Martin Marten

After going to hear Brian Doyle at the Paulina Springs Bookstore in Sisters a week or so back, my interest in reading his work was re-energized. He was so passionate, funny, compassionate, and wise that when we walked out of the bookstore, my husband, who is not a big reader, said, "I want to read everything he has ever written." I was very favorably impressed with The Grail, his year-long humorous and informative examination of wine-making in Oregon, and also liked Mink River.
The adjectives I used to describe Mink River would apply equally as well here (see my blog post linked above). It seems to be his style to tell the story(ies) from many perspectives, including those of the animals who spend time near humans, and to emphasize the inter-connectedness of all beings in a place. The place is the west side of Mt. Hood, or Wy-east as is was known by First Peoples, near a small hamlet of ZigZag (which Doyle claims bears no relation to the real town of that name).
Martin is a marten, met at birth and followed until he is almost 2 years old. He develops a particular curiosity about a human he sees running through the woods--that would be 14-almost-15-year old Dave, who will be attending ZigZag High School and running on the track team for much of the time we encounter him. There are a handful of other beings--two- and four-footed--who play significant roles: Martin's mom and siblings and a mate; Dave's parents and his "Cadillac" of a sister, Maria; Ms. Ginny Moss, who runs a general store; the trapper, Richard Douglas who is in love with Ms. Moss; Moon, Dave's friend and whose parents are never home; Mr. Shapiro, one of Dave's teachers; Emma Jackson, who works with Dave's mom at the Lodge; the Unabled Lady, who gives Maria a finch; Edwin, Mr. Douglas' horse; Mr. Shapiro's dog who has not yet named himself; Louis, the largest elk on Wy'east, as far as anyone knows; Cosmas, the daredevil bicyclist in the orange jumpsuit.
There are several love stories that run throughout the tale: that between Ms. Moss and Mr. Douglas; that between Dave's parents; that between Emma and a waitress at the Lodge; that between Dave and Cadence. And then there is the fascination that Dave and Martin have for each other; Martin races through the treetops alongside Dave when he runs in the woods every day. And then, one day, they meet face to face on the top of a rock pillar--maybe an accident, maybe it's fate--and watch the sunset together. And the reader will love every one of these characters.
Another luscious, literary meal to savor from Mr. Doyle.