The New Wilderness

My engagement level with the plot waxed and waned. There was something in the logisticial setup of this near-future world that just didn't click. Why this game-like wilderness experiment? Why keep them in the dark? Why keep us in the dark? Also, it felt the author really wanted to pack in all these messages about motherhood, home, nature, becoming feral, etc, but she was trying slightly too hard in my opionion. Nevertheless, I enjoyed some of this, especially my days with Agnes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I don't know who wrote the jacket copy- don't look at that. Just, go in cold.
A group of people sign up to be a part of a study in The Wilderness State, living on the land and leaving no trace behind. This is told from the point of view of a mother who was a founding member of the group and her daughter, who was too young to remember the world on the outside. They face so many challenges. It is, at times, a nature survival novel and those were the parts I enjoyed the most. The psychological stuff, while interesting, had less appeal for me. I would really, really like a side novella from a ranger's POV because I think that really might explain some things.
I'd put this in the hands of a reader who enjoyed Station Eleven or Into the Forest.

This one received so much flak from the Booker community this year, but I personally really enjoyed it. It may be light in some areas, but I thought it was entertaining. The premise, though not satisfactorily explained, was intriguing nonetheless. I enjoyed watching these characters grow and develop individually, as well as within the group. The way the group dynamics shifted with time and with the introduction of new members was well done. I completely understand why this wasn't a favorite of many Booker Prize readers, but I felt this one fell in the middle of this year's pack.