Mysticism grounded by captivating character in Little Wolves

There are books that create internal conversations and thoughts, intimate lingerings that either wouldn’t make sense out loud or would cause worry or scandal if spoken to another. Those are the books that make you quit reading for a week or two. They leave you with a sense of something harsh and dirty almost.

But then there are books that make you want to speak to anyone and everyone about them. You yearn for someone else to read what you have so you can talk about it: what it means, how sad, how wonderful. This is what book clubs are for. And Thomas Maltman’s Little Wolves (SOHO Press) should be your next pick for this very reason.

Little Wolves is one of those wonderful novels that catches you from the first sentence. You are instantly intrigued and invested in this tale of a small town. There is murder, suicide, secrets, and characters so human and truthful that you will believe that you know them. The surface topics of violence, small town standards and rules, and religion are enough to fill days of conversations and bring up different opinions. But the under layer of regret, loneliness, and hope, and what kills or brings life to these things is the pull of this story. These are the things that keep a reader reading. Without it we would crumble into despair and so would the characters.

Maltman’s Little Wolves is centered around mystical tales of mountains and wolves. It is set on land that was savagely taken from its natives, and blood debts and ancestral lines are still drawn. Throughout the entire novel we are introduced to Clara’s father’s tales that he has told her as a filler for the truth. Her own obsession with language and story find ways of making her think differently than most in this town she has returned to. Like with all of Maltman’s characters, Clara holds so much depth. Married to a Lutheran priest, she still struggles with the ideas of heaven, hell, and God. And she never would have guessed that a secretly devoted student would cause her to find more answers than she expected.

Little Wolves is a beautifully crafted novel that mixes wonder, horrific truths, and strength of character. Maltman has created a mystery that unfolds until the very end and you will want to get to the end very quickly just so you know what truly happened, happens, and what that will mean for this small town. Go on Maltman’s journey. And find solace that nothing is what it seems.