Review: What Should Be Wild

What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper and Julia Fine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A young girl grows up without ever having held someone’s hand or received the comfort of a hug. She has a strange, magical ability whereby the tiniest brush against her skin causes death or gives life. Her father, Peter, has kept her isolated on his deceased wife’s estate. He is afraid of Maisie’s powers and makes sure that she abides by a strict set of rules, including never to touch a living thing. After all, she killed her own mother in utero. Peter is a scientist and conducts many experiments on Maisie growing up, trying to understand her powers. While he keeps her identity a secret, he has written many academic papers on his daughter’s abilities. Maisie knows how dangerous she can be but assumes all children are born this way and one day, she will grow out of it. After all, grown ups can touch each other without any sort of consequence. Until, one day, she discovers that she alone is different and Maisie begins to question whether or not she is special, or is she indeed, cursed. She begins to rebel and one day breaks one of her father’s strictest rule about not entering the surrounding forest.

Maisie’s maternal line is filled with tragedy. We learn, through alternating chapters, that some of her ancestors are trapped in the forest that surrounds the estate. Each has their own story that has led them to live out their days in this alternate forest, where time stands still. Maisie has grown up hearing the folk tales of what has happened to people who have not heeded the warning to stay out of the forest. But one day, while trying to get home, she stumbles into this strange place. She knows she is somewhere different because she can touch anything and no harm comes to it. She hugs trees and keeps a blade of grass as proof that she is not dreaming. She is startled to see a girl who could be her twin, except for her black eyes and a dark aura about her. After what seems like a few hours, Maisie returns home, only to discover that she has been gone for three days. Her father is missing and Maisie is convinced he has gone looking for her and is somehow trapped in the forest. She goes through Peter’s notes hoping to find a clue as to how to find him, not having any idea how to reenter this alternate forest. A handsome stranger approaches Maisie, announcing himself as a colleague of Peter’s, and offers to help Maisie locate her father. Maisie will need the help of her ancestors, a book of magic and lots of courage to help her solve this mystery.

Be prepared, if you are to read this book. This is not just some dark fairy tale with some magical fantasy thrown in. This story definitely has some horror elements to it that I was not expecting. It seemed to come out of nowhere and I was turned off by the gore and level of violence. Don’t get me wrong - I love a good horror novel. I’m just unconvinced that it was a necessary element to the story telling. I felt that this book was trying to be too many things and I wish it had stayed true to its roots of how the story was set up in the first half of the novel. It was compelling and interesting just figuring out why Maisie had that power, how her ancestors were connected and I didn’t mind the dash of romance thrown in for good measure. Also, because there were so many elements to the story, many things that were set up were not answered. I don’t want to get into specifics so as to not reveal ANY spoilers, but there were fundamental plot lines that were just left hanging, not explained or just resolved so quickly that it was disappointing. Why take the time to set these things up if they are not going to be revealed.

I know many people loved this book and some of my dislike could be a just “not for me” situation. It was an enjoyable read just not without some issues.

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