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In this first book in a series, a lonely hunter finds a community he’ll do anything to protect. Vincent’s mother dies in childbirth. His father homeschools him and passes on his trade—hunting—but does not teach him affection. Steadfast and stealthy in adulthood, Vincent wins hunting contests and a bride, a traveling teacher. Vincent and Heather raise their daughter, Audrey, in the remote cabin where Vincent grew up, with skills in crafts and literature. Heather also passes on her grace and compassion to her daughter, who helps Vincent learn too.
Vincent may prevail over many wild beasts but cannot keep wolves, driven in by dwindling forest food resources, from encroaching on their property. When wolves kill Heather and Audrey, Vincent seeks revenge. He kills a man trying to rob their graves and leaves his home to find White Bane, the elusive, infamous wolf at the heart of the blame. Drowning his sorrows at a tavern, Vincent is taken in by sisters who run the neighboring town’s sophisticated but controversial inn. Contrary to town ethics, they take in victims of the white plague devastating the population. Vincent falls in love with a leading actress in town. Just when he’s convinced he has left his grieving behind and can put his efforts towards a new purpose— helping the community with the white plague, along with his new love, Luna—a shadow from his past comes to haunt him.
Using stories within stories, the book uncovers not only the sources of Vincent’s mourning, as well as his healing, but records collective pathos. The narrative includes anecdotes from Vincent’s childhood, storylines Heather reads to Audrey, and how Audrey learns from them. Over drinks, hunters recount tales of famous kills and animals that have gotten away. Tragic romances Heather, the sisters, and Luna share with Vincent inform their relationships. Vincent listens to all the stories swirling around him and concludes that hatred and bitterness cannot have the last word. Hard-fought reconciliation is a theme to which a wide audience can relate. Family relationships are highlighted in domestic scenes, complete with decorations and emotive details. Vincent is a father figure to one of the innkeepers. Writing focused on emotion as well as principle carries the story with dignity. The stories’ positive examples trump Vincent’s efforts to numb his pain with alcohol and vitriol and keep the book moving in a hopeful, satisfying direction.
As Vincent is taken in by others’ stories, readers are taken in by his developing character. The success he enjoys in his career and early family life makes the ensuing tragedies all the more painful. Mysterious elements, such as White Bane and the crows referenced throughout the text, haunt him and tie the book to other famous tomes. White Bane is reminiscent of the title character of Melville's Moby Dick and the crows to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Dead characters—Vincent’s parents, his family, and victims of the white plague—also haunt Vincent and turn the narrative toward a more spiritual tone, adding intrigue and suspense to the romance and hunting threads. While these tools combine to effect a varied, mythical, and high-toned tenor, the dialogue is overused and less effective than the book’s prose. The book ends on a cliffhanger, creating anticipation and a desire to hear more.