Gone From These Woods Book Review

Author: Donny Bailey Seagraves

If it was up to Daniel Sartain, he wouldn’t hunt. Killing an innocent animal is cruel and unnecessary. But when you’re an 11 year old member of the Sartain family, not learning to hunt is out of the question.

One Second Can Change a Lifetime

His favorite uncle and role model, Clay, takes Daniel deep into the woods to hunt rabbits. But when Daniel chickens out, he does something a whole lot worse than kill a rabbit. With his .410 shotgun ready to fire, he stands up, forgetting that his hand is still on the trigger. The shotgun blasts. One minute Clay is standing next to Daniel, dishing out words of encouragement, and the next he’s face down in a pile of straw, bleeding from a chest wound.

Consuming by Pain and Guilt

From that fateful day onward, Daniel grieves and blames himself for the Clay’s death. Accident or not, he killed his uncle, his favorite person in the world, the man he aspired to be just like one day. But now he’s gone, cut off after his short 22 years of life.

Thoughts of Suicide

Daniel can’t shake off the painful thoughts of Clay. He can’t enjoy a home-cooked meal, or time with his friends, or even Christmas. While Daniel’s deadbeat dad drinks and smokes to mask the pain, Daniel contemplates a quicker way to end his life. But is suicide a punishment for what he’s done, or a way to stop the pain?

The Bottom Line

Gone From These Woods is a delicate, painful, depressing and enlightening story. The author really captures the stages of grief perfectly—everything from denial and guilt to anger and acceptance. Losing a loved one is the hardest thing in the world. But with time, the painful wounds will heal.

Gone From These Woods Rating:

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