Zoë

Dear Ms. Clay Carmichael: if you're reading this, please consider writing another children's novel, preferably with some of these same characters. Of course, I understand that Wild Things took you five years to complete, and that any hypothetical sequel (or other work - I would accept an unrelated

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story as well) might conceivably take just as long, but I know it will be worth the wait! Thank you.

I cannot recall the last time I encountered a character with as distinctive and winsome a voice as Zoë Royster, the eleven-year-old heroine of Clay Carmichael's middle-grade children's novel, Wild Things. Just as memorable is Mr. C'mere, the feral cat whose own narration is intermingled with Zoë's, and whose observations of human behavior left me shaken - with laughter, with anger, and with sorrow. The following two opening lines, from these two distrustful souls, each of whom has learned to keep the world at a distance:

"Humans were diggers and buriers, the cat thought, like dogs."

"I'd hoped for better, Henry's being a heart doctor. A job like that, you'd think he might actually have a heart."

both grabbed hold of me, dragging me wily-nily into the story, instantly involving me in each narrator's life. I hadn't read more than a few pages, when I knew that here were characters I cared about. By the end of the first chapter, I knew I loved them, and was feverishly racing ahead, hoping for that moment when each - wild things in their different ways - allowed themselves to be, not domesticated, but befriended.

This is the story of a precocious young girl who is sent to live with the half-uncle she never knew - an irritable former heart surgeon, and current world-renowned metal sculptor - after the death of her neglectful and mentally ill mother. Having learned by hard experience that adults "don't stick," Zoë is on the look-out for signs that Henry is looking for the exit signs. What she discovers instead, is a kindred spirit - a man who loves books as much as she does, who is as prickly as she is, and who understands her need for time and space of her own. A person who encourages her to be who she is, but also provides companionship, some (minimal) structure, and the protection she needs from some of the dangers of the adult world. In short: she discovers the parent she never knew she wanted.

But as much as Wild Things is Zoë's story, it is also the story of Mr. C'mere, an aging cat who has turned his back on human love, after witnessing one too many acts of violence and neglect. A cat who observes the humans around him, with a mixture of puzzlement and perceptive understanding that is by turns amusing and heartbreaking. In short, a cat who is Zoë's feline doppelganger. There are many "wild things" in this story, as it happens, from Zoë and Mr. C'mere, to Henry's sculptures and Henry himself, not to mention Sister and Wil, whose identity - once it was revealed - felt so right to me, that I didn't even mind that I had guessed it, some time before.

There are moments of absolute, fall-down-laughing hilarity here - as in the episode in which Mr. C'mere, convinced that the hosing off of the plastic flowers at the graveyard, after he urinates on them, indicates an effort to mark territory, proceeds to urinate on them all the more - and there are moments of stomach-clenching tragedy, from the death of loved ones, to the death of not-so-loved ones. Carmichael's prose is beautifully expressive, whether in girl or feline form, and she has the occasional turn of phrase - Mr. C'mere's description of the newborn orphan Wil, howling in his father's arms, as an "inconsolable noise," Zoë's observation, watching Henry and Fred at a funeral, that "though I didn't hear them exchange twenty words, I understood whole conversations taking place in the silence between them" - that stayed in mind long after I had finished reading.

With a feisty heroine who isn't afraid to say what's on her mind, regardless of the audience - "I focused all my energies on giving the Padre's Lord God Almighty, reportedly in Heaven, a piece of my agitated mind" - a cast of fascinating secondary characters, a feline that would win any reasonable person's heart, and many affectionate references to works of children's literature (particularly The Boy Who Drew Cats), Wild Things is a superb story! I am so very grateful to the Children's Fiction Club to which I belong, for making this our December selection, as I might not otherwise have picked it up! Truly, this is a little masterpiece! I'm waiting on Carmichael's next effort with barely restrained impatience...

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I must say that Wild Things by Clay Carmichael was an unexpected reading pleasure. It is the story of Zoe who is forced to move to Sugar Hill, North Carolina to live with an uncle she has never met, Uncle Henry, after her mother dies. Zoe has been pretty much on her own from a young age as her

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mother ran through a bunch of boyfriends, hospital stays and the ups and downs of drugs. She is self sufficient and does not need an adult, who she undoubtedly cannot trust, to oversee her life.

