Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of We Went to the Woods by Caite Dolan-Leach in exchange for an honest review.
First - the good: This novel was beautifully written, with a fair amount of character development. I could feel the grittiness of the earth, the commune, the fragile relationships. I could feel the ease as well as the tension as they navigated through life on the Homestead.
Now - the bad: I could not wait for this novel to end. I just wanted it to be over! It took forever to get to the point, and to the climax of the story. I nearly did not finish this novel, but I felt that I had to since I was given an ARC. To me, the story just dragged on and on and on.
The story is about 5 millennials who are disillusioned with the world and the corporate impact on the environment. They are adamant about preserving the earth for future generations. They are all from well-to-do families, except for Mack (Mackenzie) who is a struggling former PhD candidate (anthropology) who had an unfortunate and embarrassing moment on reality television. Of course, I didn't think it was so bad that it warranted all the attention - plus it took a long time for that incident to be revealed. Plus, there is a seedy undertone to the entire commune experience that comes to light late in the book.
I feel as if this was not the book for me. I like more action, and I felt like I was watching paint dry. This just didn't do it for me.
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