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Thieves, Beasts & Men: A Novel
** AMERICAN FICTION AWARD FINALIST FOR BEST NEW FICTION 2021 **** FINALIST FOR THE 2021 SHELF UNBOUND AWARD FOR BEST FICTION **** LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 SOMERSET PRIZE/CHANTICLEER INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS FOR BEST LITERARY AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION **For Fans of Emily Fridlund's History of Wolves and Fiona Mozley's Elmet.This stunning debut uses the irresistible scenario of a hermit living in near-complete self-sufficiency in the wilderness, and asks the universally relevant what is the value of existing within a civilization when it is fraught with evil? Adelaide has lived a long, solitary existence in the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the verge of ending it all, she discovers two feral children raiding her garden and rescues them in a misguided attempt at a new life. Now she must find a way to care for children who are more beast than human. They only communicate with chirps and grunts, and they pine for their feral mother. When dangerous men and a wild woman emerge from the darkness in pursuit, Adelaide faces a grueling choice. She can release the children back to the wild, saving her own life but losing everything she has grown to love, or fight to defend her new family, risking the death she no longer seeks. Thieves, Beasts & Men asks who are the thieves in this story? Who are the beasts? And what, ultimately, defines humanity?
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2021
12 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Shan Leah
3 books20 followersShan Leah's debut literary thriller, Thieves, Beasts & Men, was a Finalist in the 2021 American Fiction Awards for Best New Fiction, a Finalist for the 2021 Shelf Unbound Award for Best Fiction, and was shortlisted for the CIBA (Chanticleer International Book Award) Somerset Prize for Best Literary and Contemporary Fiction 2021.
Her second release, Bands of a Small Hurricane, was a Finalist for the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award, and was awarded the Creative Pinellas Professional Artist Grant for Literature in April 2022.
Her newest release launches the trilogy Sex for Poets, a "high art literary interpretation of erotica". Sex for Poets: The Awakening, the first of the series, is available now.
She's also a fine artist and freelance photographer, and her work has been published in numerous books and magazines, including Black & White Magazine, Black+White Photography Magazine, Studio Visit Magazine, Emboss Magazine, Private Residences North America, At Home Magazine, and three editions of fine art compilation books by Out of Step Books. Her work was also recognized as a grantee of the 2017 Impact Returns Grant.
Shan is a lover/writer of dark literary fiction. Surrounded by an endless supply of pens, papers, paints, and clay, she grew up in the Florida Keys and was taught proper wheel-throwing techniques before mastering her shoelaces. She currently lives in Dunedin, Fl, with her brilliant kid and small herd of cats.
She finds beauty dreadfully boring.
Her second release, Bands of a Small Hurricane, was a Finalist for the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award, and was awarded the Creative Pinellas Professional Artist Grant for Literature in April 2022.
Her newest release launches the trilogy Sex for Poets, a "high art literary interpretation of erotica". Sex for Poets: The Awakening, the first of the series, is available now.
She's also a fine artist and freelance photographer, and her work has been published in numerous books and magazines, including Black & White Magazine, Black+White Photography Magazine, Studio Visit Magazine, Emboss Magazine, Private Residences North America, At Home Magazine, and three editions of fine art compilation books by Out of Step Books. Her work was also recognized as a grantee of the 2017 Impact Returns Grant.
Shan is a lover/writer of dark literary fiction. Surrounded by an endless supply of pens, papers, paints, and clay, she grew up in the Florida Keys and was taught proper wheel-throwing techniques before mastering her shoelaces. She currently lives in Dunedin, Fl, with her brilliant kid and small herd of cats.
She finds beauty dreadfully boring.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 4, 2022
3.5 stars felt to little but 4 stars felt to much so it'll be 3.7. I found the ebook to be very atmospherical to read. The story isn't something I've read to many times before and I liked the discussion on what makes you human. But at the same time don't feel like the story is going to stay with me for too long
July 29, 2021
There are some subjects that grab my attention immediately when it comes to books. And hermitized fiction is one of them. Any protagonist living off the land and away from the loud world and its rude inhabitants works for me. Usually. And so in that respect, among several others, this book worked very well for me.
But then the thing is I also like to emotionally engage with protagonists, conventional as that approach may be, I like them likeable and I can’t say I liked Adelaide very much. You’re supposed to, as a reader, I should think, but she just had this offputting selfrighteousness of the mothermentality (more on this in just a minute) that was…lamentable?
