Book Review: Wild by Alex Mallory

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Wild
Author: Alex Mallory
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Retellings
Released: July 8th 2014
Review Source: HarperTeen | Edelweiss

In this action-packed and timely "Tarzan for the digital age," Cade, a teen raised in the wilderness, is brought into modern civilization.

The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving-that's all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he's the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger...

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy-he's stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he's not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade's past tear them apart?

I am not a person that loves retelling. I haven’t read many of these genre and Wild is a retelling of Tarzan. As I began reading Wild, I liked how the characters and the world were introduced. The story is written in a nice pace with the focus on Cade’s life. It was interesting seeing how he reacted with these two new incomers. He never had seen anyone like them, not that he encounter many. But they were different from the people he infrequently comes across with. I liked how he distant himself while yet follows them to learn more of them. Once he was discovered and taken to civilization, I don’t know but the story changes for me.

For the most part, I enjoyed the book. Cade explored the world like a new born. I like the simple fact that every time he liked a food, he would hide it to take it back home. He had a closet filled with the food and things he wanted to take back to his home. I found that pretty funny. But there were parts that I felt were not necessary. And at times I felt like it dragged. There were no action and it felt like I was reading a documentary at times. Honestly I skimmed through from time to time. I think if Wild wasn't as long as it is and some parts were cut, it would had been a great book. Overall, I thought this was an okay read.