|
[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
November is a hard time for Cork O'Connor, and it brings out the dark side of his nature. Not only does it herald the start of miserable weather, but the month also has been a time of great loss for Cork. This year, in his 15th outing, his daughter, Jenny, is planning to get married in November, causing Cork to ruminate on his past and wonder whether November will take on a lighter shade in the future. As preparations for the wedding are underway, Cork is contacted by the grandson and granddaughter of a man who went missing in the Boundary Waters long enough ago that the authorities have stopped looking for him. Before winter sets in, they'd like Cork to make a final attempt to find out what happened to him. Two weeks remain before the wedding, enough time for Cork to take a quick canoe trip with the granddaughter to find what might be found.
Departing for the wilderness, Cork has not only his daughter on his mind, but also his relationship with a native woman, Rainy. As he finds himself embroiled in a Native American plot related to the environmental impact of a dam in Manitou Canyon, Canada, he ponders his love for Rainy and comes to terms with the walls he has built around his heart. The story is also told from Rainy's perspective, as she grapples with her own feelings about Cork. There is a contemplative feel to this book, even as the plot speeds along. Native American wisdom is provided throughout, and Native American practices such as taking part in a sweat play important roles.
As always, Krueger does an amazing job with setting. The cold, isolated, and yet beautiful Boundary Waters become so real to the reader that a cup of hot tea might be a good idea. The plot is complex and the author leads the reader in one direction and then another as Cork, from his endangered location in the wilderness, and Jenny, back in the safe embrace of family, attempt to determine what ties the missing man to the menace Cork now faces.
Readers who are familiar with the series will enjoy catching up with the various characters, but this book reads perfectly as a stand-alone as well. Although the situations described in the book are harrowing, in the end a sense of redemption prevails. Krueger shifts from a more internal focus earlier in the book to an epilogue format that fills the reader in on how things turn out. While this might be jarring to some, it can be seen as an entirely appropriate way to move Cork from his November-induced introspection at the start of the book to a more external focus at the end.
§ Sharon Mensing is the Head of School of Emerald Mountain School, an independent school in the mountains of Colorado, where she lives, reads, and enjoys the outdoors.
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing, August 2016
[ Top ]
QUICK SEARCH:
Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]
|
