When I was six years old, I got lost in the woods near my house with a few friends. It was dark and rainy and it felt like hours passed before we finally stumbled out onto the sidewalk. I have been deeply suspicious of nature ever since.
Still, kudos to those who want to tackle the outdoors. I tip my hat to the rock climbers and mountain climbers and hikers who think the best vacation requires boots, rope, and a special bag to poop in. Books about these adventurers aren’t my usual go-to, but Heartwood, the latest book by Amity Gaige, was blurbed by Jennifer Egan (note to publishers: Blurbs mean something to serious readers!) so I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did. Although much of the book takes place on the Appalachian Trail, it’s more of a man versus self than a man versus nature conflict. What does it take, mentally, to endure hardship?
When 42-year-old Valerie Gillis becomes lost on the Maine portion of the Appalachian Trail, Maine State Game Warden Beverly is put in charge of the search. As Valerie composes letters to her mother in her journal and later in her head, Beverly’s team interviews everyone who came in contact with the missing woman—including her husband Gregory and hiking partner Santos. But no one realizes that a retired Connecticut woman, conversing on the internet with a man she believes is a fellow nature lover, holds the real key in discovering what happened to Valerie. Will Beverly put the pieces together before it’s too late?
Heartwood is a much more cerebral book than I was expecting, and Gaige’s voice is more literary and poetic than most adventure thrillers. In her journal, Valerie explains exactly how she got lost, which lessens the suspense around Gregory and Santos. But she also contributes descriptions of the woods and her relationships. As she weakens from hunger, it’s not clear whether she’s describing reality or starvation-prompted hallucinations. Beverly is consumed with the search, but she also spends a lot of time thinking about the hardships she endured as one of the tallest children in her grade, and later as one of the only female game wardens in Maine. And Lena, the Connecticut retiree, introverted from her community and in a wheelchair, spends most of her time in her own head.
Another thread that links the three women together is mother/daughter relationships. Valerie adores her mother, who shows up at the search site and is so caring toward Beverly that Beverly wishes the woman could have been her own mother. As the oldest daughter, Beverly took over parenting of her younger sisters from a mother who struggled with addiction; now that her mother is in hospice, Beverly would rather help out in the search for Valerie than receive updates from her sisters. And Lena is estranged from her own adult daughter for reasons that are never quite explained.
Although there are multiple points of view, Beverly really stands out as the heart of the book and most compelling character. Giving up food and sleep to oversee the search, Beverly is determined to find Valerie alive. As the days pass and Valerie’s chances for survival dwindle, Beverly becomes even more committed to the mission. She is easy to root for in all aspects of her life.
As I cheered on Beverly, I wondered about her real-life counterparts, working in national parks and on the Appalachian Trail to keep hikers safe. What will happen to real-life Valeries now that Elon Musk is firing people like Beverly? What will happen to the Beverlys who have devoted their lives to these parks and the people who love them? What will happen to all of us?
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