by Zoje Stage Also by this author: Baby Teeth
Published by Little, Brown Genres: Family Life, Fiction, Psychological, Siblings, Suspense, Thrillers, Women
Although sisters Imogen and Beck have been friends with Tilda since high school, they lost touch after college. After Imogen witnesses a deadly shooting at at a Pittsburgh synagogue, she retreats inward and uses her writing a method of healing. To further her healing, she agrees to join Beck and Tilda on a girls-only hiking trip in the back country of the Grand Canyon. Imogen and Beck used to make these hikes as youth with their parents, so they have a familiarity with the trail and terrain. A week long getaway, surrounded by nature is just what they all need.
Unfortunately, the women have changed a lot in the last two decades: Beck is a doctor, she and her partner are starting a family; Tilda, a former child star turned influencer is writing a book on her near-famous experience; Imogen is frustrated that her career as a serious writer is overshadowed by Tilda's easily achieved fame. These differences, along with Beck's near obsession with fulfilling her plan of a perfect getaway, makes for a tense start to their adventure.
Everything a horrifying twist when the cross paths with a man on his own sort of getaway. Forced to put all differences aside, they must band together if they are going to survive.
Stage’s books are instant-buys or reads for me; her two previous novels (Baby Teeth and Wonderland) were chilling horror titles that left me reeling long after I finished read them. This novel is more of a psychological thriller, but it’s still chilling nonetheless.
Stage excels at many things in her writing, character development and crafting a powerful setting are among the top two. I’ve never hiked the Grand Canyon but it certainly felt like I was right alongside this trio of women as they embarked upon their adventure turned nightmare. Their feelings of jealousy and envy catapulted into feelings of desperation, strength, and survival. As they endure this trip, the surface level image of these women crumble away as their insecurities come to light. Rather than fall victim to these insecurities, they use their anger and frustration to fledge forward, allowing survival instincts to take control.
I particularly appreciate the choice of title, for it has various meanings. At the beginning, this hike was meant to be a relaxing and healing getaway, but in the end, they did the unthinkable just to get away.
I noticed a trend of books centered around getting list in the wild or wilderness (I’ve read 2-3 in a matter of weeks) and this is by far my favorite. Brutal, terrifying, yet absolutely addictive. Highly, highly recommended.
