, don’t go into this thinking it’s a survivor story. I think the part this upset me the most of the when St’ka’s story really gets going, it paints Native Americans as savages. The main Native American character is described as eating an animal with blood dripping down her face. Like they’re Neanderthals but it serves no purpose to the story to write them so grotesquely. The mention of presumed rape, St’ka doesn’t know which of the men fathers her child... that’s where I finally called it quits. The writing around Nadene’s death is pretty emotionless, even from Bella’s perspective. Definitely not for me.
DNF @29% This description had so much potential to me... and was extremely disappointing. Other than a list of supplies and chopping firewood, we don’t learn all that much about how Dave and Bella survive in the wilderness. So, don’t go into this thinking it’s a survivor story. I think the part this upset me the most of the when St’ka’s story really gets going, it paints Native Americans as savages. The main Native American character is described as eating an animal with blood dripping down her face. Like they’re Neanderthals but it serves no purpose to the story to write them so grotesquely. The mention of presumed rape, St’ka doesn’t know which of the men fathers her child... that’s where I finally called it quits. The writing around Nadene’s death is pretty emotionless, even from Bella’s perspective. Definitely not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
This great adventure story continues a common theme in Evison’s novels: Connection, belonging, finding a place in the world. He writes: "Our only buffer against the cold, cruel world was one another." This is hard to admit sometimes, especially because humans are consistently disappointing. But like it our not, as the pandemic has certainly shown, we are at heart social beings.
After the death of his wife, Dave, a three-tours Iraq veteran, and his 7-year-old daughter Bella, go to live off the grid in the North Cascades mountains. He's had enough. Humans have nothing to offer him anymore. Even though you know this isn't going to work out, and is dangerous to the point of irresponsible, it's hard not to root for him, to nod along with his reasons. Sometimes we've all had more than our share of humans.
Meanwhile, Bella forms a sort of mythical connection to some people who lived on this land centuries before. Just like Dave and Bella, these early humans are just looking for their place in the world too.
I loved this book, mainly for the character Bella. Writing children can't be easy, but Evison nails this, giving her only as much as she can handle. After all, "The sad reality of the world was that nobody was quite as resilient as a child, and nobody paid a higher price for it."
After the death of his wife, Dave, a three-tours Iraq veteran, and his 7-year-old daughter Bella, go to live off the grid in the North Cascades mountains. He's had enough. Humans have nothing to offer him anymore. Even though you know this isn't going to work out, and is dangerous to the point of irresponsible, it's hard not to root for him, to nod along with his reasons. Sometimes we've all had more than our share of humans.
Meanwhile, Bella forms a sort of mythical connection to some people who lived on this land centuries before. Just like Dave and Bella, these early humans are just looking for their place in the world too.
I loved this book, mainly for the character Bella. Writing children can't be easy, but Evison nails this, giving her only as much as she can handle. After all, "The sad reality of the world was that nobody was quite as resilient as a child, and nobody paid a higher price for it."
October 17, 2021
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for inviting me to read Legends of the North Cascades and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A review will be up on my blog on October 19, 2021 at 10 am CST on Honey Roselea Reads for you guys to check out!
My review on Legends of the North Cascades will be accessible using this link from October 19, 2021 at 10 am CST and onward.
For now, here is a preview to what the review will look like:
❀❀❀❀
After a tragic accident, Dave Cartwright takes his seven year old daughter, Mirabella, Bella for short, to live in a cave in the wilderness in the North Cascades. Legends of the North Cascades tells us the story of tragedy, family, and the hardship of a single father. Dave does his best to give Bella, the best life she could ask for, but sometimes, things are more difficult than it seems.
I gave Legends of the North Cascades three stars. I had wanted to enjoy this, especially seeing that there would be jumps into the ... Ice Age Era? But, was thoroughly disappointed when the writing had let me down. I just found that ... [ continue reading ]
June 6, 2021
Book Review- no spoilers
This is a novel of many genres. Adventure, parental love, survival and a tale of indigenous tribes of Northwest America. Somehow it all comes together to a readable story.
The book centers on the life of Dave and his young daughter Bella. We learn early on in the book that Dave’s wife and mom of Bella dies in an accident. It’s more than Dave can bear after having served three tours of Iraq and is tenuously hanging on to family life as it is. He decides to take his 7 year old daughter deep into the mountains of their home state of Washington and live off the grid.
Dave’s mother and brother disagree with this decision, as do the other people in his life who care about him and Bella. He cannot be convinced to do otherwise, and so father and daughter live in the wilderness and begin to thrive out there with very occasional trips to town for library books and provisions.
