Survival stories have long been popular with readers. They often feature a main character trapped on a remote island or lost in a place far from civilization. The character slowly learns how to survive, using intelligence and ingenuity to provide food, clothing, and shelter. Jane is not entirely cut off from civilization, but her home is in a remote place where help is hard to find.

Returning to live with her aunt and uncle is not really an option, so her effort to live on her own is a matter of do or die. What Hall does with the traditional story of survival is what makes The Solitary an exceptional book.

She parallels Jane's physical isolation with her emotional isolation. Jane begins the novel lost within herself, moved only by her determination to leave her aunt and uncle. To truly survive, Jane must learn to come...