A Land So Wide
A Novel
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4.1 • 8 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child comes an irresistible blend of dark fairytale and romantic fantasy. • The town of Mistaken has a secret…and it’s up to one woman to uncover the truth, confront her past, and save the man she loves.
"Wonderous and haunting. Erin A. Craig strikes gold again." —Marisha Pessl, New York Times bestselling author of Night Film and Darkly
"This book is an undeniable triumph. Beautiful and dark and unforgettable.” —Shea Ernshaw, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A History of Wild Places
Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious lumber merchant, the village is blessed with rich natural resources that have made its people prosperous—but at a cost. The same woods that have lined the townsfolks’ pockets harbor dangerous beasts: wolves, bears, and the Bright-Eyeds—monsters beyond description who have rained utter destruction down on nearby settlements. But Mistaken’s founders made a deal with the mysterious Benevolence: the Warding Stones that surround the town will keep the Bright-Eyeds out—and the town’s citizens in. Anyone who spends a night within Mistaken’s borders belongs to it forever.
Greer, a mapmaker and eccentric dreamer, has always ached to explore the world outside, even though she knows she and her longtime love, Ellis Beaufort, will never see it. Until, on the day she and Ellis are meant to finally begin their lives together, Greer watches in horror as her beloved disappears beyond the Warding Stones, pursued by a monstrous creature. Determined to rescue Ellis, she figures out a way to defy Mistaken’s curse and begins a trek through the cold and pitiless wilderness. But there, Greer is hunted, not only by the ruthless Bright-Eyeds but by the secret truths behind Mistaken’s founding and her own origins.
Playfully drawing from Scottish folklore, Erin A. Craig’s adult debut is both a deeply atmospheric and profoundly romantic exploration of freedom versus security: a stunning celebration of one woman's relentless bravery on a quest to reclaim her lost love—and seize her own future.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The haunting adult debut from bestselling YA author Craig (The Thirteenth Child) follows Greer Mackenzie, who, along with the rest of her neighbors, is trapped within the small town of Mistaken by a perimeter of Warding Stones, massive rock formations that cut the village off from the outside world. Anyone caught outside the stones after sunset is dragged back into town by a mysterious force that takes no heed of any obstacles in its path. The stones, a gift from the higher power known as the Benevolence, are intended as protection from the Bright-Eyeds, malicious creatures that inhabit the wilds outside town. Greer, who is considered odd for both her wanderlust and uncannily powerful sense of hearing, nevertheless adheres faithfully to rites and rituals honoring the Benevolence and the stones. One night, however, the Wandering Stones move, advancing on the town and leaving Greer's love, Ellis Beaufort, on the other side of the boundary. Determined to bring him back, Greer must learn to evade the Warding Stones' magic, unraveling many of Mistaken's secrets in the process. The dark and twisting plot combined with Craig's vivid depiction of the northern wilderness and the horrors hiding within it keep the pages turning. Fans of eerie fairy tales are sure to be pleased.
Customer Reviews
More please!!!!
What a great read from an author who did a great job transitioning from young adult fiction. I am an avid reader and thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend!
Erin, please please please continue to build on this series! Can’t wait to see where Greer’s adventures take her!
Almost
Better prose by far than most in this genre. And a lovely brooding atmosphere up until the threat is revealed. But character development and plot were fuzzy and left me wanting. It felt like I started off reading an excellent dark fairytale that ran out of steam and settled for the worn tropes of Twilight, Thorn & Roses and their ilk.