From the prologue, I could tell this book would require commitment. I was right—and despite making accommodations (cleared social calendar, clean house, snacks at the ready), I still find myself deep in a book hangover. This is a gritty and lyrical Depression-era Western that left me reeling in the best way.

East Texas in the dredges of the 1930s Depression ensures this story starts with plenty of meat on the bone, delivering on its promises of rich setting and propulsive plot. The economic, emotional, and existential weight of the era hangs over every page, making it the perfect backdrop for a Western that wants to be more than just guns and grit. Here, “heading West” isn’t hopeful or freeing; for most characters, it’s not even a choice. It’s a last resort, a move born of desperation. Every character—main or background—seems to be moving away from something: grief, trauma, the crushing wheel of poverty. The “promised land” is bleak indeed.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Narrow the Road draws comparisons to The Grapes of Wrath, but unlike Steinbeck (who, in my opinion, spent too much page count describing dust), Wade reins in the exposition and scenery to a vivid but blessedly disciplined threshold. Enough that I could smell the earth, feel the humidity, and marvel at the terrain, but not so much that I was jumping ahead to get back to the action.

And make no mistake: there is plenty of action. The blurb isn’t exaggerating when it calls this a “gripping coming-of-age odyssey.” I was enthusiastically hooked, turning pages with no good guesses as to what fresh hell would present itself next on this journey.

Readers can absolutely enjoy this novel on a surface level: the story of a young boy trying to fix his broken family during a broken time, wrapped in a vivid love letter to East Texas and packed with energetic dialogue and eccentric characters that leap off the page. But if you’re willing to sink into the emotional current that runs beneath it—and wade deeper into its themes of loyalty, grief, guilt, and redemption—then shoo, you’re in for something truly special.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Hmmm, I thought about my review of this book all through the journey the main character takes to find his wayward father. What kept me reading was William, the 15 year old main character, his perfect side kick, Ollie, and the excellent addition of Lena along the journey. William is a thoughtful, sensitive, and courageous young man trying to make sense of his parents in Depression era East Texas. Ollie is a hot tempered impulsive teen who is by William for whatever comes their way. With these guys the book felt YA, but with so many adult themes to tackle. The twists in the book kept me reading to see what would happen to the kids. I keep thinking about these characters after the book is over, which to me is a sign I enjoyed the book.

The chapters, more like asides of the veteran father’s story detracted from the story for me, mostly because of the language. Language throughout the book seemed out of place, more refined story telling than the time period and education level of the characters warranted for me. It distracted from, instead of enhanced the plot.
Recommend this book to historical fiction fans out there who would like a unique journey into the wilds of East Texas. Should there be a sequel and I could get a glimpse into William and Ollie’s lives as adults with their own families that would be something I would read for sure.

The book is set in Texas and Southern Gothic style, but I found the book very depressing to read. I stopped reading after the first couple of chapters.

As his mother lies near death, a young man embarks on a journey to track down his missing father (a war veteran). The journey is both tragic and heartwarming as William and his best friend chase his father's trail from town to town, encountering a host of interesting characters along the way.

This may well be the best book I have read this year.

It is 1930s East Texas. William’s father is missing, his mother is dying, and the bank is about to take their farm.

William determines that he must find his father and return him home. With Ollie, his best friend, he sets off on an odyssey that leads them into great dangers. They meet up with Lena, another teenager, who has escaped from a medicine show and sticks with them.

These three are not Tom and Huck and Becky. The poverty is real. The violence is real. The sadness is real. And there is some magnificent writing, here describing a migrant caravan heading west: "There were old women and young children and there were proud, angry men and men who had already been broken. Men who walked by habit alone. Windup dolls of men who kept moving, kept breathing, but had been hollowed out long ago by a world that wouldn’t stop taking."

James Wade’s Texas gothic stories always hit and I will request every single ARC I can get my hands on.

Set in Depression-era Texas, Narrow the Road follows William on his search for his WWI veteran father after the bank arrives to foreclose on the farm he and his ill mother are left to tend.
His loyal friend Ollie accompanies him on the journey where they have a run in with a runaway girl, a snake oil salesman, a woods witch, and various people who knew his father.

As per usual, there aren’t many happy endings in Wade’s books, but I’ll accept the heartbreak every time to experience the beauty.

A Luminous Journey Through America's Darkest Hour

James Wade has crafted something truly extraordinary with *Narrow the Road*, a coming-of-age masterpiece that captures both the brutal beauty of 1930s East Texas and the timeless struggle of young people forced to grow up too fast. This is historical fiction at its most visceral and moving—a novel that transports you so completely to its Depression-era setting that you can practically taste the dust and feel the oppressive heat of the Big Thicket.

William Carter emerges as one of the most compelling young protagonists in recent memory. Wade masterfully portrays a boy shouldering impossible burdens with a maturity beyond his years, yet never losing sight of his essential youth and vulnerability. The weight of keeping his family's farm afloat while searching for his missing father creates a tension that drives every page, and William's journey from desperate son to reluctant hero feels both inevitable and earned.

The friendship between William and Ollie provides the novel's emotional core. Their bond feels authentic and lived-in, enhanced by Ollie's unusual profession as a mortician-in-training—a detail that adds both dark humor and profound thematic weight to their adventure. Wade understands that true friendship is tested not in comfort but in crisis, and these boys face trials that would break lesser souls.

The Big Thicket itself becomes a character in Wade's capable hands. His descriptions of this untamed wilderness are so vivid and atmospheric that you can almost hear the pines creaking in the wind. The landscape serves as both sanctuary and threat, a place where civilization's rules don't apply and anything—beautiful or terrible—might emerge from the shadows.

Wade's gallery of supporting characters is nothing short of spectacular. From the enigmatic Lena, whose flight from the medicine show adds layers of danger and romance, to the genuinely menacing Doctor Downtain, every person William encounters feels fully realized. The inclusion of historical figures like Bonnie and Clyde adds authenticity without feeling gimmicky—they exist naturally within this world of desperate people making desperate choices.

What sets *Narrow the Road* apart is Wade's ability to balance breakneck adventure with moments of profound introspection. The novel works as both a thrilling quest narrative and a meditation on loyalty, sacrifice, and the painful transition from childhood to adulthood. William's moral choices feel weighty because Wade has established the stakes so clearly—this isn't just about finding his father, but about discovering who he's willing to become.

The prose is luminous throughout, combining the lean efficiency of classic adventure writing with poetic moments that capture the stark beauty of the American South during its most challenging era. Wade's dialogue rings with period authenticity while remaining immediately accessible to modern readers.

*Narrow the Road* stands as a triumphant achievement—a novel that honors the tradition of great American adventure stories while offering fresh insights into family, friendship, and the courage required to forge your own path. This is the kind of book that reminds you why storytelling matters, why some journeys are worth taking no matter the cost.

James Wade has written something special here, a novel that deserves to stand alongside the finest coming-of-age literature. Absolutely essential reading.

Many thanks to James Wade, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel. Narrow the Road has all the elements I’ve come to expect from a James Wade novel — a gripping coming-of-age story, an interesting historical setting, memorable characters, and stunning descriptions. This was a bleak story, and many times while reading it I was reminded of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. There was a lot here that I am still processing, days later. James Wade is a master of his craft and this novel, like his previous novels, is not to be missed.

This was an engaging and fast paced read. Some of the dialog could be a bit cliche, but over all I enjoyed it. I felt connected to the characters, which is important to me as a reader.