But ok, first things first…this is indeed a story of Adelaide, an older woman of indeterminate age who has decided to end her life. This life since the age of 20 has been spent in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the woods, in a small offgrid cabin, living mostly off the land. There doesn’t seem to be much to it but tending to the garden, watching nature and conversing with poultry. To each their own, right? Well, sure, but also we learn that Adelaide has a daughter, a product of rape, that she brought into this life and raised in that life, in that cabin, until the age of 16 when the kid said enough and bailed. And now this daughter serves as a sort of yearly supplier of essentials, though there is a town walking distance away. So the self sufficiency is there, but not in its entirety. Even Thoreau took his wash to his mother’s.
Despite this failed experiment at motherhood, through a series of bizarre circumstances Adelaide finds herself with two more kids, having taken them away from their mother. To be fair, wherein Adelaide has forgone some trappings of civilization, the kids’ mother has abandoned all of them, living like an animal in the woods and raising her kids accordingly. Adelaide decides she can do more for them, so she takes them in and begins to care for them, in the process offsetting the iffy balance with an evil (and super rapey) local farmer.
It stands to reason that like with many wild animals things are best be observed at a distance and not intervened with and despite Adelaide’s road south paving good intentions, her intervention is a disaster and ends in one. And this goes contrary to the book’s theme, which is meant to be Adelaide’s redemption. Second chances are good and great when they work, not when they only serve to highlight the original failure, no? It’s difficult to appreciate Adelaide as a person, a rescuer or as a redeemer, considering her actions. It’s difficult to know what’s right for feral children, in general.
In a way, it’s a story about two widely unsuitable mothers who end up imposing their life choices on their children. It’s a thing many parents do anyway, albeit usually more subtly and in more civilized circumstances. I didn’t care for this direction personally, but then again, I don’t love stories of motherhood, especially ones that present it as end all be all propositions.
The thing is just as a work of fiction (themes aside) this is actually quite good, especially for a debut. The author writes well, assuredly, her descriptions of characters and the world they inhabit are excellent. There’s even art here, oddly enough (doesn’t seem like a sort of book that would have it), in case the pictures aren’t vivid enough in your mind from words alone.
So the overall reading experience is soothing of a mixed bag, but the book is interesting, dynamic and quick enough of a read to merit checking out. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
But then the thing is I also like to emotionally engage with protagonists, conventional as that approach may be, I like them likeable and I can’t say I liked Adelaide very much. You’re supposed to, as a reader, I should think, but she just had this offputting selfrighteousness of the mothermentality (more on this in just a minute) that was…lamentable?
But ok, first things first…this is indeed a story of Adelaide, an older woman of indeterminate age who has decided to end her life. This life since the age of 20 has been spent in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the woods, in a small offgrid cabin, living mostly off the land. There doesn’t seem to be much to it but tending to the garden, watching nature and conversing with poultry. To each their own, right? Well, sure, but also we learn that Adelaide has a daughter, a product of rape, that she brought into this life and raised in that life, in that cabin, until the age of 16 when the kid said enough and bailed. And now this daughter serves as a sort of yearly supplier of essentials, though there is a town walking distance away. So the self sufficiency is there, but not in its entirety. Even Thoreau took his wash to his mother’s.
Despite this failed experiment at motherhood, through a series of bizarre circumstances Adelaide finds herself with two more kids, having taken them away from their mother. To be fair, wherein Adelaide has forgone some trappings of civilization, the kids’ mother has abandoned all of them, living like an animal in the woods and raising her kids accordingly. Adelaide decides she can do more for them, so she takes them in and begins to care for them, in the process offsetting the iffy balance with an evil (and super rapey) local farmer.
It stands to reason that like with many wild animals things are best be observed at a distance and not intervened with and despite Adelaide’s road south paving good intentions, her intervention is a disaster and ends in one. And this goes contrary to the book’s theme, which is meant to be Adelaide’s redemption. Second chances are good and great when they work, not when they only serve to highlight the original failure, no? It’s difficult to appreciate Adelaide as a person, a rescuer or as a redeemer, considering her actions. It’s difficult to know what’s right for feral children, in general.
In a way, it’s a story about two widely unsuitable mothers who end up imposing their life choices on their children. It’s a thing many parents do anyway, albeit usually more subtly and in more civilized circumstances. I didn’t care for this direction personally, but then again, I don’t love stories of motherhood, especially ones that present it as end all be all propositions.
The thing is just as a work of fiction (themes aside) this is actually quite good, especially for a debut. The author writes well, assuredly, her descriptions of characters and the world they inhabit are excellent. There’s even art here, oddly enough (doesn’t seem like a sort of book that would have it), in case the pictures aren’t vivid enough in your mind from words alone.
So the overall reading experience is soothing of a mixed bag, but the book is interesting, dynamic and quick enough of a read to merit checking out. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
September 24, 2021
via my blog:https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.
