Iris Wolff finds a way to capture the intricate, quiet threads that bind us to the places we’ve left behind. In Clearing, she explores the burden of belonging through the lens of Lev, whose journey across borders is as much an internal migration as a physical one. The narrative navigates the shifting terrain of family—both the ones we are born into and the ones we choose—while asking whether redemption is possible without first confronting the past. Wolff’s prose is luminous and exceptional, yet the story’s quiet, interior focus may leave those looking for a more traditional, action-oriented plot resolution wanting more

My first introduction to Wolff but I loved this! Love the format of the book starting with end chapter and how the story is told backwards. Starting with that reconnection and continuing back through various moments of theirs over the years and moments of importance to main character. As a translated work, I think the translator did a good job in translating this work and gives good feedback to some words that have no translation. Thank you to Netgalley and Moth Books for the eARC!