Bestselling novelist Louise Penny has praised her colleague William Kent Krueger’s protagonist as one who “walked off the page… tough, vulnerable, hardened and shattered” from his very first appearance. If you feel this to be true, what life experiences, personality traits, or narrative choices by the author contribute to the feeling?

Right from the prologue Cork is dealing with the loss of his father as a teen and so is vulnerable. But he’s also hunting a bear with Sam, so he’s tough. Later, he’s shattered by the death of Sam and is devastated by shooting Stanley. That’s exactly how WKK describes Cork: “He felt shattered, broken inside, unsure of everything about himself.”

He’s most vulnerable with his children and with Molly, and he credits Molly with opening his heart again. He feels helpless and inadequate in explaining to his kids why he’s not at home and his breakup from his wife. He’s shown as hardened over and over again when he’s confronted with his wife’s betrayal as well as by the trauma he goes through in feeling responsible for Sam’s death and the death of Stanley.

He’s hardened when he confronts others with their misdeeds even if he considers them friends, like when he confronts Sheriff Wally, Russell Blackwater, and Father Tom Griffin. His toughness is most on display when he confronts Paul Le Beau and the Brigade. Both times, it shows him as tough but wise. But he’s also physically tough when he takes multiple beatings and endures the pain, and when he confronts the Windigo.

He’s also fallible and makes terrible mistakes, which leads him to feeling shattered. For instance, when he’s caught up in his anger at his wife’s betrayal and the murder of Joe John, he seems unable to see the danger he puts Molly in, and this has tragic consequences. But he’s also heroic in that he never gives up the fight, and is always fighting for the truth, justice, and the people he loves.

First comment: Thank you to Book Club Friends and everyone who commented or reacted in this discussion. I thought I knew this story very well yet I found fresh views and insights in response to every question. I am sincerely grateful.

LP describes Cork perfectly. It’s true that right from the opening chapter poor Cork has already been put through the wringer with the death of his father. So he’s already vulnerable and shattered. Tracking and confronting the bear immediately revealed to me that he is also a brave young man. I think he has a sensitive, loving heart because he loves Sam, Molly, and his family deeply. He’s really devastated and at a loss being separated from his children and he will sacrifice his own personal happiness to be with them. WKK demonstrates this by his willingness to give up Molly for them, despite the fact that he loves her. He’s very tough and hard when he has to confront the bad guys. Whether he’s getting beaten up, shot at, or attacked, he is tough and courageous and never gives up. All his traits (good and bad) come to an epic conclusion when he confronts Sandy. He has to be emotionally, spiritually, physically tough to face and conquer his enemy.

And to the question, beginning with loosing his father at the age of 13 to violence, Cork faces what would almost certainly have been devastating losses for anyone. The shootings over fishing rights take Sam Winter Moon, his father’s good friend and the man who shepherded an adolescent Cork through his grief and into manhood, involve the first time Cork has taken another man’s life, lead to a recall vote and his removal as sheriff and magnify the stresses and distance in his marriage. At Jo’s request, he leaves his family home, the one owned by his parents and grandparents. And he remains insufficiently Native for The People. Even Jo sees the magnitude of what Cork has lost, “He’s lost so much in the last two years.” Cork withdraws. An early commenter in this discussion noted Cork’s self absorption, and he is self-absorbed. “Everything doesn’t happen because of you” Jo tells him, although he could be forgiven for thinking that in some ways. He is also honest, with himself, his children and in his dealings with others. Responding to Molly’s concern for his safety, Cork tells her he is not a brave man (although he is); “Maybe not, but you’re stubborn, and that’s just as bad.” Call it stubborn or determined, that is why Cork eventually figures out what is behind the disappearance of Paul and the death of Joe John. Faced with a question of justice or strict adherence to the law, Cork chooses justice. WKK tells us the story of Cork as person, deeply flawed and still heroic, in the memories of Cork and Jo, vivid memories of his past and their shared experiences.

As the book opens, WKK describes a shattered youth, too polite to turn down a mentor, yet strong enough to pursue a dangerous bear. He is finding his own way through grief, one painful step after another. He is a fascinating youth, and at only 13, a fascinating and commendable character, struggling through adversity. Sam cannot protect him; he can only advise him of the Windigo. Life provides another deep blow, one he tried to and couldn’t avoid, one that strikes him to the core – a cherished life lost and his own taking of another life. It could drop anyone to their knees. Cork is not a superficial superhero, or perfection personified. WKK portrays a damaged and imperfect soul in a tough world, doing the best he can. No wonder we are captivated by him and wish him the best. Yet, Molly is killed at the doorstep of his justice. He perilously seeks the truth as his family struggles to survive. Has he done the right thing? What is justice, and whose is it? Following his story feels like hiking an icy, mountainous trail where all of us could slip down the side at any time. Louise Penny’s choices don’t disappoint. I did his second Cork mystery as an audio book to better understand the Native American words. I needed a bit of a break after that. It’s a lot of violence for me. As the light is dwindling these days, I’ll pick up the series in the spring when I dig up my garden. And now, I’ll get back to the NEW Book! My jaw is still dropped at her clever opening.

A parting commenting on Cork and the person we meet. He is not a particular fan of poetry but the final line of Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” resonates with him, “And miles to go before I sleep.” But the line before that is the one that I think truly captures the person he is and what he stands for. That line is “And I have promises to keep.” He is fundamentally about keeping promises.