Adelaide lives apart from the world in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an old lady now, ready to end it all. A bit of a madwoman, if she’s honest with herself, keeping company with her chickens. A true hermit, having turned her back on society long ago to raise her child in the wilds, she knows it is a far less dangerous than other people. She has ‘earned it,' the right to end her own terrible suffering, a whole world of hurt she never chose. The river is hungry and waiting, she wants this one solitary act, but something curious is happening in her garden. Something has destroyed it, and she worked so hard to tend to it through these lonely years. What does she care, it will all ‘go to seed’ anyway and yet, care she does. She choses to build a gate, her death can wait another day.
Upon waking she finds the barricade hasn’t held up, her tomatoes and pumpkins have been ravaged. What sort if beast has done this? Even the onion has ‘unusual gouges’ taken out of it. Imaging it could be the long rumored mountain lion, she waits under the cover of darkness with barely any real protection. Ready to confront the creature, she feels she is being watched too. A growl, “a little like a hurricane, a little like a child wailing”, but not yet- not yet will she discover the feral children, more animal in nature than human. But soon, she will intervene while their beast of a mother circles her home and waits for her chance to get them back.
But the wild woman isn’t the only threat looming. There are local young men, brothers, accusing her of damaging their farm or knowing more than she’s telling about it. They have secrets they keep and are asking if she’s a witch (because all old woman are witches, aren’t they), but it’s the older man in the car with them who is the true evil she fears. There is a rotten history there, a story that is revealed as Adelaide confronts more than one beast. The ghosts in her head have been living on fertile ground for too long, terrorizing her, forcing her to shrink into her old bones. How long can she cower?
What was she thinking, “becoming a mother again”, such a terrible disaster her first time around, her grown daughter can attest that. The distance between them as vast as the harsh land where Adelaide raised her. Catherine knows firsthand it’s no place for children, a hardscrabble life, cut off from civilization. She left as soon as she could and resents these deliveries. Catherine’s sole purpose in Adelaide’s life is to bring her supplies but there are shadows between them, an insurmountable mountain that Adelaide is too weathered, worn out to scale. Anyone else would see madness in her mother’s behavior, it is troubling. All she wants is for her mother to come with her, back to reality. Why must Adelaide cling to this god forsaken place? Why has she chosen it over her own family? Why this self imposed exile, punishment? Why does Catherine think she was an “affliction”?
In so many ways it is a lost cause, showing her own daughter how much she loves her. Adelaide longs for a bond with her daughter, but she also needs to keep the presence of the feral children, keep them hidden. It is time for Adelaide to make a stand, to fight. The past that marked her has returned and is tangled in the present. Though terrifying, the wild mother may not be so different from her. How does a woman turn into such a beast? The hounds of hell are set upon them both and they will kill to take what they’ve come for. Will Adelaide be brave? It is a time for a reckoning.
This was a uniquely told story, one that is about violation and choices in the aftermath of horrific acts. It is about escape because there are many forms. Did Adelaide chose this meager existence as punishment or therapy? Some turn to their animal nature to protect what is dearest to their souls. Without giving the entire tale away, it is about taking back a part of yourself that was stolen long ago. It’s about a motherhood amidst ruins, of the self. It is a brutal tale but well written.
Publication Date: October 5th, 2021
Skyhorse Publishing
Arcade
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.
Adelaide lives apart from the world in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an old lady now, ready to end it all. A bit of a madwoman, if she’s honest with herself, keeping company with her chickens. A true hermit, having turned her back on society long ago to raise her child in the wilds, she knows it is a far less dangerous than other people. She has ‘earned it,' the right to end her own terrible suffering, a whole world of hurt she never chose. The river is hungry and waiting, she wants this one solitary act, but something curious is happening in her garden. Something has destroyed it, and she worked so hard to tend to it through these lonely years. What does she care, it will all ‘go to seed’ anyway and yet, care she does. She choses to build a gate, her death can wait another day.
Upon waking she finds the barricade hasn’t held up, her tomatoes and pumpkins have been ravaged. What sort if beast has done this? Even the onion has ‘unusual gouges’ taken out of it. Imaging it could be the long rumored mountain lion, she waits under the cover of darkness with barely any real protection. Ready to confront the creature, she feels she is being watched too. A growl, “a little like a hurricane, a little like a child wailing”, but not yet- not yet will she discover the feral children, more animal in nature than human. But soon, she will intervene while their beast of a mother circles her home and waits for her chance to get them back.
