Heartwood (a Read with Jenna Pick)

SPOILERS:I know the author wants us to find the direct object of the book to be relatable and sweet, but to me, a hiker transplanted to Maine, there is no way that the hiker made it that far without someone teaching her how to build a fire. I did a 3-mile day hike on the AT in Maine this week (June ‘25) and met three thru-hikers, one hopeless, one very young, and one grizzled veteran, who was exceedingly nice. Hikers take care of each other. She would have been making one-match fires on her first overnight. I enjoyed the book, but I wish the hiker was a more believable character. Who ditches her beacon? Even people who cut off the handles of their toothbrushes would ditch their toothpaste before their beacons. Sheesh.

But this was such a wonderful wonderful book. In every possible way. Thrilling and emotional and poetic and just really gorgeous. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

As a person who grew up in central Massachusetts and who has spent every summer of her life in Maine this was a particularly personal novel for me. Incredibly beautifully well written wtoith a great grasp of deep emotion. I highly recommend it.

With some literary qualities and discussions of nature and science to boot.A thoughtful, well-written thriller that’s fast paced and fast to read.

Everything about Heartwood is heart. Heartwarming, heart gripping, heart pounding. Heartbreaking. the alternating stories of the lost hiker and the seasoned but self-doubting warden who directs the search, and, surprise, the elderly resident of a retirement home who assists through the Internet, weave around the other fragments - tips, fears, false starts - sad pasts, forgiveness - to make a beautiful story celebrating nature and warning of its mysterious ways. I couldn't put it down.