Wild Land is Rebecca Hodge’s debut novel. I read it in part because I had read parts of it in a writing class some time ago and wanted to see how the novel had turned out. Also, I was intrigued that Hodge had chosen a middle-aged female with breast cancer as her protagonist.
When her cancer recurs, Kat Jamison wants time for self-reflection and decides to spend a month in the cabin where she and her husband once stayed. Her time for herself vanishes almost immediately when her daughter, Sara, appears with a dog named Juni that she wants her mother to foster. Kat also picks up a stray dog, Tye, along the way. Then, Malcom a neighbor down the road, appears with his newly adopted son, Nirav. Later she meets Scott and his daughter, Lily. When asked to babysit Lily while her father works on a last-minute work project, Kat agrees and also invites Nirav. That night, when lightning starts a wild fire, Kat must save both children, both dogs, and herself. The two fathers, Scott and Malcom, team up to try to rescue their children. What ensues is an incredible story of survival.
Hodge’s characterizations are spot-on. There is plenty of action to keep the reader enthralled. The novel is women’s fiction at its best, with a flawed, but heroic woman with deep internal issues to deal with as well as a cast of complex supporting characters who also must deal with their own issues. Each of the supporting cast has a full character arc.
********************
Wild Land is available through:
********************
This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases.
