I am still catching up with Molly Gloss's books. How does she write with such incredible detail about such an incredible experience ---a remarkable independent woman getting lost in the wild and being helped by creatures? Yes, of course Gloss has an amazing imagination and certainly this is based on a lot of history but she writes as if she IS this woman and it is very believable to sort of "live with her" through this incredible experience...both of her life before she got lost and then, the ending. ( )

I'm not sure what I think of it. Well written, but didn't catch me up in it. ( )

Gloss hits a lot of notes in this bordering-on-fantasy tale set in the deep woods of Washington State in the early 1900s. Whether it’s a symphony or cacophony may depend largely on the reader’s perception.

When we first meet Charlotte Bridger Drummond, through the pages of her posthumously-discovered diary, she’s a single mom trying to corral five rambunctious sons, eking out a living as a writer of penny-dreadful novels – mostly formulaic romances full of spunky heroines, hidden civilizations, daring adventures, and nick-of-time rescues. She knows it’s largely tripe, but also knows that women writers of her era have a difficult time being taken seriously. When her housekeeper’s granddaughter goes missing from a logging camp, Charlotte is determined to join the search – partly because her housekeeper is an important part of her life, but partly (even though she never admits this to herself, even in the most secret pages of her diary) it’s an opportunity to show herself as the physical equal of the men in the party and perhaps to live the spunky heroine role and find adventure/inspiration for yet another novel.

The diary remnants are neither complete nor chronological, and are intermingled with quotations, news clippings of the day, descriptions of the logging towns and turn-of-the-century logging practices, excerpts from Drummond’s published works, fragments of ideas for future pieces, musings on the relationships between men and women, personal history, anecdotes about mystical forest creatures reported by Indians and early settlers for decades, keen observations of the landscape, character sketches, folk tales, observations on racism, and a dark, simmering undercurrent of sensuality which she admits may be coming from her own self-enforced celibacy.

The brutal reality of bushwhacking through virgin Pacific Northwest forest in the search challenges Drummond’s perceptions of her own capabilities – perhaps not a bad thing – but a series of mishaps (the least skillfully handled of any of the book’s events) leaves her separated from the search party without even the most rudimentary tools or equipment for survival, and here’s where the story takes a turn into fantasy.

Or does it?

Drummond’s sojourn in the wilderness, as reported in the journal she keeps throughout the event, becomes less and less tethered to the world we know. Is it a true story? A fever dream? The fantasy of a mind and body stressed beyond endurance? A series of scenes for a possible future novel? Readers will have to make their own decisions about this, just as they will have to imagine Drummond’s subsequent life.

Gloss has written both science fiction and historical westerns in the past, and bends the genres here into something that is not quite either one, flavored with her unique understanding of the region and a sturdy feminist viewpoint. The journey is not always comfortable, but true exploration seldom is. ( )

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3564209.html

This is set in early 20th century Washington State, the central character Charlotte being a pulp writer with five young sons who heads off into the wilderness to join a search for a missing girl. She is sidetracked and joins a tribe of woodland primates (the words Bigfoot and Sasquatch are not used), and makes discoveries about herself, gender and humanity. It is told in the form of Charlotte's diary, interspersed with other material. The style is very immersive and convincing. I was not quite so convinced about the story itself, but this was a good read. ( )

Finally finished this book...I kept waiting for our intrepid heroine to actually have the wilderness adventure mentioned on the jacket. Charlotte is a modern woman, an author, struggling to escape the strictures of motherhood imposed on her, but she comes across as very self-centered. When her housekeeper's grandchild is missing from a Washington lumber camp, Charlotte seizes the opportunity for an adventure by going to join the search. Written as an amalgam of diary entries and excerpts from supposed writings of our heroine, introduced by quotes from actual writings in the late 1800's/early 1900's.
Now I can see why the blurbs mention "historical accuracy" and "literate". A number of the entries discuss the role of literature, women's literature, and "light" novels, we have primary sources for the attitudes and experiences depicted, and the style of writing closely mimics the dime-novels of that era. However, I am not enamored of that writing style and, not being an author or English major, wasn't looking to read old discussions of what makes good literature. Perhaps it will appeal to other LT readers.
Some typical quotes about literature:
"...since women are rarey mentioned in articles and other works of literary criticism that present a history of literature, these omissions are compensated for by including separate chapters dedicated to 'women who write' and preparing collections of stories and essays just for women (that in general are not read by men). One can presume the literary standards in such a 'one-eyed, blinking sort o' place' must suffer accordingly." (p.103)
"the one thing worth doing as a writer is to dwell upon things that arouse the imagination--upon swords and gabled cities and ancient forests, upon temples and palaces, giant apes in their revolt, and imprisoned princesses inn their unhappiness." (p.104)
I'll be donating my copy to my local library's sale as I can't think of any of my acquaintances I would want to inflict it on. ( )