Nora Wilder disappeared five years ago and her two daughters, Zadie and Finn, have no idea why or where she went. Both sisters have a sixth sense: Zadie is psychic and Finn can sense other people's memories and dreams. Right after Finn graduates from high school, the two sister plan a beach vacation in Galveston, but when Finn finds herself landing in what have to be her mother's memories, they decide to go search for Nora instead.

After reading the descriptions and the positive reviews left by others, I really expected to like this novel a lot. Usually I enjoy books about missing persons but I just couldn't connect with the characters and the storyline. The author's wandering writing style didn't appeal to me, either. I'm not a fan of magical realism but I'm sure readers who enjoy authors like Alice Hoffman will also enjoy The Wilderwomen.

Release Date: November 15, 2022

*Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Upfront: This book is HEAVY on magical realism. (Which I love) So your mind has to be prepared to suspend reality, k? K.

I loved this book. It took me a hot minute to get into it, but then I found myself wondering when I'd get a chance to pick it back up again. It was one big road trip adventure, where they met some quirky people along the way. (Other "Sixes" [people with special abilities/a six sense]) It almost felt like every time I picked it back up to read, I was jumping back in the car with the sisters.

It's a sweet story of sisterhood & family. The epilogue wrapped everything up nicely.

I do feel like some more information on Mom's backstory was lacking. I was still left a tad confused about her past... but I still really enjoyed it!

[Review going up on Instagram tomorrow (Thursday 10/20)]

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang

Is an amazingly magical read! It is amazing how Ruth is able to write about semi normal- almost realistic- fictional characters with exceptional abilities! This book is full of family secrets, sisterhood and forgiveness and I loved every second of it! I loved Zadie resiliency and determination to keep the only family she had left together which was her sister. I fell in love with Finn and her determination. The magical elements were a bonus!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The is a very lyrical novel written with a ton of magical realism. This is about two sisters, but also about memories and secrets and the future.

One of the biggest plot lines of this book is about the disfunction of the Wilder family. The missing mother, the two sisters. The writing style is odd...but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Conversational, dreamlike, songs...this is one of the strangest books I've read in a long time. It's quite beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its release.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well guys, I've really tried but I think I just need to call it quits on the magical realism. I love fantasy and "100 Years of Solitude" is one of my favorite classics, but magical realism as a whole just never works out the way I hope. The Wilderwomen was a DNF for me, but I think I'm just the wrong reader. I was just bored from literally page one and found the fantastical elements underwhelming.

Reading The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang was like going on an adventure, following the sisters Zadie and Finn as they use their unique and fantastic abilities to solve the mystery of where their mother had disappeared to five years earlier,
I found the book to be imaginative, the characters complex, and the mystery intriguing. The cross-country trek added another fascinating feature to the storyline as well.
Lang is an excellent writer who easily draws the reader in, and has produced a page-turner of a book that is difficult to put down.
I am grateful to #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of #The Wilderwomen and introducing me to this wonderful author.

”If losing myself is what it takes to find Mom, then that’s what I’ll do…”

Five years ago, Nora Wilder disappeared. Her daughters, Finn and Zadie, are determined to find her, and they’ll do whatever it takes: even if they have to look into the past, or the future. The Wilder girls are “sixes,” each born with a sixth-sense of sorts. Zadie has premonitions of the future, and Finn can see flashbacks of the past by experiencing people’s memories. And maybe, if they combine their gifts, they can figure out where their mother went… and what made her leave in the first place.

”Finn was right to think something was wrong with their mom. It was even possible that Nora had a sixth sense she’d been hiding from them; in fact Zadie was almost sure she did. But was it the sole reason she’d walked out on her daughters?”

I love Ruth Emmie Lang’s writing style and was really excited to read more from her after loving Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance. She has a gift for strong characterization, and that is evident in The Wilderwomen - her characters are three-dimensional and layered, and they draw you in to their lives.

