The bizarre world of wild abandon

Wild abandon is the second novel by Australian author, Emily Bitto, who has a doctorate in creative writing. Her debut novel, The strays, won the 2015 Stella Prize for Australian women's writing. I tried hard to like Wild abandon as it's based on real events. Read on to see why I didn't...

Wild abandon | Published September 2021 | Read August 2023

The story takes its inspiration from real life events: In 2011, a Vietnam veteran kept a (perfectly legal) menagerie of wild animals in Ohio, ending somewhat predictably in disaster. Bitto has taken the main parts of the true story and added Will into the mix. Will is on a journey to find himself after a relationship break up. He travels from Australia to NYC to stay with his older brother's friend. Will later finds himself in a small town in Ohio where he meets the literary version of the real veteran.

I tried to get on board with Will's journey of discovery, and Bitto clearly evokes his sense of abandonment and uncertainty in the first part of the novel. I just didn't like this part - - the time Will spent in NYC - as it doesn't seem to have much point to it. The Ohio part of the story is both bizarre and heartbreaking. I understand the contrast between the two parts, the first being heady and superficial, and the second fascinating and compelling. I felt, though, that the novel would have stood alone without the first part. It seems disjointed, especially when there isn't a clear lesson to take away from it that shapes Will's later experiences.

The book is billed as a journey into America's heartland, a comment on the end-days of capitalism and what it means to be a human in this strange world of ours. While the unfolding events in Ohio are interesting to read, the author isn't clear about the messages she is trying to convey about society and the human condition. The novel seems to suffer from an identity crisis. Is it supposed to be about Will's journey of self-discovery and a comment on modern society, or is it an exploration of the terrible real life events in Ohio in 2011 and a veteran struggling with PTSD? (And don't get me started on the issue of keeping exotic animals!) I didn't get a sense that Will learns much from his experience and he is written as something of a bystander to the situation.

A comment on the writing style:

I struggled with Bitto's writing style so after I finished the book I read a few reviews to see if others felt the same. Some did, pointing out the author's use of long and dense prose. I agree with these reviews' conclusions that the writing style is overwhelming at times. I get the thought-provoking nature of the contrast between this writing style and the characters' unsophisticated thoughts and actions. That said, I found those passages hard to read. They feel overblown and heavy and it was exhausting trying to make sense of them. Moreover, if Will is supposed to be the Everyman whom we learn from, how can we do that if his thoughts and actions lack depth? To me, the alienting writing style reduces the novel's power to provide meaningful commentary on society and the human condition.

Rating: ⭐⭐