These Silent Woods

 

That ending …. I don’t know how to feel!

Before I get into that:

Cooper and eight-year-old Finch are a dad and daughter living off the land and off the grid in his Army buddy’s cabin in the Appalachian mountains. I won’t give spoilers, but we know that something happened when Finch was a baby, and they’ve been perpetually on guard against threats to their life together ever since. Now, after years of relative quiet, when an unexpected event happens, life as they know it is put to the test.

The story is told entirely from Cooper’s POV, and let me say: he’s kind of a mess, though a good-hearted one. Present day chapters are interspersed with those of the past events that got him here. This birds-eye view of his state of mind and thought processes as he struggles to give freedom to bright, inquisitive Finch, while also protecting her from a past he’s largely hidden from her, made me care for both of them. I felt his loneliness, vulnerability and distrust of others, but also cheered his seed of hope that maybe things could be different one day.

Other characters - like mysterious and nosy neighbor, Scotland, whose actions and intentions are kept very ambiguous, and Marie, the sister of Jake, Cooper’s aforementioned Army buddy, added some nice intrigue and interaction, as I was never sure who could be trusted or what impact they’d have on Cooper and Finch.

All those good things said, I’m so conflicted! It’s an emotionally compelling story about a father’s love for his daughter, and the lengths he would go to to protect her. How could I not love that? The answer is, I do! I fell in love with this pair, and was rooting for them the whole way. Finch’s openness, maturity, affinity for poetry and budding independence were a nice balance to Cooper’s loving, but anxiety-riddled and more jaded view of others.

So why not the full 5 stars?

As I stated up front, it’s the ending. Let me stress: it’s a good one, and I don’t dislike it, I’m just torn by the decision of one of the characters, which was somehow deeply moving and utterly soul-crushing at the very same time. I understand WHAT was done - I’m just not sure I could fully buy into WHY it was done, despite the character’s explanation. Other readers will likely find it the best part of the story, so it just depends on how you perceive it. It’s a beautiful story which I highly recommend, and I look forward to more by author Kimi Cunningham Grant! For the record, I can totally see this being made into a movie, and I'd be there for it.


★★★★ ½ (rounded down to 4)

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and author Kimi Cunningham Grant for this ARC in exchange for my honest views. This is due to be published October 26, 2021.