”Nic and I have worked hard to make this a place where people feel like they can be themselves, no matter how the rest of the world sees them. I gave up hiding a long time ago.”

I loved reading about the “sixes” and their unique gifts - some of these were so creative and well-thought out. Lang struck exactly the right balance with the magical realism elements, giving just enough to make the story feel simultaneously fantastical yet believable.

”Wings were not meant for flying in place…”

The plot of this book fell a little flat to me, as the hunt for Zadie and Finn’s mother ultimately grew repetitive and anti-climactic. Even in the end, I never felt like I’d gotten a full explanation of Finn or Nora’s gifts, or why their gifts caused them to experience the things they went through, so I still have a lot of unanswered questions.

——

A huge thank you to Ruth Emmie Lang, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you St. Martin's for this lovely book. I LOVED The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang. This is a recommended read for fans of magical realism (the magical realism here is a focus, not just woven into the background), sister relationships, and coming of age themes. I loved how lyrical and engaging this story was, I was drawn in so quickly to the writing, the story, and to Zadie's and Finn's individual and shared story and their desire to understand and reunite with their mother Nora.

I loved the richness of the writing and the examination of memories and visions, how Zadie could have visions of what was going to happen while Finn was surrounded by echoes of people's past; the element of music is well done too, dropped in to the story to add depth to the magical realism. The writing is poetic and lyrical as well, the author captures the sway of music, voices, and even nature, the feeling of echoes and visions and memories surrounding the sisters' lives, and the overall sense of what it feels like to yearn to feel both free and grounded at the same time.

Lang has a knack for creating quirky characters that worm their way into your heart. After loving Beasts, I was beyond excited to get my hands on an early copy of Wilderwomen. This was a combination of coming of age and discovering family.
While some parts seemed a bit cliche, the whole book together warms your heart. There is a little mystery, intrigue, quirkiness, and forgiveness. This book was another journey I won’t soon forget.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this extraordinary book. The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang is the story of two sisters searching for their mother, who has been missing for five years. Zadie and Finn’s mother, Nora drove out of their lives. The Wilderwomen tells the story of the sisters’ journey as they go on a cross country trek.

I loved the characters as well as the actual story. If you are a fan of magical realism, you will enjoy this novel. Each main character has a special gift and several other characters along the way are also gifted. It’s a warm, deep, moving book.

Somehow I missed the author’s debut novel, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstances, but it will definitely be added to my TBR list. I highly recommend this author!

Nora disappeared 5 years ago. Her psychic daughters Zadie and Finn begin having visions that she may still be alive. They begin their search and encounter people like themselves along the way.
This was a good book and pretty much held my attention.
Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC!

I was so excited for this book, and while it was good, it just didn't quite work for me. Such a unique premise, and refreshing magical realism/women's fiction. Sisters Zadie and Finn are on the search for their missing mother, and both have special abilities. They meet interesting people along the way. It was good, but it just missed he mark for me.

The Wilderwomen is a vibrant story, mixing complicated family relationships with magic realism. It takes the reader on an adventure, as two sisters reunite to find their missing mother.

Synopsis: Zadie Wilder can see the future. But, her premonitions never told her that her mother Nora would leave her and her younger sister Finn unexpectedly 5 years ago. Nora’s disappearance forced 18-year-old Zadie and Finn apart, with Finn relocating to live with a foster family. Finn has the ability to sense the memories of a place, the echoes that remain. When Finn encounters an echo on the day of her high school graduation party, she knows that it’s connected to her mother. She convinces Zadie to embark on a journey to find their mother, using their abilities to lead the way. As they travel, they see the beauty of the world around them, and soon realize that they are not the only ones with talents that cannot be explained. Through it all, they learn to face the heartache that still lingers from that night 5 years ago, reconcile with each other, and begin to heal.

