The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

[Kate]

Synopsis from Amazon:

It is 1867, Canada: as winter tightens its grip on the isolated settlement of Dove River, a man is brutally murdered and a 17-year old boy disappears. Tracks leaving the dead man's cabin head north towards the forest and the tundra beyond. In the wake of such violence, people are drawn to the township - journalists, Hudson's Bay Company men, trappers, traders - but do they want to solve the crime or exploit it? One-by-one the assembled searchers set out from Dove River, pursuing the tracks across a desolate landscape home only to wild animals, madmen and fugitives, variously seeking a murderer, a son, two sisters missing for 17 years, a Native American culture, and a fortune in stolen furs before the snows settle and cover the tracks of the past for good. In an astonishingly assured debut, Stef Penney deftly waves adventure, suspense, revelation and humour into a panoramic historical romance, an exhilarating thriller, a keen murder mystery and ultimately, with the sheer scope and quality of her storytelling, one of the books of the year.

I really enjoyed this book, and only have one complaint, which I will deal with now:

There were times when I was not convinced I was in 1867, it felt a touch too modern.

However, there is so much good stuff that can be send about this book. I did feel like I was there on the journey, struggling through the snow. I loved the characters, all were written so well and I was convinced by them all. They were all memorable and all sparked different emotions in me. My favourite character was probably Parker, I liked how his character developed and the outcome.

I think the best bit of the book was the fact there was suspense all the way to the end. The final pages are so exciting! There were several story lines running alongside each other, and two that I don't think were finished but that doesn't spoil the book at all. I liked how all the characters were linked in the story lines and how all the different stories are interwined.

The writing style is fairly unique too. Mrs Ross is written in first person, and the rest of the characters are written in third person. I liked this style, it is different but very readable.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

9/10

[Kell]

Once in a while, the literary awards people get it right. When the Costa crowd made The Tenderness of Wolves their choice for Book of the Year and First Novel Award in 2006, they were certainly on top form!

 

This novel reads like a dream from start to finish, from the way the characters' lives and relationships are gradually revealed, to the unfolding of the mystery surrounding an artifact that may prove the existence of a written culture of the Native Americans, to the investigation of a murder that rocks a small and seemingly close-knit community. There's a timelessness to it all that means it could easily be transported to any era, but it sits perfectly in the onset of the harsh winter of 1867, and charts the journeys - physical, mental and emotional - of each of the players.

 

Told partly in first person from the point of view of Mrs. Ross, the mother of a teenaged boy who has gone missing immediately after the murder of a French trapper, and partially in the third person, taking an overview of what happens to the others as she ventures out on her quest - to find her son, and herself. It's a much internalised epic that strikes deep into your heart as you read, pulling you effortlessly into the narrative and forcing you to journey with her.

 

Highly recommended.

 

8/10

[Ruth]

I thought this was a great book overall.

I didn't love the ending though - it felt very ambiguous - I'm sure that was deliberate, but it just didn't work for me.

[Jo-Bridge]

I loved this book too- I found the ending so sad. The Times review pointed out that you never learn Mrs Ross's first name which i hadnt noticed! Any ideas why?

[pipread]

I`ve got this book in my tbr pile, I can`t wait to read it now.

[Ali9321]

I've seen this book pop up in a number of recent threads and almost put my 2p worth there, but then thought I better search to see where else it had been discussed.

 

I really liked this book - the setting for the book definitely caught my attention (probably second only to the wolf in the title!) and the suspense was there and kept me turning the pages.

 

 

I was really disappointed with the ending though - it's put me off reading any more of the authors. To my mind it didnt gel well with all that had gone before it....

 

 

 

Overall though it was still a good read!

Edited December 17, 2011 by Ali9321