There is another story within this story. Bella is an exceptional child for her age, and she can feel the experience of an indigenous family that lived in the same area, thousands of years ago when the world was covered in ice and wooly beasts walked the earth. We get to read the parallel story of this family from long ago.
The switching back between different voices across chapters is not usually something I like (it’s hard for me to keep track of a lot of characters), but the voices were distinctive enough for me to easily transition from person to person.
Though there are sad parts in the book, it’s an easy read, and I give it 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This book comes out this Tuesday from Algonquin books!
This is a novel of many genres. Adventure, parental love, survival and a tale of indigenous tribes of Northwest America. Somehow it all comes together to a readable story.
The book centers on the life of Dave and his young daughter Bella. We learn early on in the book that Dave’s wife and mom of Bella dies in an accident. It’s more than Dave can bear after having served three tours of Iraq and is tenuously hanging on to family life as it is. He decides to take his 7 year old daughter deep into the mountains of their home state of Washington and live off the grid.
Dave’s mother and brother disagree with this decision, as do the other people in his life who care about him and Bella. He cannot be convinced to do otherwise, and so father and daughter live in the wilderness and begin to thrive out there with very occasional trips to town for library books and provisions.
There is another story within this story. Bella is an exceptional child for her age, and she can feel the experience of an indigenous family that lived in the same area, thousands of years ago when the world was covered in ice and wooly beasts walked the earth. We get to read the parallel story of this family from long ago.
The switching back between different voices across chapters is not usually something I like (it’s hard for me to keep track of a lot of characters), but the voices were distinctive enough for me to easily transition from person to person.
Though there are sad parts in the book, it’s an easy read, and I give it 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This book comes out this Tuesday from Algonquin books!
June 21, 2021
“𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙮 𝙨𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨, 𝙗𝙞𝙜, 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧, 𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙪 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣, 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙨, 𝙢𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙. 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙠𝙮. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖 ���𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚.”
Jonathan Evison never fails to capture my imagination and my heart with his visceral language, his down to earth characters, and his honest and affectionate storytelling.
I wasn’t sure about our hero, Dave Cartwright, at first. When he decides to leave the greedy, unforgiving, relentlessly capitalistic world behind and take his eight year old daughter to live in a cave in the North Cascades, I was disapproving. I’m a mother. This sounded dangerous and selfish and not good for Bella. But by the end I did care for Dave. He is flawed and stubborn and blinded by his cumulative trauma, but he loves his daughter fiercely and he learns how far that love can take them. And Bella is an utter delight. A believable, spunky, not too precious or precocious eight year old, obviously written by someone who has children of his own and listens to them.
I also enjoyed the secondary timeline of the Ice Age clan and their travails. It was an interesting device to learn more about the history of the land Dave and Bella are living on now.
My only small critique is that I didn’t find the slight bit of magical realism that had Bella “visiting” this past in her mind’s eye to work that well.
But that small quibble did not diminish my enjoyment of this book at all. I highly recommend it for excellent storytelling with a unique setting, lovable characters, warmth, and heart.
Jonathan Evison never fails to capture my imagination and my heart with his visceral language, his down to earth characters, and his honest and affectionate storytelling.
I wasn’t sure about our hero, Dave Cartwright, at first. When he decides to leave the greedy, unforgiving, relentlessly capitalistic world behind and take his eight year old daughter to live in a cave in the North Cascades, I was disapproving. I’m a mother. This sounded dangerous and selfish and not good for Bella. But by the end I did care for Dave. He is flawed and stubborn and blinded by his cumulative trauma, but he loves his daughter fiercely and he learns how far that love can take them. And Bella is an utter delight. A believable, spunky, not too precious or precocious eight year old, obviously written by someone who has children of his own and listens to them.
I also enjoyed the secondary timeline of the Ice Age clan and their travails. It was an interesting device to learn more about the history of the land Dave and Bella are living on now.
My only small critique is that I didn’t find the slight bit of magical realism that had Bella “visiting” this past in her mind’s eye to work that well.
But that small quibble did not diminish my enjoyment of this book at all. I highly recommend it for excellent storytelling with a unique setting, lovable characters, warmth, and heart.
January 3, 2021
Thankfully this was a quick read as it has so much potential yet plants itself face first in the snow. Told from multiple perspectives with the hint that the author was trying to make it sound as if it was a documentary, interviewing townspeople while weaving the story of Cave Dave and Bella from their perspectives as well. There is also the added story of the Native people from that land which appear to Bella.
