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Gatekeeper
"Absorbing and highly readable." Hilary Mantel. Claire Benson has been wrongfully expelled from an Animal Activist Group and she is furious, until she discovers she's been singled out for more significant work. A task that demands all her skill, training and nerve. The Project aims to re-introduce wolves into their natural environment. If all goes to plan, a pack will be secretly released in the Scottish Highlands and Claire will be their Gatekeeper - safeguarding their transition from exiles to natives. The task is covert an perilous, requiring her to understand the land, its people and - above all - the true nature of these extraordinary beasts. Kay Sexton's remarkable, revelatory book, shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prie, is the story of one woman's fight to restore nature in the face of prejudice and fear.
350 pages, Paperback
First published December 13, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 1, 2015
Gatekeepers hooked me from the first pages. Claire is an activist who tries to force the world to be more compassionate and just, but unlike other activists she is controlled and well-informed. When she does an illegal act she is careful and knows it is worth it. When an opportunity to save a specie in extinction emerges, she embraces it despite the growing strangeness of the methods. She has gone through a personal crisis, we learn, and that clues us on why she is so observant and careful with people while committing to animals with all her heart.
The narrative is well divided between the stories about wolves and the interlaced stories about the people Claire meets. She is a tough woman, willing to be violent to prevent violence and chaos, but her vulnerability and unique views, along with her deep involvement with animal rights and animals’ essence make her a compelling character. Her attitude transforms as the plot moves on, and she mellows slightly.
The issues of limits and animal rights appear naturally, and the information and stories about activist groups are engaging. I was rather sorry when the book ended and I couldn’t accompany her any more.
The narrative is well divided between the stories about wolves and the interlaced stories about the people Claire meets. She is a tough woman, willing to be violent to prevent violence and chaos, but her vulnerability and unique views, along with her deep involvement with animal rights and animals’ essence make her a compelling character. Her attitude transforms as the plot moves on, and she mellows slightly.
The issues of limits and animal rights appear naturally, and the information and stories about activist groups are engaging. I was rather sorry when the book ended and I couldn’t accompany her any more.
September 17, 2019
I only read this book as i love wolves !.....I found it hard going untill the last quarter, when the main character moved to Scotland, as i had recently visited the exact areas she was talking about ie Fort William etc,. For me the main problem was the predictable romance bits...not my cup of tea really!, so once i got into the story then and it got exciting with her seeing the wolves the book finished ! so a rather mixed review from me. What i did like about the story was i could well believe it being a true story ! .
April 5, 2016
When we meet Claire she’s breaking into an illegal puppy farm along with Liam, Mick, Vidya, Vince and Ansel. They know what they’re there for, the smaller puppies (they have to be practical), but her cohorts are not all on the same page and Liam heads off on his own; he’s sure there’re mink there. Mink farming is banned in Britain and Liam is naturally incensed.
Because of the incident with the mink Claire ends up leaving the animal rights group and is at a bit of a loose end until Ansel approaches her with a once-in-a-lifetime offer involving wolves. It’s fair to say that The Project is a shady organisation. The more I read through the book the more I was reminded of Rosemary’s Baby. We learn that Ansel is a member and someone called Blaine although that’s not his real name. Ansel becomes Claire’s handler—all very cloak and dagger—but he’s the only one she’s to have regular contact with; it’s not like they all get together for motivational talks every Monday morning. No. If she wants to join—if they’re willing to let her join (it’s a buyer’s market)—she has to play by their rules.
She gets sent to Morocco—ostensibly as a temporary tallier for an ongoing migration project—and then to Italy—mainly in Rome where she sticks out like a sore thumb but there’s also a field visit to Anatolia—and, finally to Scotland where it looks like things have not gone according to what she believed the plan to be. In each place she has to guess why she’s there really and who might be affiliated with The Project. Who would go for such a deal? Well, someone like Claire. And this is where this book is a little misleading because the book is less about wolves and more about Claire finding out who she is.
You can read my full review here.
Because of the incident with the mink Claire ends up leaving the animal rights group and is at a bit of a loose end until Ansel approaches her with a once-in-a-lifetime offer involving wolves. It’s fair to say that The Project is a shady organisation. The more I read through the book the more I was reminded of Rosemary’s Baby. We learn that Ansel is a member and someone called Blaine although that’s not his real name. Ansel becomes Claire’s handler—all very cloak and dagger—but he’s the only one she’s to have regular contact with; it’s not like they all get together for motivational talks every Monday morning. No. If she wants to join—if they’re willing to let her join (it’s a buyer’s market)—she has to play by their rules.
She gets sent to Morocco—ostensibly as a temporary tallier for an ongoing migration project—and then to Italy—mainly in Rome where she sticks out like a sore thumb but there’s also a field visit to Anatolia—and, finally to Scotland where it looks like things have not gone according to what she believed the plan to be. In each place she has to guess why she’s there really and who might be affiliated with The Project. Who would go for such a deal? Well, someone like Claire. And this is where this book is a little misleading because the book is less about wolves and more about Claire finding out who she is.
You can read my full review here.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews