Book Review: We Went to the Woods

We Went to the Woods by Caite Dolan-Leach

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There's an ominous feel to We Went to the Woods at the beginning. Our narrator (lead gal) is telling us the story after it's happened and so we know that whatever the scenario was it didn't go exactly well for her; although she did survive. The first few chapters give us a basic set-up of our lead gal and her current circumstances; as well as introduce us to the other four people who make up the core of the characters that live on the 'homestead' with our lead gal eventually. And of course we get the rhetoric about sustainability and climate change. Let's talk about that first:

Moral Message
You can't go into a book like Caite Dolan-Leach has written and not expect to be lectured about how the Earth is dying and we are the cause. There is a very, very strong message here that our current way of life in first world countries is going to end badly (as we all know already) and that we should look to alternatives to resolve the issue. In the case of We Went to the Woods the 'solution' is to live on a homestead where they only eat locally sourced items or ones they grew themselves. There is talk of the planning that is involved in preparing for winter and other logistical items that would come up. I liked that the specifics of the homestead were addressed and that the novel is set in a place where there is a true winter.

Plot
I'd like to say there is more plot here than there is. There is an attempt at plot that includes a weird nearby cult-like group, some environmental protests, sexual relations amoungst our homestead characters and other random things; but at no time is there ever anything driving the story forward except that existence is perceived as linear. So time just moves forward. It's not enough for me and felt more like I was reading a very boring diary than a story that I was invested in.

Boring
The reality is that We Went to the Woods is just boring after about 100 pages. No one really cares enough to read about cutting wood, growing vegetables, or other basic rustic living tasks. And while random things happen like a bear trap is found, some relations between characters, a storm or two; nothing really 'happens' in a way that feels like it matters. The sub-plot of the local 'cult' that lives nearby was not enough for me, and was so cliche that I felt like it was stolen right from a hundred books before it. I just never felt like there was anything interesting enough to really latch onto. So I forced myself to finish this one because it was needed for a challenge. Sad but true.

Overall
The best part of We Went to the Woods is that Dolan-Leach has clearly lived in a cold place or researched it really well. The snowy, cold winter months are handled superbly. As a Canadian this is a big pet peeve of mine with survival based books and it was nice for things like frostbite to be handled appropriately. Otherwise I struggle to come up with anything that I felt was worthwhile in this story. The way cults lure in members is not new, the idea of survival on local aspects only is not new, and the weird relationships people cultivate in small quarters is just not enough either. Especially knowing that at any time these characters can drive out to town and be a part of 'regular society' again takes away most danger that presents itself.
There might be a story to be told here but it would need to be re-worked and handled in a different way to really be worthy of telling.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

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