The Loop
Things aren't going too well for wolf biologist Helen Ross. At 29, she's unemployed (recently retired dishwasher), single (boyfriend of two years left her for Africa), and has just learned that her father is marrying someone younger, richer, and prettier than herself (completely accurate).
Back in her lonely log cabin in Cape Cod, frantically chain-smoking, she receives a...more
Back in her lonely log cabin in Cape Cod, frantically chain-smoking, she receives a...more
511 pages
Published
(first published 1998)
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May 06, 2009
Allison (The Allure of Books)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Allison (The Allure of Books) by:
Jeane
This has been recommended to me by several friends here on GR, and while I trust their judgment...I still didn't expect to fall in love with this story as quickly as I did. Before the plot gets going, Evans introduces you to a cast of rich and varied characters that are alone worth reading the book for. I was so caught up in their lives that before I knew it I was surrounded by a plot of wolves and intrigue!
The story was so realistic, there was quite a bit of detail of how the wolves live, how...more
The story was so realistic, there was quite a bit of detail of how the wolves live, how...more
Feb 16, 2009
Fiona
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Fiona by:
Jeane, Atishay
Boy, am I glad I allowed myself to be persuaded to read this book. Although, persuade is a rather light description of the methods used to induce me to read The Loop. I forgive them though.
Thanks goes to Jeane, Atishay and Kathy who for many a long day campaigned for me to read this book and I can't blame them.
It was fantastic.
Nicholas Evans is one of those gold dust authors who has some magical ability to capture thoughts, feelings, actions, movements - everything in words without even trying...more
Thanks goes to Jeane, Atishay and Kathy who for many a long day campaigned for me to read this book and I can't blame them.
It was fantastic.
Nicholas Evans is one of those gold dust authors who has some magical ability to capture thoughts, feelings, actions, movements - everything in words without even trying...more
How do you write the review of such a nice book? Perhaps, by not saying too much about it and just letting all its sacred moments regurgitate in your mind.. This one is what I would call a perfect book to follow up on, if the only one of Evans you've read is the Horse Whisperer.
The typical strong start that has been inherent in Nicholas Evans writings since Horse Whisperer (and we all hope he doesn't change that, I love the way he begins) is present in The Loop too. The book never loses its fo...more
The typical strong start that has been inherent in Nicholas Evans writings since Horse Whisperer (and we all hope he doesn't change that, I love the way he begins) is present in The Loop too. The book never loses its fo...more
It may be possible, although highly unlikely, for animal loving wild life preservationists to exist harmoniously alongside farmers, hunters and hillbillies. Usually the conflicts of interest experienced by these polarised groups blinds them to the fact that working together is the only way to minimise the damage inflicted by each on the other, and the only way to effect a long term compromise in a successful community.
Nicholas Evans has set his novel in unforgiving terrain harshly afflicted by...more
Nicholas Evans has set his novel in unforgiving terrain harshly afflicted by...more
The Loop deals with two of my favourite scenarios, that of wolves and living in the wilds through four seasons. This is the well written story of a community divided by the suspected killing of ranch cattle by wolves. It pits angry ranchers and townspeople against the Federal Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries, biologists and environmentalists.
Helen, a biologist working on her Phd, is called to track and monitor the seemingly guilty pack of wolves, all the while living in a remote cabin in the fores...more
Helen, a biologist working on her Phd, is called to track and monitor the seemingly guilty pack of wolves, all the while living in a remote cabin in the fores...more
Mar 29, 2012
Diejai
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
lieblingsbuch-challenge,
wie-eine-warme-decke
„Hach, was war das schön!“ habe ich gedacht, nachdem ich die letzte Seite von „Im Kreis des Wolfs“ gelesen habe. Gekonnt verknüpft Nicholas Evans die zarten Bänder einer sanft beginnenden Liebesgeschichte mit der eiskalten Jagd auf die Wölfe. Dabei lässt er sowohl die Protagonisten, als auch die Leser, eine interessante Mischung verschiedener Gefühle durchlaufen. Dadurch habe ich beim Lesen richtig mitgefiebert und ich konnte mich schnell von der Geschichte in ihren Bann ziehen lassen.
Der Klappe...more
Der Klappe...more
Dec 29, 2011
M. Antonio Rullo
added it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who loves wolves, romance enthusiasts
Recommended to M. Antonio by:
Brenda Knight
My mother suggested this book to me at a young age. She loved Evan's other book, The Horse Whisperer, and since she knew I love wolves, she had to get me this book. It was one of the best things my mother ever gave me. I still own a copy of it and anytime I don't have a good book to read, I'll always fall back on that one. The story is very solid, the grammar, mechanics, and plot all have sound bases, but that's not why you love a story, that's just what makes you able to love it. I connected wi...more
I don't like procedurals. Put CSI Whatever on the TV, I'll yawn. The Mentalist or Lie to Me, I'll yell at the screen like a programmer watching The Net. Even Agatha Christie - I'm sure Miss Marple was responsible for a swathe of death in 1920s England. It takes a lot to make me want to pay any attention to something that even smells of murder mystery.[return][return]This collection of short stories by Pati Nagle, all based around the adventures of an genetically modified detective tabby cat, did...more
You can't imagine how beautiful and cathartic it was for me to read this book! Although I've lived the past 17 years in the metro NY area, I'm from the north west and the struggles described/outlined in this book are still in ME. Wild v city? Wildlife v cattle? Nature v business? Courage v Bully? Guns v government protection?