This made me angry. Dave was clearly not in the right mental state to live off grid and for that, he was neglecting his daughter. His motives were selfish and while it is clear he suffers from PTSD as a result of his marine service, compiled with the breakup of his marriage and death of his wife, he was spiraling out of control for a long while. Unfortunately, there is no depth to the characters; the entire story is written so matter-of-fact and flat. I didn't care about Dave despite his service to his country. This is not an adventure story so much as a story of despair, selfishness, and narcissism. What more, it ends so abruptly, I thought there was a glitch on my digital copy.
Full of promise, but disappointing from the start with no redemption.
I was provided a digital ARC copy by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This made me angry. Dave was clearly not in the right mental state to live off grid and for that, he was neglecting his daughter. His motives were selfish and while it is clear he suffers from PTSD as a result of his marine service, compiled with the breakup of his marriage and death of his wife, he was spiraling out of control for a long while. Unfortunately, there is no depth to the characters; the entire story is written so matter-of-fact and flat. I didn't care about Dave despite his service to his country. This is not an adventure story so much as a story of despair, selfishness, and narcissism. What more, it ends so abruptly, I thought there was a glitch on my digital copy.
Full of promise, but disappointing from the start with no redemption.
I was provided a digital ARC copy by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
May 24, 2021
I found it difficult to categorize this book, the story was interesting and the characters were well written but what I liked most was the authors ability to illustrate Daves increasing isolation and loneliness. Suffering from PTSD myself I understood Daves’ need to to get off the grid and live in the mountains. I frequently daydream about going off and living in a cave. Of course I’d need to have enough books to read and ice cream lots of ice cream.
February 23, 2022
Perhaps 3.5 stars, because there's a fantastically detailed and tangible sense of place (both the town and the mountains), but none of the people in this story felt real. The historical mother and son acted like modern humans, right down to the jokes and humor, and the modern father and daughter felt like stereotypes I'd seen written too many times before.
June 15, 2021
DNF around 70 pages. I knew I didn't like this book at about page 20. For some reason though I kept reading it. And I kept not liking it. It had the car crash appeal that I just kept coming back to despite knowing better. I finally had to force myself to stop. My TBR stack is taking up four feet of shelf space. Life is too short to keep reading a bad book.
The writing is too much. It feels like the author is trying too hard. The dialogue does not feel natural. I could probably forgive the writing if the premise wasn't absurd. The main character, who is a stereotypical short guy who peaked in high school when he was the star of the football team, goes onto the military and experiences some trauma, marries his high school sweetheart. His wife dies unexpectedly so he decides to go live in the woods with his child. I could possibly see this happening if he snuck out into the woods and told no one about his plans. Instead he tells his family his plans. Other than a lunch meeting where a family member half heartedly tries to talk him out of it, everyone seems to accept that this is the plan and they can't stop it. Also he takes his very pregnant cat with him. Does he own the land he's staying on? No. Does he have a plan for schooling his child? Doesn't seem like it. He brings some books along at least. Later it seems he goes to the library. Does he have a plan for a medical emergency for his daughter? Someone to check in on her in case he falls and dies? Nope. Just off to live in a cave in the woods, because life is hard and not fair. Boohoo, poor me. I should have been a famous football man.
The premise is nonsense. Child Protective Services and a forest ranger would stop this before it started. His mother would be filing with the court to obtain guardianship over him and his child. (They might not succeed, but they'd try. Never cross a grandparent trying to see a grandchild.)
But if that absurdity isn't enough to convince you to give this book a pass, the random chapters from the perspective of the Native American's who lived on the land during the ice age will. The main character's daughter also starts to speak with these people and sees the land as they saw it.
Maybe it gets better. I'll never know.
The writing is too much. It feels like the author is trying too hard. The dialogue does not feel natural. I could probably forgive the writing if the premise wasn't absurd. The main character, who is a stereotypical short guy who peaked in high school when he was the star of the football team, goes onto the military and experiences some trauma, marries his high school sweetheart. His wife dies unexpectedly so he decides to go live in the woods with his child. I could possibly see this happening if he snuck out into the woods and told no one about his plans. Instead he tells his family his plans. Other than a lunch meeting where a family member half heartedly tries to talk him out of it, everyone seems to accept that this is the plan and they can't stop it. Also he takes his very pregnant cat with him. Does he own the land he's staying on? No. Does he have a plan for schooling his child? Doesn't seem like it. He brings some books along at least. Later it seems he goes to the library. Does he have a plan for a medical emergency for his daughter? Someone to check in on her in case he falls and dies? Nope. Just off to live in a cave in the woods, because life is hard and not fair. Boohoo, poor me. I should have been a famous football man.
