Beartooth, Callan Wink
Beartooth is a simple tale that follows two brothers living and working in the backcountry of Montana. Thad and Hazen are barely scraping by, with the want of a simple life overshadowed by mounting bills, a broken roof and winter fast approaching. The brothers receive an offer, bound to lessen the financial strain. Of course, an offer so good doesn’t come without risk, they face a high stakes illegal mission – stealing antlers from inside the Yellowstone National Park.
Short chapters set a fast pace as the tension builds between Thad and Hazen, Thad battling a moral conscious and Hazen exuding impulsivity. Though only a year apart in age, it’s apparent Thad has taken on a parental role in their dynamic. Beartooth is a visceral experience; you can feel the seasons changing, hear the rivers flowing, smell the felled wood. From the first page, it is entirely evident Wink knows this landscape just as well as the characters living within it. Wink explores the complexities of brotherhood, grief and estranged family relationships, all the while never losing sight of the gritty rugged landscape that surrounds the narrative.
As a devoted fan of Yellowstone TV series, Beartooth provided a contrasting look into the real struggles of normal folk who call Montana home. As opposed to the drama-filled cowboy shootouts over politics and land monopoly, Beartooth quietly shows us the grit and determination of two young men. Thad and Hazen don’t have much to fight for, and yet they throw their all into protecting what they do have.
If stories of inspiring people shaping the modern American west entice you, I would urge you to also listen to the Mountain & Prairie podcast with Ed Roberson (I must credit my dad for introducing me to this one, a very good find!). Callan Wink featured on an episode back in 2020, where he spoke about his experience spending summers in Montana as a fishing guide and his journey to becoming a writer.
Beartooth is a raw and beautifully crafted novel that brings a small corner of the modern American west to life. Winks’ deep understanding of the landscape and its people creates an intense, immersive read – one bound to deepen any desire to experience this landscape first hand.
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