Get ready to explore the intricate connection between human nature and the natural world in Heartwood by Amity Gaige. Heartwood, is a literary thriller with a big dose of mystery and suspense So, it will definitely give your book club plenty to discuss. Heartwood’s book themes explore the connection between solitude, the wilderness, and self-reflection, and the nature’s presentation as both beautiful and dangerous.
Be ready for a thought-provoking discussion using these Heartwood book club questions. The discussion guide also features a book synopsis, and some selected reviews from previous readers. At the very end of the guide are some helpful book suggestions with books with similar themes to Heartwood.
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Heartwood Synopsis
(We always chose to provide the publisher synopsis because we feel that it’s worthwhile to discuss whether the official book description actually squared with your experience of the book.)
Heartwood, Amity Gaige
In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.
At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.
Heartwood is a “gem of a thousand facets—suspenseful, transporting, tender, and ultimately soul-mending,” (Megan Majumdar, New York Times bestselling author of A Burning) that tells the story of a lost hiker’s odyssey and is a moving rendering of each character’s interior journey. The mystery inspires larger questions about the many ways in which we get lost, and how we are found. At its core, Heartwood is an “unputdownable” (Real Simple) and redemptive novel, written with both enormous literary ambition and love.
10 Book Club Questions for Heartwood
These questions have been tailored to this book’s specific reading experience, but if you want more ideas, we also have an article with 101 generic book club questions.
- “I refuse to be sentimental about my own starvation. I know that a person can survive for weeks without food as long as they have water.”
Reliance in the face of adversity and survival against the odds are key themes within this novel. What qualities or experiences do you think help someone remain resilient during hard times? - What is your overall impression of the characterization in this novel? Which of the characters resonated with you most and why?
- How did you respond to the novel’s depiction of complex family dynamics? Did the characters’ experiences strike you as realistic?
- “My experience in the woods has given me a strange kind of wealth.”
After surviving her ordeal, Valerie reflects on her life and decides to make important changes. How would you define the main problems she faced before and after her hike? - How does the author depict female characters, and what does that depiction say about the state of feminism and equality in contemporary societies?
- Valerie’s nickname, ”Sparrow,” is part of a bird motif that runs throughout the narrative. How does the imagery of birds contribute to the novel’s exploration of nature?
- When Daniel steals and then returns Valerie’s backpack, it’s a turning point in the story. Do you find Daniel’s actions understandable or unforgivable?
- What is the impact of Valerie’s journal entries on the narrative? How does it add to the book’s suspense? How does it shape the reader’s view of the various characters?
- Nature in this story is beautiful and healing, but also dangerous and unforgiving. Do you see nature as more of a safe space or a threat after reading this book? Did Valerie’s experience change your view?
- “Perhaps the most shocking thing out of everything was that her online life was an illusion, that she provided the clue that brought Valerie Gillis home alive, that she loves Warren, that she has a grandson.”
Lena keeps her distance from people, even her own daughter. Do you feel sympathy for her choice to protect herself and close herself off from people? Why or why not? - BONUS QUESTION: If you were headed out on a similar journey, what items would you pack to help you feel prepared or secure, and how would you decide what’s important to bring?
Selected Reviews for Heartwood
“Heartwood by Amity Gaige is a gripping, suspenseful, and beautifully written novel centred around the lives of three different women. The writing was so well done, poetically beautiful, even. The characters were well crafted, even though I did struggle to connect with Beverly at times. Each woman’s POV will take you on a different road of emotion.”
“I really wanted to like this one, but I struggled to stay engaged. The shifting perspectives were confusing at times, and I often found myself unsure of whose point of view I was reading. The narrative felt disjointed, making it hard to connect with the characters. While the premise had potential, the execution left me feeling disconnected. The story lacked the tension and clarity I was hoping for, and I found it difficult to become invested in the outcome…”
“Heartwood is a suspense-filled, quietly powerful mystery that unfolds through multiple points of view, each layered with emotional complexity and depth. At first, it’s unclear how the characters’ lives intersect, but as the story progresses, their connections are revealed in a way that’s both surprising and satisfying. Set against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty, the novel explores fractured familial relationships, the weight and grace of forgiveness, and the resilience needed to endure life’s most unfathomable challenges. Gaige’s writing is nothing short of stunning…”
“This was not great. Only reason I finished it was to confirm I was right on the “twist,” which I spotted a mile off, and found to be pretty dumb all in all. The only character with a unique voice was Santo, everyone else was spelled out by the author. Also the change in perspective between Lena and Beverly was a weird choice. Should have all been first person narrative, or better yet both of them should have been the third person omniscient while Valerie was first person.”
What to Read Next
Heartwood is a Read with Jenna pick. Check out our whole list of Jenna books. It’s a long list, but here are some guides for a few book club faves: All the Colors of the Dark, The Wedding People, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and Solito.
The Vaster Wilds, Lauren Groff
The Vaster Wilds is a blend of historical fiction, a survival story, and a fable about colonialism. A story set in the 17th century following the life of a servant girl from the Jamestown colonial settlement. During a harsh winter causing starvation and disease, she flees from the settlement leaving her on her own to survive. With key themes of violence of colonialism, negation of self, survival, and nature in the untamed wilderness.
Wild, Cheryl Strayed
Wild is an autobiography about the author, Cheryl Strayed which follows this woman’s journey as she seeks healing and self-discovery in the wilderness on a long distance hike. While battling personal challenges and past traumas, her experience in nature becomes transformative, highlighting themes of courage, forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit.
The River at Night, Erica Ferencik
The River at Night is a story about four best friends going on a girl’s annual getaway trip in the Allagash wilderness which involves hiking, a river rafting excursion, and a freak accident. A novel that is both a haunting, twisting thrill-ride through the Maine wilderness and a story of friendship, humanity, and the will to survive.
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