Kantner, Seth. Ordinary Wolves. Milkweeds, 2004.
Reason read: Colorado’s Wolf Preserve opened in the month of June and while Ordinary Wolves isn’t exactly about wolves, I chose this book to honor the place.
Life can be brutally harsh, especially in the far reaches of the Alaskan tundra. Seth Kantner does not sugarcoat the Alaskan way of life. Violence is a simple reality whether it be hunting animals to stay alive or getting into fights with bullies for being too different or “too white” in Inupiaq country. The violent subject matter often throws cold water on the warmth of Kantner’s writing; for Ordinary Wolves despite the pain is also beautiful and lyrical. Emotions are physical entities: distrust squirted, embarrassment marched and memory pretended. Kantner writes in the language of keen observation and passion. I was seduced by the aromas of the land: coffee and campfire, the forest and snow.
Told in three parts, Ordinary Wolves takes readers from the wilderness landscape of Alaska to the city of Anchorage and back home again from the point of view of Cutuk. Despite being born and raised in Alaska, even at five years of age Cutuk has been aware of his differences: his yellow hair and pointed nose. Abe, his father from “away,” has embarrassed him all of his life. Throughout Cutuk’s childhood he feared his father was not manly enough. Despite living on the barren tundra Abe does not like to hunt; he is not rugged nor outwardly strong. Abe survives as an artist who builds furniture for extra income. Then there are the hints that Abe is not an observant father: the unfulfilled promise of a sleeping bag so that Cutuk doesn’t have to sleep so close to his coming-of-age sister; or realizing his daughter needs glasses. As Cutuk grows older his sense of self expands to a new understanding about the world around him.
Ordinary Wolves is a coming of age story that explores themes of identity, heritage, and belonging.
Favorite line, “I wiped my greasy hands on my pants and climbed up into his words as if they were a long team to pull me away to the land of strength and adultness” (p 11).
Author fact: Kantner was born and raised in Alaska. Ordinary Wolves has the potential to be autobiographical.
Book trivia: One of my all-time favorite authors, Barbara Kingsolver, write a review for Ordinary Wolves. It makes perfect sense that someone who can paint portraits of the landscape as well as Kingsolver would write Kantner a beautiful review.
Music: Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” Stevie Nicks, “Country Roads,” and Lucinda Williams (one of my favorites).
BookLust Twist: from More Book Lust in the chapter called “Maiden Voyages” (p 158).
~*LunaSea*~ 