Northern Woods

 

 

History of Wolves 

by Emily Fridlund

History of Wolves, Emily Fridlund's first book and a finalist for the 2017 Man Booker Prize, is an eerie, atmospheric coming-of-age tale that examines the perilous limits of social isolation, belief, and complicity. The novel, which is set in the frigid, sparse woods of northern Minnesota, substitutes a slow-burning psychological tension for conventional suspense. 

The story, which is told from the viewpoint of Madeline "Linda" Furston, 37, recalls the crucial summer she turned fourteen. Linda is an outsider at home and at school because she was raised by distant, careless parents in almost complete seclusion on the dilapidated grounds of a former hippie commune. When the Gardners, a young family of four-year-old Paul, father Leo, and mother Patra, move into a cabin across the lake, her lonely routine changes. After being hired to watch Paul, Linda quickly becomes desperate to fit in with their seemingly cozy circle. However, Linda encounters the family's extreme Christian Science beliefs, which oppose medical intervention, as Paul's health clearly declines. 

The narrative's emotional core is formed by her passive observation of Paul's deteriorating condition and her reluctance to step in.

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