Day: June 26, 2024

Two storylines that overlap in the end. One is of a wolf pack, namely the older leader whose strength is failing. It’s the end of winter, and the wolves are struggling to find enough food. The old wolf encounters a raven who after a lot of tricky wordplay and mockery, says she’ll lead him to an elk herd, if he promises to let the ravens feast on their kill. His attempt all goes awry- both loosing trust in his followers, his chance at capturing a meal, and the tentative friendship of the raven. Worse, he gets injured and is deserted by the pack. The parallel story is of a boy just turned thirteen, whose favorite pastime is playing a video game where he’s a bowhunter in a jungle. He thinks he’s pretty good at the game and longs to use a real weapon. Is ecstatic when he gets a real bow set for his birthday. He’s overeager to learn to shoot even though warned not to use it until he’s had some instruction. Tries his hand at things anyway when he’s home alone, and makes some stupid choices. Ends up in the woods near the place where the injured wolf was left for dead by his pack. When he finds the wolf, his first impression is that it’s a dog, his second that he was to blame for its injury, and then he wants to help. But as he comes closer, the wolf’s only idea is that he must defend himself, full of fear and pain . . . you think this encounter isn’t going to end well, but I was pleasantly surprised. Only a bit baffled at the end by how something in the video game later, seemed to reflect what happened out in the woods with the wolf and the raven. Glad too that the kid seemed to learn a lesson: that killing things isn’t at all fun, he felt shame and fear when he thought he’d actually hurt something. It reminded me a bit of One-Eyed Cat, though this one has far less of the heavy guilt throughout.

Borrowed from the public library. Completed on 6/5/24.