Last week I travelled to Panama for a work trip, which was an eleven and a half hour plane ride, so it was a great opportunity for me to read another book by Sarah Baughman – The Wild Path. I enjoyed her first book, The Light in the Lake, so much that I wrote a review of it, and I decided to do the same again. I can’t remember where exactly, but I remember reading somewhere in the last few years that you don’t fully process something you read unless you also write about it, which seems like good advice.
The Wild Path shares many traits with The Light in the Lake. Both feature young female main characters who are intelligent and motivated, but who are also dealing with loss in the family. In The Light in the Lake it was the death of a brother, while in The Wild Path it is the absence of the older brother, who is at a rehabilitation clinic to try to overcome an addiction on pain pills. I don’t want to let any spoilers slip, but I will mention that both books also have very realistic, and somewhat surprising endings – that is, they are not a “everyone lived happily ever after” type of storybook ending. That seems appropriate for young adult literature, but I would not say that all young adult literature is quite that nuanced.
Like The Light in the Lake, The Wild Path also has several interweaving sub-plots, which explore the boundaries between science and fantasy, and investigate the relationship between past and present. They both also take place in rural settings, where the characters have strong ties to nature. Here, Claire has a strong affinity to horses. I have never been a horse person, but the descriptions of the calming effects of taking care of the horses did get me thinking about dogs. I have been considering getting a dog for some time. The bed and breakfast where my team stayed in Panama had four dogs, and I really enjoyed petting them. Even though having pets is expensive and time-consuming, they clearly also help humans to center themselves and be more present.
Once again, Sarah Baughman does an excellent job of addressing the complex issues which can face young adults. As a parent of teenagers, I realize all this too well, and frequently feel ill-equipped to deal with them. It seems like she has carved out a unique genre and voice. I am looking forward to reading more from her.