Zoe has an animal sense about her and senses that a cat is living around Uncle Henry’s house…a cat that nobody noticed before. She bets Uncle Henry $50 that the cat exists…and wins the bet. She spends some time trying to entice the cat (aptly named C’mere) to trust her. Uncle Henry is a cardiologist turned sculptor and spends much of his time in his studio adjoining the house. This leaves plenty of time for Zoe to explore. As she wanders the woods near Uncle Henry’s house, she spies a white doe and tries following it, to avail. It is too fast for her. She stumbles on an old cabin, which she tries to clean up and make her own.

The start of school is no joyous event. Although she wasn’t formally schooled, Zoe is a great reader, from which she has absorbed a great deal of knowledge. So school itself and mingling with children her own age, which she had not done, is stressful and at times boring. Especially when Hargrove Peters keeps staring at her in class.

Wild Things is a coming of age story about Zoe (and C’mere) learning to trust and coming to love the adults around her. It is beautifully written. It is populated by wonderful characters including Uncle Henry, both rough and tender, his assistant Fred and Fred’s wife Bessie, sources of company, wisdom and love, and Maud who turns out to be Zoe’s grandmother and an avid friend of animals. What caught me at the start was the first chapter was told by C’mere who reminisces about the various previous occupants of the house. Interspersed with Zoe’s story are C’mere’s musing, thoughts and feelings. Wild Things has everything a good book needs…action, great characters, happiness, sadness and wonderful writing. Treat yourself to Wild Things by Clay Carmichael.

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Zoe, eleven and self-sufficient is sent to live with her Uncle Henry after her mother dies. Her mother had not really been much of a mother. Zoe had to fend for herself most of her growing up life. For this reason Zoe is slow to put her trust in people including her uncle. She is so afraid that

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people will fail her again. Throughout the book Zoe meets many people along the way that she calls friends and eventually realizes they are like family. This includes the wild boy who lives in the woods. She discovers there are many levels of trust. This book is definitely character driven. I would read more by this author.

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Zoe's mother had never taken care of Zoe. Nor had the string of boyfriends that she had lived with. When her mother died Zoe was given to an uncle she had never known. He is a doctor, an artist and a widower and prone to fits of temper. Zoe has always made her own decisions. The two have to figure

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out how to get along. Zoe is stunned when her uncle puts his own life in jeapardy to protect her from some crazed hunters who are chasing a white deer on his property. The story has interesting characters and plot twists and deals with the importance of family, love and trust.

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Plot: A headstrong girl. A stray cat. A wild boy. A man who plays with fire. Eleven-year-old Zoe trusts no one. Her father left before she was born. At the death of her irresponsible mother, Zoe goes to live with her uncle, former surgeon and famed metal sculptor Dr. Henry Royster. She's sure Henry

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will fail her as everyone else has. Reclusive since his wife's death, Henry takes Zoe to Sugar Hill, North Carolina, where he welds sculptures as stormy as his moods. Zoe and Henry have much in common: brains, fiery and creative natures, and badly broken hearts. Zoe confronts small-town prejudice with a quick temper. She warms to Henry's odd but devoted friends, meets a mysterious teenage boy living wild in the neighboring woods, and works to win the trust of a feral cat while struggling to trust in anyone herself. Zoe's questing spirit leads her to uncover the wild boy's identity, lay bare a local lie, and begin to understand the true power of Henry's art. Then one decisive night, she and the boy risk everything in a reckless act of heroism.

Themes: Family, Friends

Characterization: Zoe has lost a lot in her life and has always been disappointed, by her mom and the boyfriends she brings around. It take her long, lost uncle to break the cycle and finally allow Zoe to open up to what it means to have a family and be a family member. She is a strong female who is incredibly independent and through her independence, finds that she needs to rely on others to grow stronger.

Rating: I would rate this a 10 out of 10. It was a character that many young people could identify with. She feels alone and left out and misunderstood, until she gives people around her and realize that there is a lot of love to be had if you just take a chance on people. Once she allows love in, she is able to reciprocate that to a boy who needs it the most.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

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Zoe, a self-sufficient 11 year-old, finds herself in the care of her only relative, an uncle who lives in the country. Uncle Henry, an eccentric artist, must deal with raising a child who is quite independent, in fact, she insists upon not going to school. Throughout the months together, and with

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the help of the townspeople, Zoe comes to understand being independent all those years with her psychotic mother was not normal; family means selflessness, working together, love and dependency. This is another unfortunate-accident-leaves-child-to-rear-herself and find-relative-to-live-with book. The difference is the added cat commentary interspersed throughout chapters.