But the wild woman isn’t the only threat looming. There are local young men, brothers, accusing her of damaging their farm or knowing more than she’s telling about it. They have secrets they keep and are asking if she’s a witch (because all old woman are witches, aren’t they), but it’s the older man in the car with them who is the true evil she fears. There is a rotten history there, a story that is revealed as Adelaide confronts more than one beast. The ghosts in her head have been living on fertile ground for too long, terrorizing her, forcing her to shrink into her old bones. How long can she cower?
What was she thinking, “becoming a mother again”, such a terrible disaster her first time around, her grown daughter can attest that. The distance between them as vast as the harsh land where Adelaide raised her. Catherine knows firsthand it’s no place for children, a hardscrabble life, cut off from civilization. She left as soon as she could and resents these deliveries. Catherine’s sole purpose in Adelaide’s life is to bring her supplies but there are shadows between them, an insurmountable mountain that Adelaide is too weathered, worn out to scale. Anyone else would see madness in her mother’s behavior, it is troubling. All she wants is for her mother to come with her, back to reality. Why must Adelaide cling to this god forsaken place? Why has she chosen it over her own family? Why this self imposed exile, punishment? Why does Catherine think she was an “affliction”?
In so many ways it is a lost cause, showing her own daughter how much she loves her. Adelaide longs for a bond with her daughter, but she also needs to keep the presence of the feral children, keep them hidden. It is time for Adelaide to make a stand, to fight. The past that marked her has returned and is tangled in the present. Though terrifying, the wild mother may not be so different from her. How does a woman turn into such a beast? The hounds of hell are set upon them both and they will kill to take what they’ve come for. Will Adelaide be brave? It is a time for a reckoning.
This was a uniquely told story, one that is about violation and choices in the aftermath of horrific acts. It is about escape because there are many forms. Did Adelaide chose this meager existence as punishment or therapy? Some turn to their animal nature to protect what is dearest to their souls. Without giving the entire tale away, it is about taking back a part of yourself that was stolen long ago. It’s about a motherhood amidst ruins, of the self. It is a brutal tale but well written.
Publication Date: October 5th, 2021
Skyhorse Publishing
Arcade
September 6, 2021
Adelaide lives alone, in a cabin deep in the mountains. She is a hermit, almost entirely self-sufficient, her daughter long since grown up and left. One night she discovers a wild animal has torn through her vegetable patch. After she sets a bear trap to catch the animal, she discovers it is in fact a wild woman; naked, howling, covered in filth and accompanied by two wild and equally filthy children. Adelaide snatches the children from their mother and brings them inside, a decision which then sets the course of the entire narrative.
I snagged an ARC of this book on NetGalley on a whim, intrigued by the premise, and it did not disappoint.
The pace of the story was excellent, giving that slow burn at the beginning that finds you hooked and you don't remember at what point it happened. There are just enough layers to the story to create intrigue and suspense, and we hear the voices of both Adelaide and the children as they struggle to understand each others' languages. There is not so much a twist as an unveiling of a decades-long secret of Adelaide's which introduces some unsavoury characters and binds her to the wild woman.
We never find out the wild woman's backstory (mainly because she doesn't speak a human language) but I didn't mind that as it's not what the story is about. It's an exploration of the concept of 'civilisation' and whether we are really better off living in it, and the idea that sometimes what we believe is best for people can end up being detrimental. The story also examined the idea of the Beast, how this can take different forms, and that the Beast isn't necessarily the one running around dirty and naked, howling at the moon.
What a wonderful surprise of a book, and a fantastic debut from Shan Leah.
I snagged an ARC of this book on NetGalley on a whim, intrigued by the premise, and it did not disappoint.
The pace of the story was excellent, giving that slow burn at the beginning that finds you hooked and you don't remember at what point it happened. There are just enough layers to the story to create intrigue and suspense, and we hear the voices of both Adelaide and the children as they struggle to understand each others' languages. There is not so much a twist as an unveiling of a decades-long secret of Adelaide's which introduces some unsavoury characters and binds her to the wild woman.
We never find out the wild woman's backstory (mainly because she doesn't speak a human language) but I didn't mind that as it's not what the story is about. It's an exploration of the concept of 'civilisation' and whether we are really better off living in it, and the idea that sometimes what we believe is best for people can end up being detrimental. The story also examined the idea of the Beast, how this can take different forms, and that the Beast isn't necessarily the one running around dirty and naked, howling at the moon.
What a wonderful surprise of a book, and a fantastic debut from Shan Leah.
August 21, 2025
Very intense little read. Reminds me a bit of These Silent Woods and Where the Forest Meets the Stars.
September 2, 2022
The book is a conundrum and so hard to rate . It is rare to find such beautiful writing with a powerful narrative drive for such a poor story ! Although the premise for the story is also interesting and intriguing , time and time again the author lets these brilliant ideas snarl and snag with gaping plot holes . So the 3 stars is for the writing which is beautiful , but I'd give 2 stars for the actual story which is so full of holes that it barely hangs together. If the writing wasn't so beautiful I wouldn't have bothered finishing it .
