Ruthie Fear

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers who gave me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

If "Ruthie Fear" by Maxim Loskutoff is not on your "to-be-read" book list, it needs to be. Loskutoff creates very visceral, complex characters set in a wilderness that is so evocative and expressive that it becomes easy to submerge oneself in the pages.

The novel follows Ruthie Fear from the age of six to her early thirties as she attempts to find herself amidst the violence which surrounds her and the wildlife that is constantly changing. Through Ruthie's eyes, we see life in Bitterroot Valley, Montana, full of people who feel beaten down by life and are struggling to make something of themselves, a community changing to the modernity of the world, and the strange appearances of creatures that have haunted Ruthie since she was a little girl.

I absolutely loved this story. It was very rich in detail that made Bitterroot Valley feel like it could be anyone's home due to the level of depth put into its history. Not to mention the character's reaction and perceptions of the ever-changing natural world of their community felt very tangible and wholesome. It reminded me a lot of stories like "Hold the Dark" by William Giraldi and "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson because the stories are so complex and deeply rooted in the community and wildlife that it is almost impossible to not fall in love with the writing.

"Ruthie Fear" is highly recommended. This novel is anything but dull and slow-paced, and I can guarantee that readers will be immersed in Ruthie's tale as it unfolds.

I'm so glad to have met Ruthie Fear and accompanied her from childhood through a "coming-of-age" narrative marked by a strong tie to the world of nature and bruising experiences with the people she encounters. Ruthie has a mind of her own, a persistent drive to be herself in spite of the expectations of her society. And that society is so far from my own that it is both painful and thrilling. The writing is beautiful. Characters are diverse, wildly so. There are moments when I was reluctant to turn the page but at the same time anxious to find out what comes next. Trigger alert for those who are disturbed by, shall we say, unkind treatment of animals - this may not be the read for you.

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book had everything. Creepy vibes. Social commentary. A fierce heroine with a unique voice. An ending that I could never have predicted.

When we meet our narrator, she is six years old and knows that what she saw in the mist is a monster. She spends most of her childhood plotting to see it again, and hones her sharpshooter skills in the hope of capturing it. Her friend Pip is the only one who believes her outlandish story, and it bonds them through their hardscrabble lives. They grow up in a world in the midst of change.

The mysterious forest and foreboding mountains that have defined Ruthie's childhood are being devoured by the modern world. Those that have lived in the Bitterroot their entire lives eke out an existence. But the rich have discovered the oasis, and are building sprawling mansions in the foothills that are incongruous with the rugged landscape. The wild places begin to disappear. Ruthie's father Rutherford has spent his life stalking prey across the unforgiving terrain, and is embittered and outraged by the changes.

People flock to the valley looking for serenity and escape, but they are corrupting the very things that make it special.