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“I’d hoped for better. Henry’s being a heart doctor. A job like that, you’d think he might actually have a heart.” So says eleven-year-old Chloe, our principal narrator. Chloe trusts no one (she has essentially raised herself while her mentally ill mother drifted from boyfriend to

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boyfriend and ran from bill collectors) and is used to running things her own way. The book opens as she is taken in by an uncle she never knew existed when her mother commits suicide. While the basic plot of Wild Things is formulaic (spunky girl wins over heart of reluctant, crotchety guardian), Carmichael’s wrappings for it are sharp and populated by a whole cast of memorable, odd-ball characters. Of particular note is “Mr. C’mere”, the elderly feral cat Chloe attempts to win over. Very short chapters in the book narrated from Mr. C’mere’s point of view to help tell Chloe’s story.

I struggled with an age recommendation for this book. Although Chloe is in 5th grade, her actions and voice are that of a much older character. The more sophisticated the reader, the more enjoyment to be had.
Highly recommended!

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Eleven-year--old Zoe is brilliant-and street smart. Having raised herself, (with no help from her drug- addicted, mentally ill mother or her mother's endless series of lowlife boyfriends) she trusts no one. When her mother dies unexpectedly she is placed in the care of her father's half-brother, an

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ex-surgeon turned artist. For the first time in her life, Zoe has a home and stability. At this same time, she begins to befriend a feral cat living in the woods near her new home. Like Zoe, he learned long ago not to trust anyone and to rely upon himself. The story of how the two of them learn to love and trust is heartwarming and insightful. Young readers will be drawn to Zoe's independence and her vulnerability at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book. The cast of characters is colorful and unique. I highly recommend this book for young readers.

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Extraordinary. I had to let it simmer overnight before I could come up with anything resembling a coherent review. This is a wonderful book, and I loved it enough that I wish I hadn't read it so I could read it again for the first time.

The characters are agreeably prickly, including the feral old

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cat who is deeply suspicious of people. The passages narrated by the cat are maybe just a little hokey, but I loved 'em anyway. In my opinion, the descriptions of what it's like to be an artist are dead on. The plot is taut, the coincidences and climaxes not so far out as to be surreal, the characters' growth is believable and heartwarming. And did I mention the cat? And the passing but suitably loving mention of favorite characters from classic kid-lit? (Which reminds me, I need to find out who Opal Buloni is- she's the only one I didn't recognize.)

I want to read it again, right away. I can't remember how long it's been since I had that reaction to a middle-grade book.

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Appealing, memorable, and exceptionally well-written coming-of-age story.

I love the voice in this book be it Zoe who trusts no one or the feral cat who gives insights into the past - well crafted, fast paced

I love this book. Beautiful writing, wonderful story. This is a book that I will remember and think of and recommend to very special readers.

2 ILL no CC - read by Children's Book group before I was involved.

I very much enjoyed this book which focused on a spunky, very much impacted by issues of abandonment and mental health of her parents young adult girl.

Zoe was accustomed to forging ahead by her self. Since early years, her mother left her alone. When her mother committed suicide, she then lived

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with an Uncle she never knew. Her took her to live with him and very stable, warm and caring friends.
Henry was the first stable person she had in her life. Not accustomed to love, accountable to others, and waiting at any minute to be abandoned at any point, Zoe wants very much to trust Henry, his assisstant Franklin, and Franklin's wife Bessie.

This is a warm, fuzzy book that focuses more on Zoe's travels to stability than her previous life of abandoment and unstability.

While it may sound too good to be true, Henry is a very stable person. A previous cardiologist, he left that behind to become quite a talented artist.

There are twists and turns as strong-willed Zoe finds an abandoned shack in the woods surrounding Henry's house, and claims it as her own. In addition, she discovers an abandoned, ferel cat that she gradually cultivates safety and he then follows her and becomes her pet. This part of the book is very precious.

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