Heartwood (by Amity Gaige)

Initially, I had no intention of reading Heartwood by Amity Gaige when it was released. However, I noticed a lot of praise for the book and decided to give it a second look. The story seemed to revolve around nature as a significant character, and it was set on the Appalachian Trail, which piqued my interest. There was also an element of mystery, so I thought I might enjoy it.

The book centers around the disappearance of 42-year-old nurse and thru-hiker Valerie Gillis in the remote Maine woods, just short of completing the Appalachian Trail. A multi-agency search is launched under the leadership of a determined game warden. That’s as far as I got. I listened to more than an hour of the audiobook, but I couldn’t get invested in the story.

First and foremost, I didn’t enjoy the narrators. That alone can be a deal-breaker for me. It was particularly frustrating when they mispronounced Appalachia. I had hoped that the physical book version might be better, but I knew I wouldn’t be inclined to purchase a physical copy, so I continued listening.

However, I quickly realized that I didn’t like the structure of the narrative. There were many characters with unclear roles. I’m sure they would make sense if I had continued reading, but I decided it was time to move on.

Coincidentally, my husband had just forwarded an email newsletter from Mark Mason titled “Don’t Finish Bad Books.” One of his main points was to stop reading books that don’t interest you. So, that’s exactly what I did. I wish I had listened to my instincts and avoided this book altogether. Nevertheless, I’m proud of myself for bailing.

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