The Vaster Wilds
 | |
| Author | Lauren Groff |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | January LaVoy |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Set in | Virginia in 1610 |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
Publication date | September 12, 2023 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback), e-book, audiobook |
| Pages | 272 |
| Awards | The Florida Book Award for General Fiction |
| ISBN | 978-0-593-41840-6 |
The Vaster Wilds is a historical novel by Lauren Groff, published by Riverhead Books on September 12, 2023.
Premise
Set in colonial Virginia, Groff's fifth novel, The Vaster Wilds, is about a servant girl who "escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her."[1]
Reception
The Guardian described the novel as "a hymn of endurance" with "biblical, incantatory" prose.[2] The Vaster Wilds received other positive reviews in the Los Angeles Times,[3] The Boston Globe, [4] and The New York Times Book Review.[5] Literary critic Maureen Corrigan was more critical of the book's plot and pacing, noting that "without a destination in view, all that running starts to seem kind of aimless."[6]
The novel won the gold prize for General Fiction at the Florida Book Award[7] and was named by Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of 2023.[8]
References
- ^ "The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff: 9780593418406 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Silcox, Beejay (September 21, 2023). "The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff review – a survival story". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Patrick, Bethanne (September 7, 2023). "Lauren Groff just reinvented the adventure novel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Berry, Lorraine. "Life in the state of nature". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Mozley, Fiona (September 8, 2023). "Lauren Groff's Latest Is a Lonely Novel of Hunger and Survival (Published 2023)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Corrigan, Maureen (September 21, 2023). "Lauren Groff's survivalist novel 'The Vaster Wilds' will test your endurance, too". National Public Radio. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Prentiss, Anna (March 11, 2024). "FSU Libraries announces 2023 Florida Book Awards winners". Florida State University News. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Tingley, Anna (December 22, 2023). "Barack Obama Shares His Favorite Books of 2023". Variety. Retrieved January 7, 2025.