Woman's Sigh, Wolf's Song

by Kathryn Madison

A bitter divorce drives Alexandra Verazzano to the Canadian Rockies where her destiny becomes intwined with that of a lone timber wolf named Survivor.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590921305
• ISBN13: 9781590921302
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Windstorm Creative
• Length: 440 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Woman's Sigh, Wolf's Song

It's hard to believe this is Kathryn Madison's first novel. I particularly appreciated the adjectives she used throughout the book - the book was alive! In fact, there were a couple of times I had to put the book down just to let my heart rate get back down to normal. Even though I don't ski or SCUBA dive, when reading her book I felt like I was right along side the characters, whooshing and diving. A thought provoking, vital, and entertaining book.

An exciting interweaving of human and wolf storylines

This book is mainly seen through the eyes of a woman, Dr. Alex (a vet), and a wolf, White cub, who later earns the name Survivor. These two stories begin separately and later join together. The interweaving is superbly done. I can't remember enjoying seeing the world through a wolf's eyes so much since I read Jack London's White Fang many years ago. The protagonists are well characterised and highly likeable, as are some of the other characters. There are also some villains worthy of boos and hisses. The story itself is believable, gripping, entertaining, and moving. As a bonus, there's a great depiction of forest fighting in the book. I live in a rural area which recently got through a forest fire, so firefighters are my heroes, and I very much enjoyed the description of the smoke jumpers.

Completely captivating read

It's been so long since I've found a book to captivate me like this one. From start to finish, the author holds you with stories of this woman veterinarian's life. From her marriage ending to how she picks up the pieces by embracing her life work, the obstacles that she overcomes - the fascinating details of the sharks, the firefight, the wolf hunt, - and the spellbinding relationship with the wolf that evolves. This book has many elements working for it - the human and animal survivors connect, and then connect you. Great read, highly recommend it to everyone.

A grownup's book that will quickly engage

I really enjoyed this book. My wife and I tend to choose very different reading material, so when I slipped this one from her recent acquisitions, I had no special expectations. I must admit, I would not usually have found the "Woman's Sigh" portion of the title especially appealing. I was, however, interested in the apparent wolf theme. When I finally replaced it in her collection, I considered what a pleasure it had been to discover that this book really went the distance for me, and that perhaps my wife and I had struck the same chord. There is a lot of grit and excitement here. I had begun warily, expecting to find an abundance of emotion, but when it was amply delivered, I didn't mind. I would predict that most adult readers are going to connect, as the author skillfully and spiritedly answers fate with resolve. For me, she finds unique perspectives and breathes new life into old lessons about vulnerability and strength, all the while weaving a fascinating tale. Upon discovering the dual nature of the story, I had a moment of apprehension, half expecting it might serve to distract. To the contrary, the stories are a splendid complement to each other, and I sensed not an ounce of contrivance. The shifts are deftly timed, and were received with pleasure by this reader. This book has a lot of dimension, but that challenge is readily handled under Madison's pen. She courageously and effectively offers the reader a story of terrific scope. Those with no penchant for wildlife themes shouldn't be put off. There is a lot more happening here, and I think that you will likely be drawn in. Sharing one man's perspective, I found this book to be a page turner, and I spent every available moment with it to the finish. What an auspicious start! I will be looking for more of this author in the future.

Recommend to anyone as an engaging story to lose yourself in

I took this book with me on a business trip as a casual read on the airplane as well as at the hotel. What I didn't expect was to become so attached to the characters that I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning just trying to get one more chapter in... and then one more after that. The human side of this story, that of Alexandra Verazzano and her struggles to come back from personal tragedies, is so real it feels like it is happening to your closest friend and you want to reach out and help her or cheer her on. Sometimes I would get so engrossed that I completely lost track of time as I turned page after page. It takes you on a masterful emotional rollercoaster of hurt, discovery, trials, triumph, and more... all with subtlety, allowing it unfold so naturally it feels like you are experiencing the emotions along with her. Even more engaging is the unique way the lives and adventures of the timber wolves are brought to life and woven in to the human story. I feel like I've gone through the experiences with this family. The society of the wolves was created in such a way that I was left feeling privileged to be given a glimpse into how they really live. And the imagery of nature created by this book painted pictures as though I was watching a movie, only better. Many of the images are so strong that I can imagine I am standing on a hillside with breath-taking views, taking deep breaths of crisp, clean forest-scented air. All-in-all, this book was refreshing in how it truly captured my emotions. All through this review I talk about how this book made me FEEL and that is the best word I can describe this truly engaging book. I hope there is going to be another book soon so I can feed this new addiction and find out what happens next with Alex and Survivor. Erin Fitzpatrick