I don't mind suspending my belief in Scifi or fantasy BUT I don't want to do that in a story presenting itself as realism; something that could happen , but time and time again the reader is asked to do just that and the result is ludicrous . The charcters are improbable, their behaviour is inconsistant and often implausible and their motivations obscure. To fully appreciate a work of fiction I still need to believe in the story , but sadly this wasn't possible.
Some of the details had me gritting my teeth . For example no old woman who had lived in isolation fending for herself since she was 20 would imagine that a Mountain Lion was responsible for breaking into her garden and eating her fruits and vegetables as they are Carnivores and only eat meat ! A mountain lion would hardly ignore the chickens and head straight for the tomatoes !(Although someone called Kylon Powell has a weird blog where he claims Mountain lions are omnivores and eat fruit and vegetable he is resoundingly wrong ,but maybe Shan Leah got her misinformation from him ?).
One of the other issues I had was the very sparse details or background stories behind any of the characters and other vital information was missing which for me prevented the story from hanging together and being cohesive . I had a lot of big important questions that were never answered. Nobody has to know everything and some mystery is enticing but I really feel some additional details would have enriched the book and added some much needed depth.
What happens to the central character Adelaide and her adversary was quite frankly unrealistic and far fetched ,however I applaud the author for the very final ending; an ending that most readers would have been frustrated with. It was unexpected and hard to define ....I was left wondering is this a 'happy Ending' or not and it made me think which is great . Not everything works out the way you think it should or would and I think Shan Leah was brave to deviate outside most readers expectations and I give her 4 stars for that !
As her writing is very beautiful I can only hope that Shan Leah continues to write because I believe she has the real potential to create something magnificent ,but sadly "Thieves, Beasts & Men" is not that book (In my opinion)
I don't mind suspending my belief in Scifi or fantasy BUT I don't want to do that in a story presenting itself as realism; something that could happen , but time and time again the reader is asked to do just that and the result is ludicrous . The charcters are improbable, their behaviour is inconsistant and often implausible and their motivations obscure. To fully appreciate a work of fiction I still need to believe in the story , but sadly this wasn't possible.
Some of the details had me gritting my teeth . For example no old woman who had lived in isolation fending for herself since she was 20 would imagine that a Mountain Lion was responsible for breaking into her garden and eating her fruits and vegetables as they are Carnivores and only eat meat ! A mountain lion would hardly ignore the chickens and head straight for the tomatoes !(Although someone called Kylon Powell has a weird blog where he claims Mountain lions are omnivores and eat fruit and vegetable he is resoundingly wrong ,but maybe Shan Leah got her misinformation from him ?).
One of the other issues I had was the very sparse details or background stories behind any of the characters and other vital information was missing which for me prevented the story from hanging together and being cohesive . I had a lot of big important questions that were never answered. Nobody has to know everything and some mystery is enticing but I really feel some additional details would have enriched the book and added some much needed depth.
What happens to the central character Adelaide and her adversary was quite frankly unrealistic and far fetched ,however I applaud the author for the very final ending; an ending that most readers would have been frustrated with. It was unexpected and hard to define ....I was left wondering is this a 'happy Ending' or not and it made me think which is great . Not everything works out the way you think it should or would and I think Shan Leah was brave to deviate outside most readers expectations and I give her 4 stars for that !
As her writing is very beautiful I can only hope that Shan Leah continues to write because I believe she has the real potential to create something magnificent ,but sadly "Thieves, Beasts & Men" is not that book (In my opinion)
October 15, 2021
I received and Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I am not going to lie. One of the reasons I wanted to read this novel was because the cover art reminded me a lot of "White Fur" by Jardine Libaire. The second, was that premise of Adelaide's life.
Coming out of quarantine, the hyper-consumerism, capitalist life I have spent my first 25 years around the sun enjoying no longer seemed important. The dream of running off and living the #cottagecore life a la Henry David Thoreau, complete with tax evasion, flashed through my brain. I debated why we humans, let ourselves develop a society that was overworked and underpaid. Was life even worth living, if we were just living to die?
Cue Adelaide: she has lived alone, and off-the-grid, for many years now. Although, it seems grass isn't always greener on the other side. Her daughter has long grown, and left. Her chickens, her remaining friends, no longer provide any nutritional value - unless she murders them. She two finds herself asking a similar question, what more is there left to live for? Everything changes when she notices a few items missing from her garden and instead, catches a mother of two feral children.
