The Grey

The Grey by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers

The Grey - E-Book
The Grey - Movie

Genera - Current Fiction, Wilderness Survival

I was talking to Titus on Eve the other week about random things that spiraled into a conversation about my lack of connection to common popular culture.  Titus had been trying to explain something to me using movies.  I’d never seen any of the movies he kept referencing.  It made for an odd conversation because I couldn't understand any of his analogies.

Our discussion wandered to the movie The Grey.  I’d never seen it and he really felt that I should see it.  I do not really enjoy watching movies anymore.  I’m down to a visit to the theater once every other year or so.  I decided to offer a compromise and meet halfway.  I’d try to read the books to the movies he discussed if they had books.

I found the Grey on Amazon.  The original movie came from a short story.  The author then expanded the short story some.  Its not a long book by any means so I picked it up an gave it a try.
I will be unable to rate this book any higher then 3 stars (out of 5) and this is why.

The book itself isn't bad.  Its not my daily cup of tea but it’s a solid read and interesting in its approach.
What I do hate and what will never make me recommend the book to anyone else is the way that it portrays wolves.  In the story, the wolves are these death dealers that hunt the group down and pick them off.  It is glossed over as “This is their place and they don’t want us here.”  It is complete and total rubbish.  Wolves do not behave in the manner portrayed by this book.

Portrayals like this is why people hunt down and slaughter predatory animals like wolves and sharks (Jaws anyone?  The author deeply regrets writing the story as he did).  I’m actually disgusted by the blatant misrepresentation of wolf behavior in this book.  I ranted and ranted and ranted.  Titus will probably never recommend another book to me again.

I don’t think he means it.  In some ways, the wolves are probably some type of symbolism or the incarnation of the harshness of nature.  I don’t care.  It’s a terrible disservice to them.  I will say that the quality of the book is enough to have stopped me from raging and deleting it.  Plus I promised that I would read it, so I continued.

Its not a happy story.  There is no happy ending for everyone.  Its bleak, and stark and the people suffer a lot.  I could not relate to the main character.  He had issues before the story happened and he had issues during the course of the story.  Issues that I couldn't see myself having due to personality differences.

The writing style is first person current.  I find that one of the harder styles to slide into.  It gives the feeling of sharing the persons moment to moment.  If there is a disconnect between the reader and the character in the story it only heightens the disorientation of viewing things through someone else's eyes.

For the fact that I couldn't relate to the book and that I am enraged at the portrayal of wolves in the book I don't think it is a bad book.  I won't read it again.  I'm sure someone who is more interested in the symbolism of nature and futility represented by the wolves in the story may enjoy it much more then I did.  Also, someone who liked the movie will get more out of it then I.