The premise is nonsense. Child Protective Services and a forest ranger would stop this before it started. His mother would be filing with the court to obtain guardianship over him and his child. (They might not succeed, but they'd try. Never cross a grandparent trying to see a grandchild.)
But if that absurdity isn't enough to convince you to give this book a pass, the random chapters from the perspective of the Native American's who lived on the land during the ice age will. The main character's daughter also starts to speak with these people and sees the land as they saw it.
Maybe it gets better. I'll never know.
May 24, 2021
This is a fun summer read with some worldly wheels. If you like his other books, you will love this one too. It is a page turner. You will be immediately connected to the story and follow along as we see parallels in the experience of settler experience to the Cascades as separated by an ice age. Like West of Here, the setting is a place that has character and develops as the characters learn more who they are, based upon where they are. This novel provides a nice synthesis of the kind of character development we love in Lawnboy, with the complexity and perspective of West of Here. Evison is always pushing his craft to try new things, and express these ideas through new voices. We see the paths cross of the characters as artifacts and relics of the past, but ideas that are still as relevant as modern world experience. We are the same, but place offers our similar souls with similar experiences, in similar places, at different times.
October 27, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A man suffering from PTSD takes his daughter to live out in the woods of Washington State. I felt bad for both characters. The man needed some sort of help, but was unwilling to accept any. What kind of future did his daughter have, living out in the woods by herself?
The two become legends, in a place of legends. I didn't realize M. Scott Momaday was so influential.
A man suffering from PTSD takes his daughter to live out in the woods of Washington State. I felt bad for both characters. The man needed some sort of help, but was unwilling to accept any. What kind of future did his daughter have, living out in the woods by herself?
The two become legends, in a place of legends. I didn't realize M. Scott Momaday was so influential.
June 29, 2021
Legends of the North Cascades is an adventurous book that successfully and uniquely stands on its own among Evison’s novels. It is a big hearted and empathetic book about loss, survival, belonging, love and connection.
If that sounds like your kind of book, I’d recommend picking it up at your local bookstore.
N.B. Being set in the snowy North Cascades makes for an especially great read during a sweltering summer.
If that sounds like your kind of book, I’d recommend picking it up at your local bookstore.
N.B. Being set in the snowy North Cascades makes for an especially great read during a sweltering summer.
June 8, 2021
As a Washingtonian, born and raised, I am drawn to stories that are told in this area, naturally, and I especially love anything based in the outdoors. Needless to say, I had high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed.
What a fun escape, in what can be described as an adult version of Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain, and the thrill of survival that can really only be enjoyed from the safety of your comfortable surroundings. Despite the grisly realities described on the pages, it still further inspired me to want to get out and experience more nature, if only for a short hike or a weekend camping trip with a stocked cooler and a good book.
Legends touches on so many talking points, with frank discussions about grief, war, politics, PTSD, all written in a way that is readable and relatable and you will feel every range of emotion, dread, hope, frustration, wonder. The relationship between Bella and Dave is tenuous and engaging, their bond realistic yet enviable. Same could be said with the fascinating parallel story that takes place with N’ka and S’tka, their prehistoric adventure played out in humor and horror. Both stories leading to an exodus, an escape, or search for a better life.
As the story progresses, you want to root for Dave, punch your fist in the air in solidarity against the toxicity of the everyday climate with social media, politics, war, etc., but eventually that alliance begins to crumble and you want to snap your fingers in his face and wake him up from this delusion that living in a cave on the side of a mountain in the dead of winter is natural, even when you know the origins of the first peoples, as spelled out in the story of S’tka and U’ku’let. You want to hate his brother and the park ranger and the social worker, but you also realize that they aren’t the bad guys, no one is the “bad guy”, as far as the ones “interviewed” and/or featured in this book.
Despite the grim landscape, there are plenty of pockets of hope, well-placed humor, and moments of levity that prevent you from needing a break from the depth and darkness that could consume you otherwise while reading through some of the bleaker passages. However, it does not take away from the seriousness of the issues discussed.
Easily one of my favorite books this year, I cannot recommend this book enough and I am excited to read more from Jonathan in the future.
An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own.
What a fun escape, in what can be described as an adult version of Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain, and the thrill of survival that can really only be enjoyed from the safety of your comfortable surroundings. Despite the grisly realities described on the pages, it still further inspired me to want to get out and experience more nature, if only for a short hike or a weekend camping trip with a stocked cooler and a good book.
