Into the Forest

By: Jean Hegland

Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

At first, Into the Forest was a word-of-mouth favorite of booksellers. Soon larger publishing houses were noticing Jean Hegland's debut novel and giving it rave reviews. Powerful and disturbing, Into the Forest offers images of an all-too-believable future. As America collapses in the chaos of war, pollution, and bankruptcy, two sisters pool their resources to survive alone in the hills above San Francisco. Although dwindling food and increasing isolation threaten them, they soon find a more immediate danger standing at their door. When a young man arrives, his friendship offers tantalizing fulfillment, but his love threatens to divide the sisters.

Hegland's provocative work is reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984 and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It infuses a tale of survival with startling insights into a young woman's quest for strength.

©1996 Jean Hegland (P)1998 Recorded Books

Depressing, boring, & disturbing

I read this book because I enjoy apocalyptic books of survival and relational intrigue. It was on topic, but so disappointing in its content. The characters were unlikeable and, as a man, a nihilistic thrust of feminism was off-putting. I was hoping for some redemption in the end, but was again let down.

A future of the past. 5 star production!

Jean Hegland weaves and unravels and stitches together a tale of love, resourcefulness and courage so compellingly plausible that I feel the need to study the healing power of herbs to prepare for her imagined future.

Equally gripping is Alyssa Bresnahan's narration. Her pacing is spot on, her voices distinct and yet subtle. She is ever present for every thought, word, sentence.

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A realistic post apocalypse book

This tale was believable. The characters were likable and real. There were times when I couldn't put this one down.

Different dystopia

Don't expect monsters and massive death. This version is actually more real, more to heart.

Ugh

The first 100 pages of this book is the best I read in 2020
I was immersed, I wanted to read it when woke up, before sleep, while I was a sleep _ legit I had a dream about reading it_
The writing style was amazing, the post-apocalyptic element was what I was looking for for a while, there but not really explained, ominous, atmospheric, seedy, isolated.
I was calculating _prematurely I might add_ where to cram it in my best of 2020.
Then the rest of the book happen.

Then I gave up and started to listen to the audiobook to get me through it.
The narrator was really good, but nothing could've saved that sinking ship for me


so, I ended up not liking it. The whole story shifted from an atmospheric post apocalyptic story to the survival of the stupidest, bummer.

Depressing

Boring and depressing. Wouldn't recommend. I feel like I need to read a comedy now.

Outstanding

This is an incredible telling of the survival of two young women in the face of losing so much that they believed.

Beautiful. Now... watch the movie!!!

I started listening and immediately heard the end of Ellen (Elliot) Page. The movie was almost exactly like the book and the book was stellar. It was heartbreaking and human, with a sister bond that was 😳 at one point, where the movie didn't go. Definitely a read worth reading by one of my favorite authors.

Good story but a bit unrealistic

while there may be some decent info in this book. if you happen to know a thing about surviving in the wilderness the very end of this book should have you pulling out your hair. up until that point I felt the book moved quickly translating its ideas clearly and seamlessly. there were a few things I found had been forced for plot effects rather than making sense in a realistic capacity, but it is fiction. I suppose the author was allowed to take some liberties.

beautifully written, gripping, touching, beautiful

thought-provoking, especially in these times. A story of resilience, love, the strength of the human spirit.