“This is for the three of you. You’ll challenge yourselves and see how strong you are. The Canyon’s going to give you a big hug and welcome you home.”

Overflowing with rich descriptions of the wonders of nature, and the duality of (hu)man, “Getaway” invites its audience on a backpacking trip with a trio of gals that promises to be unforgettable for… a lot of different reasons. Hindsight is 20/20! Especially when they’re focused on the unique healing energy that nature can provide…before it rapidly turns into a dangerous distraction. The novel unravels quickly into a distressing scramble for survival, challenging the protagonists in what’s revealed to be a clever juxtaposition of their daily realities and shared history. Stage expertly provides a luminous, near holy, backdrop for terror and desperation to carve their way through our protagonists, ever changed.

There’s a lackadaisical element to the character redemption that Stage imparts on readers. I understand complexities and nuances of human behavior and I understand that I can’t possibly emphasize with everyone everywhere always. I’ve climbed inside of ickier antagonists, vile creatures. But there was something about our “Getaway” bad guy that felt pathetic. But, perhaps that was the real horror of it all.

3/5 Happy to start my exploration into Stage’s arsenal here as this felt very middle ground whereas I’ve heard nothing but unhinged reviews of her other works.