I slowed down near the end of this book
5
By Gary Manko
I slowed down my pace of reading this beautifully written and compelling novel near its end. I did this not because the plot became convoluted or because I lost interest but rather because I did not wish to say goodbye to such richly portrayed characters with whom I had quickly bonded. The novel unfolds through the perspectives of three women:
• Valerie, whose poetic journal entries (addressed to her mother) chronicle her ordeal and emotional unraveling;
• Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden leading the search, herself grappling with her mother’s disapproval;
• Lena, a 76-year-old retired botanist in a wheelchair, who becomes unexpectedly involved in the case and undergoes one of the book’s most satisfying transformations.
Each voice is distinct, and Gaige excels at weaving their stories together, using the search for Valerie as a catalyst for deeper examinations of regret, resilience, and reconciliation.
Amity Gaige’s Heartwood is a genre-blending literary mystery that begins with the disappearance of Valerie Gillis, a nurse and experienced hiker, near the end of her solo trek along the Appalachian Trail. What could have been a straightforward survival thriller becomes, in Gaige’s hands, a nuanced exploration of mother-daughter bonds, personal reinvention, and the ways women navigate wildernesses both literal and emotional. Each voice is distinct, and Gaige excels at weaving their stories together, using the search for Valerie as a catalyst for deeper examinations of regret, resilience, and reconciliation.
Heartwood is as much about the internal landscapes of its characters as it is about the physical dangers of the Appalachian Trail. Gaige’s prose is lush and immersive, vividly capturing the wild beauty of Maine and the unique subculture of long-distance hikers—complete with “tramily,” trail names, and midnight rituals. The novel is steeped in the realities of post-pandemic exhaustion, especially through Valerie’s reflections as a nurse, and the persistent ache of imperfect familial love.
The novel’s greatest strengths lie in its atmospheric writing and the emotional complexity of its supporting characters, particularly Lena and Beverly, whose arcs are rendered with nuance and empathy. While the suspense is present, it’s more slow-burning than pulse-pounding; readers seeking a conventional thriller may find the pacing gentle and the resolution more meditative than shocking. Some critics note that Valerie, despite being the narrative’s center, can feel less fully realized than the women searching for her, and her marriage subplot is less compelling than her relationship with her mother.
Heartwood is a beautifully written, introspective novel that balances suspense with deep character study. It will appeal to readers who appreciate literary mysteries, evocative nature writing, and stories about women finding strength in the face of loss and uncertainty. The Appalachian Trail setting is rendered so vividly that even armchair adventurers will feel transported.
