A retired English teacher has come home to Appalachia, a land of industrial disaster and natural beauty. He has been enticed by stories of Wildcat's transformation: the collective action embodied in Hotel Wildcat, as well as the artisanal pursuits springing to life in the old iron mill. But in returning, he must confront his dark memories: the lost love of his hippie-chic girlfriend, not to mention the lost trust between his middle-class family and the working-class community of Wildcat.
Written in the lyrical grit so characteristic of America's Rust Belt, Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is literary fiction that reads like a memoir and cultural fiction that testifies to the redemptive potential of rediscovered friendship, the restorative power of nature, and our personal and communal capacity for transformation.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is a richly rendered novel set in the titular region of the United States. It is not entirely clear to what romance the subtitle refers—the romance of the town of Wildcat, or the romance between the main character and former girlfriend, Carolyn. There's a case to be made that the lovingly crafted portrait of a small town experiencing a communal renaissance is the real love affair.
Prose: There are moments when the prose style works beautifully and the simplicity is elegant (when describing the communal nature of meals at Hotel Wildcat, the woodcrafts at the mill, beekeeping, and mushrooms). At other times, the prose reaches too far to achieve lyricism. The overall effect of the storytelling makes the work feel like an immersive fairy tale.
Originality: Wildcat is infused with atmosphere and charm, if not always forward thrust or tension. As a portrayal of a town decimated by catastrophic job loss and now experiencing a revival through communal living, art, and handcrafted products, there is an undeniable freshness and vitality in the concept.
Character/Execution: The author has an appealing storytelling style that will leave an impression on readers. However, the characters, relationships, and motivations depicted both in the recollections and in the present never quite tip into full portraits.
Date Submitted: April 04, 2024
