An odd story that happens more outside its pages. Grainier represents a man whose world has passed. He lives apart, alone with his wild things, and waits for his life to expire and join everything he ever cared about. Johnson writes pretty prose from an informed perspective (the information about logging jobs is so natural it doesn't come off as an info dump, but as a way of cementing authenticity), but what I like most is how he defies the stereotypes. I also love the subdued romance, perfect for the character. It's a good story too, though not full of heavy scenes. Subtlety weighs more.