Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate

In the rugged terrain of Oklahoma’s Winding Stair Mountains, secrets have a way of burrowing deep, like roots seeking purchase in rocky soil. Lisa Wingate’s latest novel, “Shelterwood,” delves into this landscape with the tenacity of a prospector, unearthing a tale that spans generations and exposes the dark underbelly of American progress. It’s a story that’ll grab you by the shirttails and drag you through the underbrush, leaving you breathless, heart-sore, and ultimately, profoundly moved.

A Tale of Two Times: Parallel Narratives That Pack a Punch

Wingate weaves together two timelines with the skill of a master storyteller, creating a tapestry rich in detail and emotion. In 1909, we follow eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley (Ollie) as she flees into the wilderness with six-year-old Nessa, a Choctaw girl under her family’s care. Fast forward to 1990, and we’re introduced to Valerie Boren O’dell, a newly minted Law Enforcement Ranger at Horsethief Trail National Park, who finds herself embroiled in a mystery that echoes Ollie’s long-ago journey.

This dual narrative structure could easily become unwieldy in less capable hands, but Wingate navigates it with aplomb. The transitions between past and present are seamless, each storyline informing and enriching the other. It’s like watching two streams converge into a mighty river—you can’t help but be swept along.

Characters That’ll Haunt Your Dreams (In a Good Way)

Let’s talk characters, because boy howdy, does Wingate know how to craft ’em. Ollie Radley is a force of nature, all grit and determination wrapped up in a package barely big enough to see over a store counter. Her voice leaps off the page, authentic and raw, capturing the unique blend of innocence and hard-won wisdom that defines her character. You can practically hear the Oklahoma dust in her words.

In the present-day timeline, Valerie O’dell is no less compelling. A single mother trying to balance career and family, she brings a different kind of strength to the table. Her determination to uncover the truth, even in the face of local opposition and bureaucratic roadblocks, is admirable. Wingate does an excellent job of showing how Val’s personal history informs her actions, making her feel fully realized and relatable.

The supporting cast is equally well-drawn. From the colorful band of outcasts that join Ollie on her journey to the mix of allies and antagonists Val encounters in her investigation, each character feels distinct and three-dimensional. You’ll find yourself invested in their fates, cheering their triumphs and mourning their setbacks.

A Landscape That’s More Than Just Scenery

The Winding Stair Mountains are as much a character in this story as any of the human players. Wingate’s descriptions bring the rugged beauty and unforgiving nature of the landscape to vivid life. You can almost feel the chill of mountain streams, smell the pine-scented air, hear the crunch of leaves underfoot.

But it’s more than just pretty prose. The land itself becomes a metaphor for the larger themes of the novel—the clash between progress and preservation, the buried histories that shape our present, the resilience required to survive in harsh conditions. Wingate uses the setting to underscore the stakes of her story, reminding us that the battles fought over this land have consequences that echo through generations.

Tackling Tough Topics with Grace and Grit

“Shelterwood” doesn’t shy away from heavy themes. Child exploitation, racial discrimination, governmental corruption—Wingate tackles these issues head-on, but with a deft touch that never feels preachy or heavy-handed. The historical context is woven seamlessly into the narrative, educating readers about a little-known chapter of American history without ever feeling like a history lesson.

Particularly powerful is Wingate’s exploration of the exploitation of Native American children in the early 20th century. Through Nessa’s story and the larger mystery Val uncovers, we’re confronted with the ugly reality of how greed and prejudice led to the abuse of society’s most vulnerable members. It’s a sobering reminder of how far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go.

A Mystery That’ll Keep You Guessing

At its heart, Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate is a cracking good mystery. The threads connecting past and present are tantalizingly dangled before the reader, and Wingate does an admirable job of doling out clues and revelations at just the right pace. I found myself furiously turning pages, desperate to uncover the next piece of the puzzle.

The parallel structure adds an extra layer of intrigue, as we see events unfolding in real-time through Ollie’s eyes while simultaneously watching Val piece together the truth decades later. It’s like watching a tapestry being woven and unraveled at the same time, and it’s utterly engrossing.

Wingate’s Prose: A Master at Work

Lisa Wingate’s writing style in “Shelterwood” is a thing of beauty. She has a knack for capturing the rhythms and cadences of different time periods and social classes, making each voice feel authentic and distinct. Ollie’s narration, in particular, is a standout – folksy and colorful, yet never falling into caricature.

But it’s not just about dialect. Wingate’s prose can be achingly lyrical one moment and pulse-poundingly tense the next. She knows when to linger on a description, painting a vivid picture of the landscape or a character’s inner turmoil, and when to pick up the pace, driving the action forward with short, punchy sentences that leave you breathless.

How It Stacks Up: Wingate’s Oeuvre and Beyond

“Shelterwood” is a worthy addition to Lisa Wingate’s impressive body of work. Fans of her previous novels like “Before We Were Yours” and “The Book of Lost Friends” will find much to love here—the blend of historical and contemporary storylines, the focus on untold histories, the emphasis on the bonds between women across generations.

In the broader context of historical fiction, “Shelterwood” stands tall. It invites comparisons to works like Christina Baker Kline’s “Orphan Train” or Kristin Hannah’s “The Four Winds” in its exploration of little-known aspects of American history through the eyes of resilient female protagonists. Yet Wingate’s voice and approach feel distinctly her own, carving out a unique space in the genre.

A Few Quibbles (Because Nothing’s Perfect)

If I’m being picky—and let’s face it, that’s part of my job—there are a few minor stumbles. The pacing in the contemporary timeline occasionally lags behind the historical one, and there are moments where the parallels between past and present feel a tad too neat. A subplot involving Val’s romantic life feels somewhat underdeveloped compared to the richness of the main narrative.

But these are small complaints in the grand scheme of things, like pebbles in your shoe on an otherwise spectacular hike. They might occasionally distract, but they don’t diminish the overall journey.

The Verdict: A Novel That’ll Stay With You

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate is the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate forgotten histories and challenge our understanding of the past. Wingate has crafted a novel that’s at once a gripping mystery, a touching coming-of-age tale, and a powerful indictment of historical injustices.

But more than that, it’s a story about resilience, about the strength we find in community, and about the enduring power of the human spirit to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. In Ollie and Val, Wingate has created characters who’ll take up residence in your heart, their struggles and triumphs resonating across the decades.

If you’re looking for a novel that’ll transport you to another time and place, that’ll make you think, feel, and maybe even see the world a little differently, “Shelterwood” is it. Just be warned—you might want to clear your schedule before you start. Once you enter Wingate’s world, you won’t want to leave.