When you're a shy, naive girl in high school, gaining a little popularity is pretty much the equivalent of throwing a lamb to the wolves; the only thing worse is having a best friend who is really a wolf in sheep's clothing. For Sibylla this is exactly what happens, but maybe if she can discover herself in time she may escape being eaten alive.

Being the new student is like being a fish out of water, you instantly don't belong, no one seems to want you and your very existence is a fight for survival. For Lou surviving a new school is nothing, she doesn't care about belonging, she doesn't care about being wanted, it is only life she is fighting to survive, only her grief she is struggling to breath through.

Wildlife is not about surviving the animals of the wilderness but the wildness in your fellow students. For these year 10 students, spending fourth term at Mt Fairweather, Crowthorne Grammar's outdoor educational campus, is more then an education on becoming self-sufficient, it is a lesson in becoming self-aware, of growing up and making discoveries on life, love and acceptance of ones-self. ( )

Wildlife by Fiona Wood is a novel about Australian teenagers from a private school who spend a quarter of their year ten in an outdoor education program. The story is told from two different points of view. The reader learns about Lou, whose boyfriend has recently been killed in an accident, from her entries in a journal. The other point of view is Sibylla’s who tells the story as the narrator of the events at camp. While Lou, the new girl, attempts to overcome her grief at the loss of her boyfriend, Sibylla finds herself involved in a romantic relationship. And then there is Holly who wants to be the most popular girl and she will do anything and hurt anyone to achieve her goal.

The term spent at camp becomes a learning experience not only of how to survive independently in the wilderness but it also builds character and maturity. Lou lends strength to the book for being able to get beyond her grief, assert her self-assurance and help Sibylla transform into an independent young woman. Reading about the events as they unfold from both of their POV makes it possible for the reader to grow along with these two girls.

The characters in the book appeal to me because they seem very real. Their reactions to one another are those of typical teenagers. Themes abound in this book and include friendship, bullying, popularity, romance, sexual relationships, grief and death, and wilderness survival. Because of this, the story will appeal to the teenage reader. I would offer one word of caution that there is some focus on teen sexuality so the book should be directed to the mature reader.

This review is written from an ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.
( )

During an emotionally eventful term at her school's outdoor education campus, Sibylla Quinn's quiet life is turned upside down. She spends a great deal of time standing on the sidelines, not saying or doing the right thing, even though she questions her lack of involvement. ( )

Sibylla, Lou and their classmates spend the final term of Year 10 at their school's mountain campus. Dormitory living, compulsory hiking, no TV, no mobile reception, no physical contact between members of the opposite gender.
Sibylla is expecting the outdoor education program to be demanding, but it's the social environment that she finds the most challenging, particularly the lack of privacy, and managing her recent appearance on the popular kids' radar.
Lou's biggest challenges are ones she brings with her - she's still dealing with the recent death of her boyfriend, and is not ready to share her emotional rawness with her new house-mates.

The back cover describes Wildlife as a book about "first love, friendship and NOT fitting it". That description applies not only to Sibylla and Lou, but also to their mutual friend Michael, and I like the way all three of them are dealing with those things in different ways. There are old friendships and new friendships, positive friendships and toxic friendships; Lou is grieving after the end of a relationship, Sibylla is cautiously embarking on a new romance and Michael is dealing with unrequited feelings; they don't always fit in for different reasons. The story is much richer for this - diversity of experience, for want of a better phrase, and for switching between Sibylla and Lou's perspectives.

What struck me most was how real it all feels. The characters, the intensity of emotions, their dilemmas, their perspectives. The delight when I shared their cultural references. The zing of recognition when the characters put into words something I've experienced - or observed.

The writing is gorgeous... and I wasn't surprised to discover that it had won the 2014 Book of the Year award for Older Readers.
I just really loved this book. ( )

Wonderful characters and a warm, funny, intelligent story. ( )