Half Wild: Stories by Robin MacArthur.

3/5 rating. 207 pages.

Book #8 of 2022. Read January 29, 2022.

This is a collection of short stories about different people in Vermont.

I picked this up because I’m trying to read more local authors. It also appealed to me with its ideas about the wild and its promise of talking about “hopes, dreams, hungers and fears”. I was a little underwhelmed, though. Overall, the book was fine. There were some good stories, but a lot of sadness, a lot of hopelessness. I’ve read books before that absolutely tore me to shreds because of how depressing and sad they were (“A Little Life” comes to mind), but somehow, this book seemed to skirt these topics without confronting them which took away from the stories.

While there were some beautiful tales about the woods, about family, and about home in Vermont, I’m going to continue to search for one that I enjoy better.

Quotes:

“What is it about fields? The way they make all directions viable.”

“Fifty: the age when men realize they are growing old and have made little of their lives.”

“She’ll do the dishes in the morning. She won’t mind; she likes washing dishes. It’s what she will do after she washes the dishes that worries her. The now to contend with.”

“You happy doing what you’re doing, baby?”

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