Moments from this book linger in my mind as if they are my own memories -- the freckle on Patra's eyelid, the lake in the morning, a headache caused by the teeth on a stolen blue headband. The History of Wolves haunts me, and the sadness of its young protagonist makes my heart ache. What an incredible gift author Emily Fridlund has to pull outsiders directly into her paper and ink and the soul of her characters. Despite its darkness, I was so involved with the characters that I could not stop reading until I had finished this story set in the countryside of northern Minnesota. The beauty of the place is married to economic privation as well as the greater loss of meaningful family and friends. Yet, wealth ultimately exists in nature and its observation. And lest you think this book is purely observational, it is also an unfolding tragedy that plays itself out as a kind of mystery within the glorious fabric of Fridlund's writing. I hope we see many more novels from Ms. Fridlund. Thank you for touching me so profoundly.