I felt as if I had gone on a coming-of-age road trip as I read this book. The details and imagery were phenomenal. This book has a slower pace in some sections, but the reader is left with that feeling of just being still in the moment, listening to the stories of those around them, and being filled with the wonder of nature. As Zadie and Finn encounter people along the way, each person's story reveals some insight that helps Zadie and Finn in their emotional journey as well. I loved the element of magical realism, but equally loved that the narrative was based on so much more than that. This is a story of reuniting with family and learning to heal from past trauma. It will make you want to hug a loved one, take a long drive somewhere unexpected, and look up at the stars on a quiet night.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

The Wilder girls have psychic abilities, but will those abilities help them find their mom who left 5 years before. The girls have been separated for most of the past 5 years, so watching their relationship develop as they travel to find their mom, was the best part of this book. I enjoyed the story and character development.

I enjoy books with a mystical or magical feel, but I don't think this one will make it to my favorite list. This was an odd book, but I did enjoy parts of it. Some of it just felt a bit far-fetched. Thanks to author Ruth Emmie Lang, St. Martins Press, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The connection women can form with one another is difficult to define. Even more so for sisters and daughters with mothers. Not in every case but as soon as I began The Wilder Women, I felt like I had entered a secret society, a unique pact.

Lang manages to whimsically weave coming of age with a generational story of love and loss. She unravels this story delicately and in a peaceful and timely way. Not rushed, and with balance, with time to get to know Zadie, Finn and Nora. What makes them special. The wrong turns we so often take in life. The recovery.

Absolutely haunting and beautiful

I enjoyed this book but to me, it read more as a fairytale than magical. It held my interest for the first half and then I ended up skipping through the chapters. My demographic, almost a senior, may not have been the target audience. It seems more suited to teen/young adult. Still, I can give it a solid three stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There isn’t too many times where I’m at a lose for words because a good just blew me away. I really enjoyed this read! The characters were great, as was the plot line. I guess I’m still left with some questions and I got lost in sections of the book since everyone was lost as well in the story itself, but it left me wanting more. I really wanted more revelations and more concrete things that would propel me forward. I didn’t really connect with the characters, but I felt like I was next to them, being their shadow. Overall, I enjoyed this story a ton and a would recommend it to the folks who love being in those adventures along with the characters.

3/5 stars!!
**Thank you NetGalley for a free review copy! I’m leaving this review voluntarily!**

The setting:
Nora Wilder has disappeared [it's been 5 years]. Her older daughter, Zadie, who has psychic abilities, should have seen it coming [she did not]. Her estranged sister, Finn [now in foster care], "...remembers not only her own memories, but the echoes of memories other people have left behind. On the afternoon of her graduation party, Finn is seized by an “echo” more powerful than anything she’s experienced before: a woman singing a song she recognizes, a song about a bird." Finn realizes the memory belongs to Nora. She seeks to convince Zadie that their mom is still out there and wants to be found. "Against Zadie’s better judgement, she and Finn hit the highway, using Finn’s echoes to retrace Nora’s footsteps and uncover the answer to the question that has been haunting them for years: Why did she leave? But the more time Finn spends in their mother’s past, the harder it is for her to return to the present, to return to herself. As Zadie feels her sister start to slip away, she will have to decide what lengths she is willing to go to to find their mother, knowing that if she chooses wrong, she could lose them both for good." Phew. [and oy]

What can I say?! This book was just not for me.

I very much liked Lang's Beasts of Extraordfinary Circumstance so I was looking forward to this book. BUT, I plodded along and was never engaged. The characters and plot did nothing for me. I never cared. and was never invested. I thought it was flat. The writing was --ok--nothing more.

I give kudos for originality --but that's it. In the distinct minority of readers.

2.5 but not rounding up.

And the ending--NOT FOR ME [no spoiler].

Beautifully enchanting, lyrical and magical. This story was so unique and told in such mesmerizing ways. I wasn't sure at first where I was to be taken, but as the story built and I became more acquainted with the two Wilder sisters I knew I was in for a ride. This story will have you needing answers, and then rejoicing over the outcomes. This one will stay with me for days to come....

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.