As this story takes you through various twists and turns with every chapter, you really do find yourself asking what really defines humanity.
I am not going to lie. One of the reasons I wanted to read this novel was because the cover art reminded me a lot of "White Fur" by Jardine Libaire. The second, was that premise of Adelaide's life.
Coming out of quarantine, the hyper-consumerism, capitalist life I have spent my first 25 years around the sun enjoying no longer seemed important. The dream of running off and living the #cottagecore life a la Henry David Thoreau, complete with tax evasion, flashed through my brain. I debated why we humans, let ourselves develop a society that was overworked and underpaid. Was life even worth living, if we were just living to die?
Cue Adelaide: she has lived alone, and off-the-grid, for many years now. Although, it seems grass isn't always greener on the other side. Her daughter has long grown, and left. Her chickens, her remaining friends, no longer provide any nutritional value - unless she murders them. She two finds herself asking a similar question, what more is there left to live for? Everything changes when she notices a few items missing from her garden and instead, catches a mother of two feral children.
As this story takes you through various twists and turns with every chapter, you really do find yourself asking what really defines humanity.
October 19, 2021
Would you want to live alone in the wilderness?
Adelaide is a hermit who makes her home in a remote cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just when she has lost her will to live, an unknown beast disturbs her garden and she is compelled to solve the mystery. What she discovers as she sets out to catch the thief sets into motion a new raison d’etre for Adelaide as she rekindles her role of mother and faces the demons of her past.
Adelaide’s loneliness and despair grip you with their intensity. The reasons for her choice to live a solitary life are not revealed, but it’s clear that she has suffered as a result of her decision. Hope surfaces as her renewed interest in life spurs her into action. Questions arise as her motives are clouded by the events of her past.
This novel is haunting and suspenseful. The author’s ethereal artwork contributes to the eerie aura of the setting. Adelaide’s story addresses the sense of melancholy that accompanies isolation, something that has become all too relatable in the face of lockdown and quarantine.
Leah has given us a beautifully written meditation on what it means to be human. Her thought-provoking work is a worthy addition to your reading list.
Adelaide is a hermit who makes her home in a remote cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just when she has lost her will to live, an unknown beast disturbs her garden and she is compelled to solve the mystery. What she discovers as she sets out to catch the thief sets into motion a new raison d’etre for Adelaide as she rekindles her role of mother and faces the demons of her past.
Adelaide’s loneliness and despair grip you with their intensity. The reasons for her choice to live a solitary life are not revealed, but it’s clear that she has suffered as a result of her decision. Hope surfaces as her renewed interest in life spurs her into action. Questions arise as her motives are clouded by the events of her past.
This novel is haunting and suspenseful. The author’s ethereal artwork contributes to the eerie aura of the setting. Adelaide’s story addresses the sense of melancholy that accompanies isolation, something that has become all too relatable in the face of lockdown and quarantine.
Leah has given us a beautifully written meditation on what it means to be human. Her thought-provoking work is a worthy addition to your reading list.
January 27, 2022
The rising sun is like a sickness, and her body moves as though constructed of crooked lumber and rusted screws.
Some really lovely writing in this book, which I found to be a mostly-enjoyable read. Adelaide moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains when she was twenty, for reasons unknown, and has kept herself apart from society and civilization as much as possible. Now an old woman, she delays her planned suicide until she can win a battle of wills with what she believes is a mountain lion screwing around with her garden. From this opening, the narrative heads off in directions I wasn't expecting.
I loved big chunks of this book, but there were a few things that just didn't work for me, unfortunately. I'm sure it's hard to write from the POV of a character who doesn't have language, but the made-up language (the "wild" language) felt like a cop-out, instead of really exploring what it would mean to not be able to put thoughts into words. I'm also pretty ambivalent about the ending. But it's definitely a strong story, and not every book has to be perfect to be worthwhile.
Some really lovely writing in this book, which I found to be a mostly-enjoyable read. Adelaide moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains when she was twenty, for reasons unknown, and has kept herself apart from society and civilization as much as possible. Now an old woman, she delays her planned suicide until she can win a battle of wills with what she believes is a mountain lion screwing around with her garden. From this opening, the narrative heads off in directions I wasn't expecting.
I loved big chunks of this book, but there were a few things that just didn't work for me, unfortunately. I'm sure it's hard to write from the POV of a character who doesn't have language, but the made-up language (the "wild" language) felt like a cop-out, instead of really exploring what it would mean to not be able to put thoughts into words. I'm also pretty ambivalent about the ending. But it's definitely a strong story, and not every book has to be perfect to be worthwhile.
