Caribou Island

A Novel

By: David Vann

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

On a small island in a glacier-fed lake on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Gary and Irene’s marriage is unraveling. Alone now that the children are grown, Gary, driven by 30 years of diverted plans, is determined to build from scratch the cabin he has always wanted, believing it will recapture what once drew him to Alaska. Irene knows better. She suspects that the cabin is Gary’s first step to leaving her.

Soon they are hauling logs out to Caribou Island in good weather and in terrible storms, in sickness and in health. But setbacks begin to create chinks in Gary’s half-baked design, while Irene is stricken with mysterious headaches and troubling flashes of her tragic past. With each trip to the island their desperation escalates, and when winter comes early, the punishing desolation of the prehistoric wilderness will threaten to push Irene and Gary to the edge and end a marriage sustained by pain and rage that has been simmering for years.

A noir novel rooted in a world of profound violence and regret, Caribou Island is an exploration of marriage and exile set against the interminable restlessness of Alaska’s primal landscape.

©2011 David Vann (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Vann… renders luminous prose in this haunting tale of hardened hearts and broken dreams.” ( Booklist)

If you like Depression,read this.

What disappointed you about Caribou Island?

The sad story is probably more common than you would think. I got depressed listening to it. Bronson Pinchot does a great narration though.

What was most disappointing about David Vann’s story?

The mother and daughter are doormats.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Irene shoots her husband.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger,disappointment in the characters.

Any additional comments?

Will never listen to this again, or buy anymore of his books.

Great narration of a good story

I must admit that I chose this book based more on Bronson Pinchot than the actual story. After listening to it I still feel the same. It was a decent overall story appealing to anyone nearing their midlife crisis, but was not followed through in the details. There was a lot of explanations regarding scenery, etc. that failed to paint the whole picture. I have also grown tired of seemingly every book I seem to listen to spending too much time on sexual storylines that I feel add very little to the story. All in all I did not regret this listen, but it may have simply received higher marks due to the narrator.

Unexpectedly Depressing

I thought it would be nice to listen to a book about the beautiful state I’ve been living in the last 7 years. I had no idea the entire family in this book was going to be so miserable! I kept waiting for something happy to happen to at least one of them & it didn’t. I don’t read/listen to books like this & it was just so sad! The descriptions of the Alaskan landscape & the harshness of what it can sometimes be like to live up here were wonderful & accurate. The narrator was also great. But, if I listened to this before coming to Alaska I would think twice about visiting. That in itself is sad, because it’s awesome up here! This book is definitely not the feel good book of the year!

Grim..... and then grimmer

Felt very real and overpoweringly grim. The characters are different degrees of selfish complainers. Not fun but gripping. A bit too long perhaps- the abstract internal monologues (as opposed to the whining ones) get a bit disconnected. The supporting character everyone describes as a worthless loser is really the only one who seems happy.

Brilliant Oppression

What did you love best about Caribou Island?

It is extraordinary, the way David Vann builds up the sense of futility and mortality in ordinary peoples lives through a series of ordinary events. By the time the story reaches its climax, the sense of oppression hanging over each character's destiny is almost unbearable.

What did you like best about this story?

The denoument is terrible and cathartic, and then life goes on, superficially not much different than before.

Any additional comments?

It's kind of like the drama of mortality that hangs over and ultimately destoys each of our lives, however well we try to live them.

Dark secrets, sad endings

Parts of this book are light and entertaining, others are dark and foretell the darker side of human emotions that lurk deep within those who can't overcome their demons. I suppose I should have seen the ending coming, but didn't. The author tried to save it with a little denouement about one of the more normal (and unknowingly exploited) characters, but it failed to lift the ending for me. I enjoyed the narrator's style and straightforward approach.

Cold & Dark

Great portrayal of a very ill family & the ripple effect of action and inaction. And that's all I have thanks

Depressed

Terrible story, should have just quit after first couple of chapters. Wish I would have returned it.

Stunning story!

I can only echo what the previous reviewer had to say. In fact, I almost gave up on this book because the characters seemed so inhospitable and unapproachable, in some ways like the setting. Somewhere in about the middle of the story, things started to get more interesting, and I could not put the book down. As the situations are set up and it becomes obvious how life has gradually stripped these people from their souls, their life force, their energies, the story comes to its only logical conclusion. In some ways this book is cautionary tale, and I, too, am still thinking about it.

Waste of a credit

This is the first book that I've ever had trouble finishing. The narrator did a good job with what he had to work with. The characters were the worst complainers and this was just depressing reading (or listening). I thought I'd always wanted to go and visit Alaska but I don't really want to anymore. If I were actually reading this book I would not have finished it.