A very well written story about two brothers, Thad and Hazen, living in Montana and the lengths they go to in order to survive. The descriptive details really made me want to visit Montana. It left me with a lot of questions about Hazen that I wanted answers to. Their brotherly ties and the complicated history with their mother added some intrigue.

Thank you so much to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A gritty crime noir about two brothers survival after the death of there father. When an offer is given to them to gather sheds for a lot of money a high risk adventure ensues.

Callan Wink is marvelous writer. If you are a fan of Peter Heller you really need to check this novel out. A+ writing.

Reminiscent of the writing of Ron Rash, Jim Harrison. A brutal, powerful, short novel. Effectively the tale of two brothers, Thad and Hazen, whose lives are changed after they enter into an illicit agreement with The Scot. This is a tale of the bond of brothers, surviving off the land, and the choices that both lead to. Minor characters, such as Sacajawea, the boys' mother, also come to life. Wink can really write and every sentence is a revelation. Highly recommended.

Callan Wink (2024). Beartooth—A novel. Spiegel & Grau. 9781954118027.

Prepublication copy provided by NetGalley.

The author has created an engaging exploration of relationships and the tensions that affect perceptions and eventual acceptance of one’s place within a family. As a reader, I expected to see examples of the influence of Cormac McCarthy and Donald Ray Pollock, as promised by the publisher. Especially in the first third of the book, themes found in rural noir-oriented novels, with echoes of early James Lee Burke, hovered near the surface of the text. Then the middle third, which followed the brothers on a journey to harvest elk antlers, veered towards potential disaster for one of the brothers. The final segments focused more closely on that brother’s recovery, both physically and emotionally, from serious injuries, ultimately offering a much more positive note than one might have imagined given earlier events. Wink has created a short novel that will appeal to many readers, including those who prefer a story that rises above stereotypes. I was particularly impressed by the emergence of the mother’s voice and influence in the closing pages of the book, an unexpected element that enriched the reading experience.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Beartooth is a stunning and powerful novel that captures the essence of the American West and the unbreakable bond between brothers. Set against the rugged wilderness of Yellowstone National Park, the story follows Thad and Hazen as they navigate life after their father's death and confront the weight of responsibility and morality. Callan Wink's evocative prose brings the natural world to life, immersing readers in the sensory experience of the backwoods. The brothers' complex and flawed characters are the heart of the novel, their struggles and growth resonating with readers long after the final page. Beartooth is a masterful exploration of family, identity, and the inextricable connection between humans and nature. Its atmospheric writing and deeply moving narrative make it a must-read for fans of literary fiction and anyone who appreciates a well-crafted story that captures the spirit of the American pastoral.

This was such a beautiful, powerful novel. The two brothers, Thad and Hazen, feel almost as complex and elemental as their surroundings, the rugged wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. As the brothers navigate life after the death of their father they are forced to come to terms with the weight of responsibility and establish their own moral identity.

DNF - There is so much to appreciate with this story, I was ultimately just not the right reader. I know many readers will adore this story & rightfully so; my reason for DNF was because I knew I wasn't the ideal reader. I will be recommending this book to others whom I know will be able to dive into the rustic atmosphere & the tumultous relationship of the brothers & the law.

An incredibly atmospheric novel, Beartooth was a book that felt almost thick to read, if that makes sense? I felt as if I was wadding through the woods and swamps myself reading about Thad and Hazen. Sensory wise, I’ve never read a book before that’s felt so real. It reminded me of where I grew up in the backwoods of Oregon. There was so much life and nature buzzing throughout this novel, it really came alive. I loved the brothers and the slight mystery that always comes with a small town setting. A strong and powerful book about family, sense of self and connections to nature.

This was another book that I was fortunate enough to be given an Advance Review Copy by the author, Callan Wink, their publisher (Spiegel & Grau), and the fine folks at NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a story about two adult brothers living, in financial dire straits, on the borders of Yellowstone (in the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains) in Montana. - who make a near faustian bargain with a they are approached by a shadowy out-of-towner with a proposition (and agree to attempt a heist of natural resources from Yellowstone, a federal crime) - as they struggle with reeling financial expenses that are the result of the medical bills they can’t afford from their father’s fatal illness and the tax lien on the cabin their grandfather built. Despite being a novel about adult men this feels like a coming-of-age story in a lot of ways.

Beartooth is a fast-paced tale with moments of surprising poignancy set in the grandeur of the American West. Evoking the timeless voices of American pastoral storytelling, this is a bracing, masterful novel about survival, revenge, and the bond between brothers.

While this novel is probably one of the most sensory books I’ve ever read. I came out of this in total awe with how well the serene, and often dangerous, nature was described. There are points in the book that I found the author may have been over descriptive (particularly when he was describing the life of their mother, Sacawajea, that may not have been as necessary to the story - this may only be one reader's opinion).

Overall, I would give this book a solid four stars on a five-star scale because of the the excellent characters that pull me so deep into this story. The characters are so deeply complex and interesting, realistic, and flawed in wonderful ways. Critics of this book might say that it is too slow paced, or that not enough happens, but I think that the author did an excellent job of fully exploring each of these characters as they grew.

As with most of my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.

for what this story was, i did enjoy it, i just felt like… it needed more.
loved this bond between brothers
i just
want
to
know
M O R E
really interesting characters were introduced but it’s almost as if their storylines went nowhere?
i’m curious, hello!!!
gimme 200 more pages with more detail

This is the first book I read by Callan Wink, but it won’t be my last. I like ve the characters and the location was described so wonderfully I felt like I was there. I hope there is a sequel. I would buy it on a minute. Wonderful book.

Two brothers, Thad and Hazen, are alone in hill country after their father dies. They must learn how to survive financially without losing their deteriorating home. Thad is a year older than Hazen, and he tries to guide his younger, impulsive brother. The brothers cut and sell wood to people throughout the valley, but it's not enough to settle the mounting bills to pay for their father's hospitalization and the taxes coming due on the property. Desperate to make more money, the brothers agree to go into Yellowstone National Park to gather elk antlers for the Scot, a known killer, to sell illegally. Easier said than done. The Scot advances cash for them to buy inflatable rafts to haul the antlers down the river and out of the park after they spend several days camping, gathering, and loading the antlers that the elk had shed. Coming back from their heist, they are spotted by park rangers and try to outrun them but fail. Thad suffers a serious injury and is potentially bleeding to death. Hazen dumps the antlers into the river. The rangers spot them again, but this time Hazen calls out for help and the rangers get Thad to a hospital.
Author Callan Wink is a skilled writer and weaves in other characters seamlessly. Much more than the straightforward plot described above, this becomes a tale of how Thad slowly recovers from his injuries and how the two brothers grow apart. As he heals, Thad begins to imagine another future for himself.
I can see this leading to a sequel and possibly to a movie. Yes, this story is that good!

People say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I'm not at all ashamed to say that I requested an ARC of this from the publisher entirely based on the cover art and the title. I don't think I even read the blurb before I asked for it, so let's read it together now:

> Two brothers in dire straits, living on the edge of Yellowstone, agree to a desperate act of survival in this taut, propulsive novel reminiscent of the works of Cormac McCarthy and Donald Ray Pollock.

> In an aging, timber house hand-built into the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains, two brothers are struggling to keep up with their debts. They live off the grid, on the fringe of Yellowstone, surviving off the wild after the death of their father. Thad, the elder, is more capable of engaging with things like the truck registration, or the medical bills they can’t afford from their father’s fatal illness, or the tax lien on the cabin their grandfather built, while Hazen is . . . different, more instinctual, deeply in tune with the natural world.

> Desperate for money, they are approached by a shadowy out-of-towner with a proposition, and the brothers agree to attempt a heist of natural resources from Yellowstone, a federal crime. Beartooth is a fast-paced tale with moments of surprising poignancy set in the grandeur of the American West. Evoking the timeless voices of American pastoral storytelling, this is a bracing, masterful novel about survival, revenge, and the bond between brothers.

I won't bury the lede here. I really loved *Beartooth*, and it's a strong contender for my favourite book so far this year.

I'm a very fast trader generally, and this is a relatively short book, so I expected to rattle through it. The blurb promises a "fast-paced tale" but I didn't find that to be the case (which sounds like a criticism, but it isn't). There's a quality to Wink's writing, and to the sprawling, verdant setting, that almost demands you slow down and drink it in. I found myself stopping for a few minutes after each section to sit and reflect on what I'd just read before carrying on, which is not something I generally do when I'm reading.

Despite being a novel about adult men this feels like a coming-of-age story in a lot of ways. Thad begins the novel as an elder brother acting almost as a surrogate father to his younger brother, their actual father dead and their mother absent. He's dealing with debts, with trying to keep the house standing, with making sure that they have enough money to eat, with making sure that they both keep working. But it's all too much, and he's on the verge of becoming "worn out", something his father always warned him against. After their heist doesn't pan out the way they expect it to he retreats into himself, shutting himself away from the world and entering a sort of hibernation that sees him almost regress to childhood. And it's through this regression that his brother is finally allowed to step out from under his shadow and to start carving his own path - a path that leads him away from Thad, ultimately. By the time Thad finally emerges from his hibernation it's as a transformed man who, maybe, is finally ready to join the world in ways he never has before.

Wink's prose is fantastic, painting his world in small details that add up to a much larger whole. His characters feel alive, ready to stride off the page, and the relationship between Thad and his brother feels real and complex and honest. We don't spend much time with Hazen but I really felt like I knew him and understood him - possibly better than his brother understood him - despite that.

The publisher lists this under "Mystery & Thrillers" and I suppose that that's true, in that the plot concerns itself with a criminal act and the subsequent fallout from it, including an act of extreme violence that the entire narrative hinges around. But we never actually see the violence, only the consequences of it, and the heist is slow and measured and undertaker in the depths of night with nobody else around. It's the quietest thriller I've ever read. Much like the relationships that Wink develops, much of what's important here happens off the page, but we understand enough to be able to piece it together ourselves.

This one doesn't come out until February next year, but I'll definitely be picking up a physical copy when it lands.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

3,5 stars.

Beartooth takes you in a well-described, detailed study of the psyche of Montana and two brothers Hazen and Thad.
They struggle to make the ends meet, and work hard to do so.
The quiet of their lives in the pastoral setting of the Yellowstone is then forever disturbed.
The descriptions and character studies are amazing. 5/5
Plot 3/5
Concept, mood 4.5/5

#Beartooth #NetGalley

A beautifully detailed story of two brothers, living in the mountains. With nothing but their love for their fathers house and the love of using the land around them to money. A bond like no other, this novel takes you on a journey through the heart of the countries most praised lands, griping you to the page by the detailed deception and wonderful characters. This novel will hold you to your heart till the last page, all while still wondering what happened after the last page.

I really enjoyed this book! A quick and enjoyable read! Beautifully descriptive writing puts you right in the middle of the wilds of Montana. I could smell the river, the wildlife, and was right there in the Cottonwoods in the Fall!
Brothers Thad and Hazen set out on a trip to Yellowstone to poach antlers and it all goes wrong. Some great characters and relationships between the brothers, their absent mom Sacajaweia, and a sinister man called The Scot!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers Spiegel &Grau for my e-ARC.

I liked this book a lot more than I honestly thought I was going to. Reading the description kind of gives off an old man/dad book kind of vibe that I normally wouldn't pick up, but this book was super engaging. It reminded me of a northwest version of "No Country for Old Men."

This book is filled with such rich descriptions that it's almost like an assault on the senses. I've never been in the deep woods of Montana before, but I feel like I could recognize them by appearance and smell, such based on this authors writing.

I thought the characters were the best part of this book. Both Thad and Hazen were incredibly fleshed out and felt so real. I loved the older/younger brother dynamic. The slow reveal of who Hazen was as a person, despite seeing him mostly through the biased eyes of older brother Thad, was really well done. I wish part of the novel had been done in Hazen's POV because he was my favorite.

My only issue with the novel waa that I was expecting more of the novel to be them out in the mountains conducting the 'heist'. It felt like it came and went pretty quickly to me. I also feel a lot of the action id like to have seen happened off the page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing me an ARC.

This was a well written quick and suspenseful read. My heart races several times while reading this book. I couldn’t take my eyes off the page.

Two brothers Thad and Hazen, scratch out a living off the land in the wilderness of Montana.
Callander Wink’s descriptive language takes you so close to the wilds you can almost smell the sweat, chopped wood and buffalo carcasses.
In the heist to take antlers out of Yellowstone, the tension is palpable as the brothers battle to get down river past the Park Rangers!
It’s 5 stars from me and another author added to my must read list!