Legends touches on so many talking points, with frank discussions about grief, war, politics, PTSD, all written in a way that is readable and relatable and you will feel every range of emotion, dread, hope, frustration, wonder. The relationship between Bella and Dave is tenuous and engaging, their bond realistic yet enviable. Same could be said with the fascinating parallel story that takes place with N’ka and S’tka, their prehistoric adventure played out in humor and horror. Both stories leading to an exodus, an escape, or search for a better life.
As the story progresses, you want to root for Dave, punch your fist in the air in solidarity against the toxicity of the everyday climate with social media, politics, war, etc., but eventually that alliance begins to crumble and you want to snap your fingers in his face and wake him up from this delusion that living in a cave on the side of a mountain in the dead of winter is natural, even when you know the origins of the first peoples, as spelled out in the story of S’tka and U’ku’let. You want to hate his brother and the park ranger and the social worker, but you also realize that they aren’t the bad guys, no one is the “bad guy”, as far as the ones “interviewed” and/or featured in this book.
Despite the grim landscape, there are plenty of pockets of hope, well-placed humor, and moments of levity that prevent you from needing a break from the depth and darkness that could consume you otherwise while reading through some of the bleaker passages. However, it does not take away from the seriousness of the issues discussed.
Easily one of my favorite books this year, I cannot recommend this book enough and I am excited to read more from Jonathan in the future.
An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own.
June 8, 2021
This book was very good! It wasn’t on my radar but I picked it up because of the ptsd theme. As a wife of a disabled veteran who suffers daily from ptsd I’m always looking for books on this topic and there are so few.
This one was done so well and I really appreciated the author’s commitment to the subject.
Dave is our vet who is suffering from ptsd, he has done 3 tours and comes home unable to adjust. His marriage is over and then suddenly his wife is killed and it’s just him and his daughter. Dave wants nothing to do with society- which is so often the case, and exactly how my husband feels! Dave takes his daughter Bella to live on top of a mountain off the grid.
His family is horrified and bring Bella back home but she escapes to go back with her dad.
The main character I think actually turns out to be Bella which is a little disappointing because I wanted more from Dave.
The ending I was also disappointed with because it just left me hanging in regards to Dave’s ptsd.
It would’ve been a five star read if not for those two points otherwise I really loved this book!
This one was done so well and I really appreciated the author’s commitment to the subject.
Dave is our vet who is suffering from ptsd, he has done 3 tours and comes home unable to adjust. His marriage is over and then suddenly his wife is killed and it’s just him and his daughter. Dave wants nothing to do with society- which is so often the case, and exactly how my husband feels! Dave takes his daughter Bella to live on top of a mountain off the grid.
His family is horrified and bring Bella back home but she escapes to go back with her dad.
The main character I think actually turns out to be Bella which is a little disappointing because I wanted more from Dave.
The ending I was also disappointed with because it just left me hanging in regards to Dave’s ptsd.
It would’ve been a five star read if not for those two points otherwise I really loved this book!
June 7, 2021
This is a poignant and at times surprising story of a deeply troubled father- Dave- who takes his young daughter Bella (and their cat) to live in a cave after the death of his wife. Dave's raging PTSD has made it next to impossible for him to live in his small town. Bella is entranced at first, especially after their cat gives birth, but soon realizes that this isn't the best life. Their story is entwined with that of a mother and son during the Ice Age, who experience many of the same things Dave and Bella do. It's an unusual combination which doesn't always work and you might like one narrative more than the other. There are also periodic (and sometimes jarring) contributions by those who know Dave. What happens when you take your kid to live in cave? Well, the authorities do care but...Bella is very much the star here even though this is very much Dave's story. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read.
June 7, 2021
This book is not what I expected but it was still pretty good. I was expecting more of a "survival" story, like being thrown in the wilderness by accident, rather than going out in the elements on purpose and sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and letting your beard grow. I found it a bit too unrealistic but the story was enough to keep my attention and I read most of it in a day. Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.
August 19, 2021
Legends of the North Cascades by Jonathan Evison is a well written story that is complex, poignant, and heart wrenching. This is a story about a man with PTSD, whose life takes a tragic turn with the death of his wife, and now having to deal with his young daughter, as they both go through hardships and moving forward with their lives.
November 7, 2021
This book has great vivid imagery of the North Cascades and their rich history. After living in this area for a time, the books setting brought me back to such a wonderful place in the world. There are two distinct timelines that intervene and Evison’s painting of hardened life and adversity is magical. Highly recommend.
June 19, 2024
This was a 3.5. I enjoyed the story-which always revolved around hope, but also has its tragedies.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews