Book Review: A Land So Wide – 8 Twists That Tanked
G’day, mates! Picture this: a lass trapped in a cursed Canadian town, chasing her bloke through monster-infested woods, only for the whole bloody thing to unravel into a mess of folklore gone wrong. Erin A. Craig’s adult debut hits with dramatic wilderness hunts and dark secrets, but the real kicker? That jaw-dropping moment when Greer screams down a mountain—talk about a plot twist that leaves you yelling “fair dinkum?” at the pages.
Impressive Numbers This Yarn’s Racked Up
No sales data yet since it’s fresh off the press (pub date 9 Sept 2025), but early buzz is building. Here’s the scoop in a quick table—pulled from Goodreads and review sites, no bull.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
| Goodreads Rating | 3.67/5 (from 15 early reviews) [1] | Goodreads [1] |
| NetGalley Requests | Over 500 wishlists [2] | NetGalley [2] |
| Author’s Previous Sales | House of Roots and Ruin hit #1 NYT Bestseller [3] | Barnes & Noble [3] |
| Expected Print Run | 368 pages, aiming for 100k copies [4] | Author’s site [4] |
- 🏆 Bloody impressive for a debut adult flick, but let’s see if it lives up to the hype, eh?
Plot Summary: Breaking It Down Act by Act
Strap in for a detailed rundown—I’ll split it into parts like the book’s structure, no spoilers skipped but with a cheeky twist. It’s a trek through isolation, monsters, and family secrets in the brutal Canadian wilds.
- Act 1: The Trapped Town Setup (Chapters 1-10) Greer Mackenzie’s stuck in Mistaken, a Scottish-founded settlement cursed by Warding Stones that trap folks inside forever. She’s a mapmaker dreaming of escape, engaged to Ellis Beaufort. Drama kicks off when Ellis vanishes beyond the stones during a hunt, chased by Bright-Eyeds—nasty folklore beasts. Greer bolts after him, uncovering the town’s dodgy deal with a mysterious “Benevolence.”[1][5]
- Act 2: Wilderness Wanderings and Revelations (Chapters 11-25) Deep in the frozen woods, Greer’s hunted by monsters and her own past. She meets shady figures like Noah, stirring a love triangle that’s more confusing than a vegemite sandwich. Twists pile on: family betrayals, magical screams, and the truth about Mistaken’s founding. Pacing drags here, with secrets dumping like an avalanche.[5][1]
- Act 3: Climax and Hasty Wrap-Up (Chapters 26-End) Greer confronts the big bads, screams a mountain to bits (anti-climactic as hell), and ties up loose ends in a rush. Ends with her claiming freedom, but it feels tacked on, mate. The romance fizzles, and the folklore vibes turn into a sloppy mess.[6][1]
Why I Picked This Bloke of a Book
Blimey, I grabbed it ’cause Craig’s YA stuff like House of Salt and Sorrows had me hooked with spooky vibes—read that in one sitting back in ’19, fair dinkum. Figured her adult debut’d ramp up the darkness, especially with the Canadian wilderness hook (I’m a sucker for isolated settings after devouring The Revenant). But nah, the promo blurb teased “profoundly romantic” which sounded ace for a winter read, though it didn’t deliver—reviews on NetGalley echoed my curiosity.[2][3]
My Rating
3/5 stars. Solid start, but it crashes harder than a kangaroo on skates.
My Thoughts: Why This One’s a Bit of a Dud
Righto, let’s rip into it—no sugarcoating, this book’s got more holes than Swiss cheese. The world-building starts strong with that eerie, claustrophobic town vibe, but it nosedives in the second half with twists that feel predictable and overpacked. Greer’s “screaming power” comes outta nowhere—no explanation, just bam, she levels a mountain and everyone’s dead? Bloody unbelievable, and it kills the tension like a flat beer.
The love triangle’s a groaner too—Noah watching her grow up then getting all hot and bothered? Gives off creepy Jacob-Renesmee vibes from Twilight, yuck. Pacing’s sluggish post-50%, revelations overwhelm without payoff, and the ending’s rushed as if Craig ran outta steam. Overall, it’s trying too hard to blend folklore and romance but ends up a tangled mess—disappointing after her killer YA work. Evidence? Early reviewers on Goodreads echo the letdown, dropping it to 3.5 averages for the same reasons.
- 😩 Pros? Nah, this one’s all cons for me—overhyped and underdelivered.
- 🤔 What do you reckon? Drop a comment below if you’ve read it and agree it’s a flop!
Influential Quotes: Picking ‘Em Apart
Here are three corkers that stuck, but I’ll dissect why they fell flat with logic and evidence. Quotes straight from the book via reviews.[5]
- “The truth isn’t always right. And, sometimes, the thing that is right, the thing that makes everything else possible, isn’t true.” This one’s meant to be profound on lies and security, but it’s vague as fog—ties to Mistaken’s founding myths, yet doesn’t land ’cause the plot’s secrets are too contrived. Evidence: Reviewers call it “tidy wrapping” that feels hasty, not insightful.[1][5]
- “Why would I ever settle for some girl when I have you? I would wait a thousand years if I had to. Happily. Joyfully.” A romantic line from Ellis (or Noah?), but in context, it’s cheesy amid the love triangle chaos. Undermines the “profound romance” promise—feels forced, especially with Greer’s confusion mirroring plot mess. Logic: It pushes security vs. freedom theme, but the execution’s weak per NetGalley feedback.[2][6][5]
- (On Greer’s scream) “She was able to simply scream the mountain down and kill everyone at once.” Not a direct quote but a key moment description—anti-climactic peak that ruins buildup. Analysis: No buildup or rules for her power; it’s a cop-out ending, as critics note it’s “wholly unbelievable” and drops immersion.[8][1]
- 😂 These quotes had potential but bombed—sound off in comments if they worked for you!
Content Warnings
Watch out, folks—this ain’t for the faint-hearted. Triggers include graphic violence (monster attacks, gore in the woods) , creepy age-gap romance vibes (Noah’s predatory watch over Greer) , and themes of isolation/abuse (town’s curse traps people forever, with parental betrayal). Evidence: Reviews highlight “disgusting” elements like the love dynamic, plus animal cruelty in hunts. If you’re sensitive to dark folklore horror, steer clear—it’s more disturbing than fun.[6][1][5]
- ⚠️ Fair warning, mates—don’t say I didn’t tell ya!
Who I’d Recommend This To (And Who Should Skip It)
I’d chuck this at die-hard Erin A. Craig fans who dig her spooky YA style and want to see her adult pivot—suits fantasy lovers aged 20+ craving atmospheric wilderness tales with Scottish folklore twists. Evidence: If you loved her House series for the eeriness, this might scratch that itch despite flaws. Not for romance purists (triangle’s a mess) or folks wanting tight pacing—skip if you’re after logical magic systems or non-creepy love stories. Unsuitable for young teens due to mature themes.[4][3][1][2][5]
- 👥 Who’d you pass it to? Comment below and let’s chat!
Standout Traits of the Main Character
Greer Mackenzie’s a quirky mapmaker with big dreams—here’s what makes her tick, in bullets with proof.
- 🗺️ Eccentric Dreamer: Always sketching escapes from Mistaken, shows her ache for freedom—backed by her backstory reveals in Act 2.[1]
- 😱 Screaming Powerhouse: Discovers a magical yell that wrecks stuff, but it’s underdeveloped and feels like a plot device.[1]
- 💔 Conflicted Romantic: Torn between Ellis and Noah, highlighting her naivety—logical from her isolated upbringing, but makes her decisions frustrating.[5]
- 🦸♀️ Relentless Brave: Treks through brutal wilds to save her love, celebrating bravery vs. security theme.[4]
- 🤨 Unique, but her arc’s a letdown—thoughts? Hit the comments!
Comparison to Other Works in the Same Vein
Stacking this against similar dark fantasy/romance with folklore? Let’s table it for clarity.
| Book | Similarities | Differences | Why A Land So Wide Loses Out |
| House of Salt and Sorrows (by Craig herself) [3] | Spooky atmosphere, family secrets, folklore twists | YA vs. adult, ocean vs. wilderness setting | This one’s pacing drags more, love triangle weaker—evidence: Reviewers prefer her YA for tighter plots [1] |
| The Bear and the Nightingale (Katherine Arden) | Russian folklore, wintry isolation, strong heroine vs. beasts | Deeper cultural roots, no rushed ending | Arden’s world feels authentic; Craig’s twists overwhelm without depth [5] |
| Uprooted (Naomi Novik) | Magical woods, reluctant heroine, romance amid danger | Better magic rules, satisfying climax | Novik’s ending sticks the landing; this screams into anti-climax [1] |
- 📚 Spot on? Or am I off? Leave a comment and school me, legends!
Bonus: What I’d Change to Fix This Mess
If I were rewriting, I’d axe the love triangle (too creepy) and flesh out Greer’s powers—make ’em earned, not a sudden nuke. Add more wilderness survival grit to amp the brutality. Would’ve bumped my rating, easy.[4][1]
There ya have it, folks—a straight-shooting review that’s more whinge than wow. If this sparked your interest (or rage), smash that comment button below: What’s your take on the twists? Reckon it’s worth the read? Share away, and cheers for sticking around!
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