BADLUCK WAY by Bryce Andrews

I just finished reading "Badluck Way" by Bryce Andrews.  I generally enjoy memoirs, though I tend to struggle with those that are overly descriptive or that drag on and on.  I was surprised that "Badluck Way" was a fairly quick read.  In the beginning, I did struggle with some of the descriptions and worried that it would turn into an annoyingly expressive read, but the story began to flow nicely a few pages in.  I did look forward to what I would be reading, however, as I live near Western Montana and so I can easily imagine the scenery being described.

As the book progressed into a testimony to experience on wolf-inhabited lands, I did feel some connection to the frustration involved in that.  I live in an area that is dealing with wolves, when prior to their re-introduction, they weren't a problem.  Whereas coyotes used to be the primary culprit in the loss or injury of cattle, and on rare occasions, a mountain lion, we are now experiencing the wrath of hungry, aggressive wolves.  So that did strike a chord for me.

That said, because we are in a rural area outside of a small city, not in a vast expansion of seclusion that a ranch in the wilderness offers (though I would love to!), I have never felt the struggle of keeping that beautiful, NATURAL balance between predator and prey.  Therefore, sometimes in my reading I struggled a bit to understand why there was so much drama with the killing of a single wolf.  Of course, I suspect if I was face-to-face with not only wolves and the havoc they wreak, but also the beauty of their habitat, I may feel differently!

"Badluck Way" was a quick and overall enjoyable read.  While I wasn't able to accurately relate to all the emotions revealed in the book, I enjoyed Bryce's recollections of ranching, hunting, and his experience with the wildlife of western Montana.

**I received a free digital copy of this book to review, courtesy of Atria Books via NetGalley.   My opinions are all my own...I may be a people pleaser, but I'm also a control freak, and prefer to use my blogspace for making my thoughts known, not stealing the ideas of others. ;)

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