The Wild Truth by Carine McCandless
The Wild Truth: The Untold Story of Sibling Survival by Carine McCandless
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
As an English teacher, I feel in love with Into the Wild. It is a harrowing, haunting, emotional tale of a man dedicated to self-fulfillment and adventure. However, I was excited to read Carine’s book to see her perspective. I was hoping this book would further illuminate the man I have come to admire through teaching his story.
I was severely disappointed in this book. Don’t get me wrong…it is very well-written and emotional in its own right. Carine McCandless is a brave, courageous woman in her own way. She’s lived through tragic circumstances of her own, and I commend both her writing and her willingness to share her story.
However, I did not feel like this book really gave me any deeper insight into Chris. Yes, it does go into more detail about their family life. I felt, however, that all of the information discussed in this book could be interpreted from Into the Wild. Thus, there wasn’t really any new information or revelation. From Krakauer’s novel, I could tell that the family situation was harrowing and the reason why Chris left. I didn’t feel that this book gave me any information I didn’t already know. I also felt like the focus wasn’t on Chris in this book. It didn’t really showcase his courageous spirit, his unique beliefs, or his devotion to living a full life. Most of the book focused on Carine. I wanted to see more about Chris. I did not feel like he was a focal point in the novel.
This book was not the emotional pairing to Into the Wild I had hoped for. I wanted to see more about her connection with Chris and the loss of him. I wanted her take on his adventure. I wanted to see more of their correspondence and pictures from his trip.