October 3, 2021
This is an intense read about Adelaide who has lived off the grid in the mountains for many years. As the novel opens, she's trying to take her own life but the pills she's swallowed don't quite do the job. She discovers something has been invading her garden and sets a bear trap- catching a feral woman, the mother of two non-verbal children. She takes the kids in but the marijuana farmers up the hill come calling, She's an interesting but in some ways incomplete character; she is still in periodic contact with a daughter but it's not clear how she ended up living this way or why. How did the woman and kids end up in the wood? There's some clues late in the story. And then there are the chickens. Not a spoiler but....Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. An interesting debut and a worthy read.
October 30, 2023
"I killed a plant once because I gave it too much water. Lord, I worry love is violence." - José Olivarez
What a gorgeous, captivating piece from Shan Leah. On the eve of her planned suicide, Adelaide, alone in the Blue Ridge Mountains, becomes the keeper of wild twins-- children, feral, and bereaved. Only, of course, at the expense of their wild, naked mother. It's a novel as allegorical as it is materially rich; the wilderness seems to invade both the cabin and the prose. The corporeality takes some warming up to-- but this is easily overcome by the Chomskyan fascination that the children elicit. The narrative, as it bends and twists, soars and doubles back, serves as a kind of apologue, but the message is couched in a gentle pacing that resists its urgent, heavy questions.
It's a novel about womanhood. About the boundless, shrieking, primal rage therein. It's about motherhood, and the unthinkable atavistic impulses within it. It's about how men steal from and women steal back . It's about an ending that is as poetically sweet as it is carnally monstrous, as violent as it is distortedly erotic. An instant classic.
What a gorgeous, captivating piece from Shan Leah. On the eve of her planned suicide, Adelaide, alone in the Blue Ridge Mountains, becomes the keeper of wild twins-- children, feral, and bereaved. Only, of course, at the expense of their wild, naked mother. It's a novel as allegorical as it is materially rich; the wilderness seems to invade both the cabin and the prose. The corporeality takes some warming up to-- but this is easily overcome by the Chomskyan fascination that the children elicit. The narrative, as it bends and twists, soars and doubles back, serves as a kind of apologue, but the message is couched in a gentle pacing that resists its urgent, heavy questions.
It's a novel about womanhood. About the boundless, shrieking, primal rage therein. It's about motherhood, and the unthinkable atavistic impulses within it. It's about how men steal from and women steal back . It's about an ending that is as poetically sweet as it is carnally monstrous, as violent as it is distortedly erotic. An instant classic.
April 1, 2023
Adelaide is over it. She over everything. She’s ready to end it all. She’s lived long enough. No point in sticking around now that old age has fully set in.
Then one night, after setting a trap for what she thinks is a wild animal, Adelaide catches a wild woman.. And the wild woman has 2 small children. Adelaide makes a quick decision that forever changes her.
A dark story about how sometimes family isn’t always related by blood. That even though bad happens, we can end it all in a blaze of glory.
This was a crazy story, to be honest. I picked it based on title.. definitely worth it. It was strange and bizarre and honest and, at times, frustrating.
Then one night, after setting a trap for what she thinks is a wild animal, Adelaide catches a wild woman.. And the wild woman has 2 small children. Adelaide makes a quick decision that forever changes her.
A dark story about how sometimes family isn’t always related by blood. That even though bad happens, we can end it all in a blaze of glory.
This was a crazy story, to be honest. I picked it based on title.. definitely worth it. It was strange and bizarre and honest and, at times, frustrating.
April 15, 2022
Writing is primal, basic. Plot started out promising once I got past the elementary writing style. Main character’s actions (or lack thereof) were annoying. The “helpless” theme from her was overdone or not done well, unsure. Seems the author was just trying too hard. However, there were elements I enjoyed; oddly enough, the discussion questions at the end lead me to like the book more. I loved the wild woman in the story. The ending, though seemingly sad, was fitting. I did like the author’s use of setting and literary elements to add to the mood, tone, and plot.
April 23, 2022
Once a month I start craving a cabin in the woods and complete withdrawal from society.
Then I read a book where someone does that and I'm like "no never. I could never."
I literally could not ever. The second the shesquatch bit Adelaide I was done for.
I hated our protagonist so much but I also got her. She was lonely, it was her own fault, but still.
Anyway, I love any references to feral children, for sure.
Then I read a book where someone does that and I'm like "no never. I could never."
I literally could not ever. The second the shesquatch bit Adelaide I was done for.
I hated our protagonist so much but I also got her. She was lonely, it was her own fault, but still.
Anyway, I love any references to feral children, for sure.