What is right in my NY life is not necessarily right in my other life.
Evans made me love wolves through Helen's and Luke's eyes. I thank you, Nicholas Evans, for that.
As f...more
What is right in my NY life is not necessarily right in my other life.
Evans made me love wolves through Helen's and Luke's eyes. I thank you, Nicholas Evans, for that.
As f...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Sparks seems to truly understand small town life and the work involved in ranching. This time, he does for wolves what he did for horses in "The Horse Whisperer." Okay, not really, but he writes a compelling novel with building conflict between the biologists who want to protect the wolves and the ranchers who want them eradicated in order to protect their livestock. There is a long-standing hatred between the cattlemen and the wolves and an incident brings this conflict to a near war. Remember,...more
A lovely story, this book reminded me a little of Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer. In both novels you get the perspectives of both the ranchers who want to kill the predators and the rangers/biologists who want to protect the species. In Kingsolver's book it was coyotes and in The Loop it is wolves.
In this book the war between the two factions is more bloody and but both books focus on personal relationships. I like both books and this review is not about comparison.
Nicholas Evans wrote The...more
In this book the war between the two factions is more bloody and but both books focus on personal relationships. I like both books and this review is not about comparison.
Nicholas Evans wrote The...more
What sweet joy Nicholas Evans is after putting myself through most of Jean Auel's "Earth's Children" series. I couldn't help but draw comparisons with The Plains of Passage as I read, although, to be fair, Auel and Evans are writing completely different stories for a different era. Still, there's romance, nature, hunting, and sex here, and Evans handles all with such grace and restraint where Auel will go on for 100 pages telling you how Ayla makes soup, and then another 100 pages with everyone...more
as a call-center worker, this was an especially interesting read for me. the style was easy to read, and the interviews were engaging. i also appreciated the variety of quote sources the author uses, including company forums, general forums, blog, newspapers, and, of course, interviews with the call center workers themselves.[return][return]if you're not a call-center worker, or someone invested in the business, this may be a bit of a pointless book for you, though. the book starts from the cust...more
This novel takes place in and around a small cattle ranching community in Hope, Montana. A single and lonely Helen is tasked to re-enter the world of wolf biology in this wolf-mad community. Cattle have been reportedly attacked and the county is inflamed, led by the arrogant rabble-rouser Buck Calder. When enraged cattle hands attempt to take vigilante justice on the sylvan canines, shit hits the fan as environmentalists and small town bigots go at it. Helen is left in the middle, alone, almost,...more
This was a hugely enjoyable read. Nicholas Evans has great insight into the interior workings of both women and men to be convincing when relating their thoughts and experiences. I loved the way he elaborated on the internal personal troubles the characters were dealing with. His thorough research on wolves also made it very captivating for me.
Set in Montana where wolf biologists have to deal with irate farmers when the farmers blame the wolves (sometimes with reason, sometimes not) for losses...more
Set in Montana where wolf biologists have to deal with irate farmers when the farmers blame the wolves (sometimes with reason, sometimes not) for losses...more
I remember reading this book a few years ago, maybe as long as ten years ago. I didn't understand much, and would have liked to read more about the wolves and less about the people. I was right into Animals of Farthing Wood and Watership Down then, but now I can appreciate this book more for the human characters. My tastes have changed, and this book really is worth the time it takes to read it.
