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C. J. Thorin, born in the 70s, is a storyteller shaped by different countries and landscapes. A postgraduate of Durham University, Thorin's career has taken him to live and work across the globe, giving him a unique narrative perspective. Beyond his professional successes, which have allowed him to learn from and contribute to various cultures, Thorin is at heart a family man. With his wife and children, he finds inspiration on serene walks in the Scottish mountains, a source of quiet creativity.
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In The Wolf and the Shepherd by C. J. Thorin, Eliel, an elderly shepherd, lives a rustic life in the Alps, tending to his flock, making cheese, and reflecting on his profession. He has his challenges with things like resource scarcity, market changes, and wolf attacks. Memories of his friend Serena and family sustain him, even in light of the loss of his wife, Joaquina. He discusses societal decay and the decline of traditional values but finds a happy place in literature and companionship. Eliel speaks about his son's departure and the societal neglect of shepherds. A lost traveler, Emilio, shares his story, connecting with Eliel over literature and family. Eliel learns about political corruption threatening local businesses and faces increased pressure to sell his land to a mining company, Imperial Orient, but resists their exploitative intentions. As conflicts and losses mount, Eliel embarks on a journey for peace and closure.
The Wolf and the Shepherd by C. J. Thorin is a journey through the musings of Eliel and hinges on philosophical dialogue that traverses subjects ranging from classic literature to the minutiae of cheese-making and the ever-evolving socio-political landscape. Thorin's intentionally slow pacing may not suit all tastes, but within this deliberate tempo lies the heart of the novel—a character-driven exploration of one man's life and the changes around him that directly impact his existence. This is a raw portrayal of the human experience and the interplay between reconciling what no longer is and finding comfort in what Eliel has, which is mainly his books, his friendships, his memories, and his beliefs. The Wolf and the Shepherd stands as a testament to the power of literary fiction to provoke introspection and shine a light on the complexities of existence.