July 21, 2022
This book was well-written, immersive, and interesting. Readers who do not enjoy reading scenes of graphic violence, child death, and some animal death will find it challenging. The plot moved along swiftly and the action is justified by the build-up. I think the character's motivations were a little underwritten, particularly the side characters but also, the protagonist's backstory didn't have a lot of detail and her attachment to living apart from society went unexplained.
June 21, 2022
This book is beautifully written, and while moving is not as memorable as I had hoped. I did enjoy the children's perspectives though, and the intereactions between Adelaide and the other characters. They felt realistic. I would also like to read more by the author, as they continue to write and improve. They have great potential.
July 1, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed the writing creativity of this author and the audible was perfect! The story was clever and interesting but I was glad when it was over. I would definitely try this author again in a different genre.
December 20, 2021
Yikes, was this intense!
February 8, 2022
I picked up this book on a whim at Barnes and Noble, and it was honestly pretty meh. With the setting, Adelaide’s way of life, and the mother and children, I felt like this was a story that was supposed to take place in a post-apocalyptic world, but it didn’t. We didn’t learn why Adelaide decided to live the way she did. I was very confused with all of the interactions with the neighbors, and it was just hard for me to focus on the story. I think I’ll forget about this one pretty quickly.
March 3, 2022
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this book on my audio shelf, I’m a sucker for award nominated literary fiction and I basically inhaled it while doing chores on a rainy day! I was intrigued by the premise but quickly became engrossed in the well paced plot and fascinating relationships. It’s dark, intense, thought provoking and compelling. I loved the way Adelaide’s back story unfolded as the story progressed, even though there were plenty of questions left unanswered. Great debut!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
April 26, 2022
Beautifully written but I listened to it and the narrator wasn’t that great. Wish I had read it.
June 4, 2022
def an interesting premise i’ve never read before but i feel like i had too many questions at the end to feel satisfied
July 24, 2022
0 stars for how aggressively unlikeable the main character is in this book. 2 stars for the way the child’s perspective is written.
January 18, 2023
2.5 stars
What a strange read this was.
What a strange read this was.
November 8, 2023
Beautifully written. The whole time I felt like I was there.
Read
November 30, 2024A good start but a rather Holliwood style ending; melodramatic and barely credible. i did however read the book in under two weeks.
December 6, 2024
A tough, interesting read
Read
June 20, 2025This bitch…
October 9, 2025
I solidly enjoyed this book. It kept my interest, no slow parts, satisfying conclusion, and overall a really great read.
August 25, 2023
*This is a VERY subjective review*
I really struggled with this one. I kept reminding myself that not all protagonists are sympathetic and that doesn't mean the story doesn't matter. But, by golly, this one was rough. The prose and imagery were pleasant and had depth, but I couldn't get behind the main character. Every choice she made regarding the wild ones baffled me and left me with barely any sympathy for her story. The fact that every danger and consequence the other characters faced stemmed from her inability to be even slightly reasonable made finishing her story a chore. My opinion is based on something incredibly subjective and again, the writing was enjoyable and the premise was interesting, but I did not enjoy spending time with this character. I struggle to sympathize with people who never learn a lesson or grow while they willingly destroy things they don't take the time to understand. *Spoilers*
From stealing the children (who were doing just fine with their mother) to killing the boy (through negligence) to trying to bring the girl to the town (to abandon with a complete stranger) every choice she made completely flummoxed and frustrated me. The entire plot hinges on someone continually making terrible, selfish choices without growth or reflection. The fact that she dies at the end without ever having to grapple with the consequences of her actions really felt like a cop out as well. In summation, I personally struggled with the main character; but, the prose, pacing, imagery, and voice of the writing was very good.
I really struggled with this one. I kept reminding myself that not all protagonists are sympathetic and that doesn't mean the story doesn't matter. But, by golly, this one was rough. The prose and imagery were pleasant and had depth, but I couldn't get behind the main character. Every choice she made regarding the wild ones baffled me and left me with barely any sympathy for her story. The fact that every danger and consequence the other characters faced stemmed from her inability to be even slightly reasonable made finishing her story a chore. My opinion is based on something incredibly subjective and again, the writing was enjoyable and the premise was interesting, but I did not enjoy spending time with this character. I struggle to sympathize with people who never learn a lesson or grow while they willingly destroy things they don't take the time to understand. *Spoilers*
From stealing the children (who were doing just fine with their mother) to killing the boy (through negligence) to trying to bring the girl to the town (to abandon with a complete stranger) every choice she made completely flummoxed and frustrated me. The entire plot hinges on someone continually making terrible, selfish choices without growth or reflection. The fact that she dies at the end without ever having to grapple with the consequences of her actions really felt like a cop out as well. In summation, I personally struggled with the main character; but, the prose, pacing, imagery, and voice of the writing was very good.
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