Lovelace, the wolf hunter, is a great character and invokes sympathy despite his cruel life. He hunts...more
Lovelace, the wolf hunter, is a great character and invokes sympathy despite his cruel life. He hunts...more
Good story about the conflict in Montana ranching country between the people who raise cattle for a living and the wolves who have been re-introduced back into the region. I liked this book a lot. Though it's a fictional story, it did a pretty good job describing the conflicts that have arisen in this part of the country regarding this topic. If I have a complaint, it's that Evans went out of his way to make the rancher morally and legally "the bad guy" here when in fact the problems go a little...more
Feb 23, 2009
Robert
added it
Nicholas Evans is certainly a great storyteller. His novel "The Loop" describes life in bucolic Montana, and the lives of cattle ranchers as they clash with animal activists and the government after a group of wolves begin to kill livestock in and around their fictional town of Hope. The story would have been terrific if Evans stuck with the specifics of this battle; instead, he throws in a spurious, wholly unbelievable romance in the mix, and wrecks his great story. It's still rather enjoyable,...more
Nicholas Evans is certainly a great storyteller. His novel "The Loop" describes life in bucolic Montana, and the lives of cattle ranchers as they clash with animal activists and the government after a group of wolves begin to kill livestock in and around their fictional town of Hope. The story would have been terrific if Evans stuck with the specifics of this battle; instead, he throws in a spurious, wholly unbelievable romance in the mix, and wrecks his great story. It's still rather enjoyable,...more
This read was a change-up from what I have been reading lately, and even though I remembered loving this author, I started reading this book expecting a boring read. I was wrong though! From multiple points of view we learn and live the lives of ranchers, wolves, and biologists, interweaving their pasts and presents into the situations they encounter, and no side is a clear winner as both suffer loss and hardship. I was not so much a fan of some of the characters, or rather to say, the turmoil a...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A friend gave me this book months ago and I didn't think I would ever read it. Picked it up one day, and yes, it took months to read it...so slow going at first. But I stuck with it and when all the details started coming together it was very good. Helen Ross is a biologist called to Montana when wolves begin attacking livestock. Ranchers are angry. She's recovering from failed relationships, then falls in love with a 19-year-old, ten years her junior. He's the son of one of the angry ranchers....more
I love this book even though it was very long, 540 pages. Evans is an excellent writer, and his consistent use of third person creates a vivid interplay of the characters. The detail of the Montana landscape, the connection to the land of the wolves, biologists and ranchers is quite vivid. The two main protagonists Helen the biologist wolf trapper and Luke the lover of land and wolves and son of a rabid wolf-hater rancher are very well created. We care about them. It is a little boring that he c...more
A lengthy epic saga about the fragile relationship between human economic activity (in this case ranching) and those who work to protect our public assets (in this case wolves). It seems humans are not that different than wolves: social, dedicated to family, protective of their space, fun-loving, and also predatory killers. (Although it is clear that humans have more than one way of killing and kill for reasons beyond just survival.) The story is an in-depth look at the different characters foun...more
At last I've finished this one. I have no idea why it took me so long to read, but it has taken me a good couple of months to get through.
The first thing I will point out to you all is that this is a bit of a romance novel. Maybe it's obvious because it's by Nicholas Evans, but I wouldn't know as I've never read any of his stuff before. I've had The Horse Whisperer on my bookshelf for a long time and should probably have given that a go first. But I picked this up at a car boot sale for 20p and...more
The first thing I will point out to you all is that this is a bit of a romance novel. Maybe it's obvious because it's by Nicholas Evans, but I wouldn't know as I've never read any of his stuff before. I've had The Horse Whisperer on my bookshelf for a long time and should probably have given that a go first. But I picked this up at a car boot sale for 20p and...more
I picked this book up from Oxfam and I'm really glad i did. I read the horse whisperer and really enjoyed that, so thought I'd give The Loop a try. Evans is an excellent writer who tells the story in a seemingly effortless way. His complex sentences and wonderful use of vocabulary is a pleasure to read and he captures scences and emotions so well.
The story is set in the small town of hope, home to many American ranchers. Evans gradually builds the relationship between Helen, a wolf biologist, an...more
The story is set in the small town of hope, home to many American ranchers. Evans gradually builds the relationship between Helen, a wolf biologist, an...more
Lent to me by my friend Sarah J., I was interested in this book by the author of "The Horse Whisperer" (which I also liked). "The Loop" is about wolves, and the balance between their necessity in the environment and the struggle to have them coexist with ranchers who are sometimes too quick to blame wolves for missing calves. "The Loop" doesn't push one agenda or the other, but presents a story with interesting characters, a plot that keeps you moving from cover-to-cover, and a lot of informatio...more
I read this book over a decade ago and it resonates with me still. It was a real eye-opener,shocking and subduing. When I read the definition of the "loop" I was sick to my stomach, and I am heartsick to this day after all these years. It lays us, as a species, bare and stripped of all decency.
I highly recommend this book not only for its profound storytelling, but for its profound truth telling.
You will never look at wolves again in the same way after reading this book. If you can read this bo...more
I highly recommend this book not only for its profound storytelling, but for its profound truth telling.
You will never look at wolves again in the same way after reading this book. If you can read this bo...more
Another terrific book by one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Evans (author of The Horsewhisperer). "A pack of wolves makes a sudden savage return to a Rocky Mountain ranching town of Hope, Montana where a century earlier they were slaughtered by the thousands. Now shielded by law as an endangered species, they reawaken an ancient hatred that will tear a favily, and ultimately the town apart. At the center of the storm is Helen Ross, a twenty-nine-year-old wolf biologist sent alone inthis remote...more
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Nicholas Evans was born and grew up in Worcestershire, England. He studied law at Oxford University, graduating with first class honors, then worked as a journalist for three years on the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He then moved into televsion, producing films...more
More about Nicholas Evans...
Nicholas Evans was born and grew up in Worcestershire, England. He studied law at Oxford University, graduating with first class honors, then worked as a journalist for three years on the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He then moved into televsion, producing films...more
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“L'olezzo di una carneficina, credono alcuni, può aleggiare su un luogo per anni. Dicono che s'infiltri nel suolo e venga lentamente assorbito dall'intrico delle radici finché, col passare del tempo, tutto ciò che vi cresce, dal più piccolo lichene all'albero più alto, ne viene impregnato.”
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May 07, 2009 11:43am
Jan 31, 2013 06:44pm