What a surprise this novel was! If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, I think you'll love this addictive and brutal read. Like, in a dark, dark way. 
 The Wolf Road is a post-apocalyptic suspense story in the vein of a revenge western - think The Revenant meets The Road. It's a strong debut novel, gripping and beautiful at the same time. Beth Lewis also has a great nose for cliffhangers, and never lets the tension up after beginning her first chapter in medias res. 
 Elka, the incredibly willful 17-year-old protagonist, treks north into unknown territory with a terrifying monster stalking her trail. As Elka faces one horrible threat after another, I believe Lewis is commenting on the constant and repeated violence threatening the female gender in society. Time and again Elka trusts a stranger only to then discover their harmful intentions. Even the terrain and weather are dangerous, ruined by the reckless actions of generations past. 
 But Elka is a real badass, and a terrific voice to lead us through this journey. She has absolutely no one to rely on, and forging any new worthwhile connections seems almost impossible. That is, until a chance encounter with someone quite different from Elka lights a spark of hope in the proverbial tinder box. 
 If I have a criticism, I'll say that some readers may have an issue with a few twists of fate in the plot. But I honestly wasn't bothered by the choices. 
 The Wolf Road explores stories of suppressed traumas and shame, of survival, forgiveness, and redemption. Lewis asks the reader: do you believe humans are capable of symbiosis with the earth? With one another? If not, perhaps we're each truly alone in this world.