Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
| Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey | |
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| Category: Literary Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Heather Magee
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| Summary: A strange, dark and beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in the Alaskan wilderness which explores the delicate balance between people and the natural world. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 320 | Date: February 2025 |
| Publisher: Tinder Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1472279040 | |
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Black Woods Blue Sky tells the story of Birdie, the young mother of toddler Emaleen, who longs for a life beyond the Alaskan lodge where she works as a bar waitress, a setting which enables her bad habits and her accidental neglect of Emaleen. Described as a wild card, she feels stuck in her day-to-day life, and yearns to cross the Wolverine river and live on the North Fork to fulfil her desires of a simple life surrounded by nature. When she meets Arthur Nielson, a strange, taciturn and solitary man, who says he has a cabin over there, she feels called to go - and bring Emaleen with her. Without realising it, this calling will transform hers and Emaleen's lives forever.
It is difficult to understand what Birdie sees in this gruff recluse, but it is clear that it is a mysterious and magnetic pull, appealing to something deep within her, that makes the final call. A contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, there are moments of light and darkness; of joy and devastation. The fairy tale model initially makes the story a little predictable, however Ivey introduces an unexpected twist which I felt significantly elevated the story. I thought that it was a clever arc that introduced new themes into the book which wouldn't have surfaced otherwise.
Eowyn Ivey is a writer with an ability to transport her reader into a world so distant and yet so alluring; even the forested settings of childhood nightmares and haunting myths become breathtaking magical spaces. For me, the best part of this novel was the Alaskan setting. From Alaska herself, Ivey is somewhat of a specialist in depicting its mountainous relief and diverse wildlife. When it comes to pastoral and natural imagery, she paints with the colours of a virtuoso, beckoning her reader into this awe-inspiring landscape which feels so familiar thanks to Ivey's own attachment to it. Often, the fantastical elements of the story were described through the childlike wonder of Emaleen, which I felt was a nice touch.
My only criticisms were that the dialogue felt a bit forced, and the plot was initially very predictable, so the story took a while to really take off. The idiosyncrasies of Arthur's stunted present-tense speech felt over-exaggerated and young Emaleen's childlike voice and narration were annoying and unnatural rather than endearing. Having said that, seeing how Emaleen processed things as a child was interesting when she appeared later on in the book as an adult and her memories had faded or transformed from her original experience which the reader is already familiar with.
Overall, Black Woods Blue Sky is a compelling exploration of longing, transformation, and the complex relationships between people and the natural world. While the dialogue occasionally falters, Ivey's skill in crafting vivid, immersive settings and her ability to weave mythical undertones into a deeply human story make this novel a wonderful read. With its unexpected twist and enchanting descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness, it is a tale that lingers, inviting readers to reflect on the beauty, mystery, and wildness both within and around us.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag. For more by Eowyn Ivey, make sure to read her debut novel, The Snow Child, which is also a retelling of a fairytale of the same name.
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