Wilderness of Spring

"Wilderness of Spring" by Edgar Pangborn is a historical fiction novel set in the early 1700s about two brothers, Ben and Reuben Cory, living in Deerfield, Massachusetts, during a dangerous time of conflict. Living in a society fraught with tension, this story explores the ties between family, the anxieties stirred up by the unknown, and how conflict affects those who have nothing to do with it. It specifically revolves around the brothers as they react to living in a dangerous world. Initially, Ben Cory, a young boy, wrestles with being alone and the nearby enemies known as the “Others,” which include Native Americans and French soldiers, who threaten his community. The Cory family suffers from the pressures of this war, which manifests as fearful conversations, daily lives, and the ever-present possibility of attack. The story is set in harsh winters, where the family's warm home is their only respite from the brutality of their existence; their home is a backdrop for unsettling events for the family. As their story unfolds, both brothers deal with their innermost fears and the terrible fallout from an ongoing war.