Inland - Wyrms.de

No cover — Téa Obreht: Inland (Hardcover, 2019, Random House)

Hardcover

Published Nov. 19, 2019 by Random House.

ISBN:: 978-0-8129-9286-1

(1 review)

In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life--her husband, who has gone in search of water for the parched household, and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Nora is biding her time with her youngest son, who is convinced that a mysterious beast is stalking the land around their home.

Meanwhile, Lurie is a former outlaw and a man haunted by ghosts. He sees lost souls who want something from him, and he finds reprieve from their longing in an unexpected relationship that inspires a momentous expedition across the West. The way in which Lurie's death-defying trek at last intersects with Nora's plight is the surprise and suspense of this brilliant novel.

Mythical, lyrical, and sweeping in scope, Inland is grounded in true but little-known …

In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life--her husband, who has gone in search of water for the parched household, and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Nora is biding her time with her youngest son, who is convinced that a mysterious beast is stalking the land around their home.

Meanwhile, Lurie is a former outlaw and a man haunted by ghosts. He sees lost souls who want something from him, and he finds reprieve from their longing in an unexpected relationship that inspires a momentous expedition across the West. The way in which Lurie's death-defying trek at last intersects with Nora's plight is the surprise and suspense of this brilliant novel.

Mythical, lyrical, and sweeping in scope, Inland is grounded in true but little-known history. It showcases all of Téa Obreht's talents as a writer, as she subverts and reimagines the myths of the American West, making them entirely--and unforgettably--her own.

1 edition

Stephanie Jane reviewed Inland by Téa Obreht

A wonderfully distinctive work

4 stars

Inland is, on the face of it, a historical Western novel set in an arid, drought ridden landscape which Obreht breathtakingly evokes on every page. Two narrative threads tell the stories of Nora - endlessly awaiting the return of her husband and sons - and Lurie - remembering his adventurous camelteering days. I absolutely loved the way their lives eventually connected and hadn't figured it out in advance even though, with hindsight, perhaps the clues were there. I had no idea of the role camel trains had played in Wild West exploration or even that camels had been taken to 1850s America so I was fascinated to learn about this forgotten history. Obreht wove facts into an almost Hispanic magical realism novel which I felt fitted brilliantly well with frequent opaque visions of spirits and ghosts who cling tenaciously to some of the living characters.

My problem with Inland is …

Inland is, on the face of it, a historical Western novel set in an arid, drought ridden landscape which Obreht breathtakingly evokes on every page. Two narrative threads tell the stories of Nora - endlessly awaiting the return of her husband and sons - and Lurie - remembering his adventurous camelteering days. I absolutely loved the way their lives eventually connected and hadn't figured it out in advance even though, with hindsight, perhaps the clues were there. I had no idea of the role camel trains had played in Wild West exploration or even that camels had been taken to 1850s America so I was fascinated to learn about this forgotten history. Obreht wove facts into an almost Hispanic magical realism novel which I felt fitted brilliantly well with frequent opaque visions of spirits and ghosts who cling tenaciously to some of the living characters.

My problem with Inland is that it took me nearly a quarter of the book to really begin to understand the story. I'm not sure if this was because the early chapters are particularly baffling or because my reading was more fragmented than usual due to a lack of time. I will be interested to find out if other reviewers thought the same. Once I got into the story however, I was transported by it. Obreht's understanding of her disparate characters is impressive and their actions felt authentic and believable throughout, especially considering their increasingly dire circumstances. I felt 'that sorry' for poor put-upon Josie! There's a great depth to this novel and I appreciated the mix of domestic detail, political manoeuvring and otherworldly interation. It all makes for a wonderfully distinctive work!