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The Mountain Can Wait by Sarah Leipciger (view source)
Revision as of 10:55, 17 February 2015
, 10:55, 17 February 2015no edit summary
The wilds of Canada are a rather staggering concept for someone who has grown up in the UK - in terms of mass, the United Kingdom could fit into Canada's vastness more than 40 times over. Towns and villages can be located hundreds of miles from each other, with little in the way of civilisation in between, and wild animals roaming the vast tracks of barely touched land that cover much of the country. ' The Mountain Can Wait'' focuses on that vastness - as Tom races over large distances to reunite with his son.
In itself though, ''The Mountain Can Wait'' is a small, self contained novel - one that focuses on a small cast of characters, and does so excellently. Tom is a very strong personality, and it's tricky to dislike him - a man who has brought up a family single handedly, and remains a vivid, relatable and constant presence throughout. Early scenes in the book reminded me of [[To Kill a A Mockingbird by Harper Lee|Atticus Finch]] - which is never a bad thing! As Tom travels to find and help his son, the backstory is slowly filled in. We learn of the departure of the children's mother, of childhood scrapes and accidents, and of how Tom has become the man he is - shaped by hardships but constantly brightened by his love for both family and nature - as well as the family he finds in his ragtag groups of forest workers.
This is a gentle, gripping read that really takes the time to define and breathe life into its characters - I felt almost like I knew Tom, Curtis and the others by the time I put this book down. Strong personalities are exposed and explored against the stunning backdrop of the Canadian countryside, and all fully envelop the reader. The pace flows evenly, and the climax managed to be breathtaking without being overstated - and the ties between father and son, husband and wife, employer and employee, and man and nature, are thoroughly and skilfully explored.