With the jagged mountains and merciless landscape of Montana as a backdrop,  Beartooth by Callan Wink sinks deep into the muck of human emotions. The novel paints a vivid picture of the complexity of familial bonds, the struggle for survival and the tension between moral integrity and necessity.

Callan Wink

Wink introduces us to Thad and Hazen, brothers bound by blood but divided by their personalities and outlooks on life. Thad, the elder by a year at 27, is the embodiment of responsibility—practical and thoughtful. In stark contrast, Hazen is a free spirit, driven by passion and a profound connection to nature, often disregarding societal norms and authority.

While the brothers are not model citizens, they try to be good people. Since the passing of their father, the two have resorted to less than legal avenues to make sure they hold onto the 30 acres of bottomland he left them. Their father probably wouldn’t be very proud. The challenge is that making money in the honest way (cutting dead trees) takes too long and won’t pay the pile of bills or fix the leaky roof of their rustic cabin. With a pit in his stomach, Thad searches for balance and existence as he assumes responsibility for the land and their home.

The emergence of an enigmatic figure known only as the ‘Scot’ introduces a sinister element to their lives. This man, always accompanied by his daughter, entices the brothers with promises of easy money, testing their moral compasses and resilience. Thad’s initial resistance to the Scot’s proposal is commendable but ultimately futile as desperation leads the brothers into a risky venture in Yellowstone National Park. This mission, teetering on the edge of legality and morality, exposes the brothers to unforeseen dangers and tests their bond to its very core.

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The return of their mother, Sacajawea, adds another layer of complexity to their lives. Her whimsical demeanor is a source of frustration for Thad but represents a familiar allure for Hazen. Her return raises questions about her intentions and her role in the brothers’ lives.

As the brothers’ precarious situation spirals out of control, Wink expertly crafts a narrative filled with tension and suspense. Allegations and tempers reach a boiling point, and the brothers must navigate these treacherous waters while grappling with their family loyalties and personal demons. The narrative takes a dark turn with a brutal death, leaving readers on edge as the fate of two missing individuals hangs in the balance.

Through his eloquent yet gritty prose, Wink captures the stark beauty of Montana’s landscape and the raw, unfiltered emotions of his characters. The crunch of leaves, the refreshing taste of a mountain stream, and the chill of the Montana air serve as a backdrop to this gripping tale of survival and redemption.

Wink lives in Livingston, Montana, where he is a fly-fishing guide on the Yellowstone River. He was a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and has been awarded a National Endowment For the Arts fellowship. His stories and essays have been widely published. Beartooth is his third novel.

 Beartooth is not  a story of survival in the traditional sense but an exploration of what it means to truly live, to forgive and to find strength in the most unlikely of places. Wink’s novel is a compelling read that challenges readers to reflect on their values, the nature of family and the lengths to which one will go to protect those they love.