Some folks chase endless winter, other’s chase mythological beings. Giano Cromley’s American Mythology offers a deep dive into the importance of wild spaces through a fantastical lens. And a chance to put off powder dreams for a couple more sweaty summer days.
After a chance meeting at the only bar in Basic, Montana, an unlikely group ventures into the wilderness in search of an unmapped lake and a mythological creature. But, with changing alliances and motivations ranging from science to storytelling, they find more than a legendary ape in the woods.
Meet the Bigfoot hunters: Vergil and Jute, childhood best friends and the sole members of the Basic Bigfoot Society; Bigfoot expert Professor Marcus Bernard, who will do just about anything to get back in academia’s good graces; film grad student and Werner Herzog-wanna be Vicky, whose parents wanted her to be a lawyer; and Virgil’s daughter Rye, who claims she’s just there to keep her dad and Jute from embarrassing themselves on camera.
Author Giano Cromley’s work of fiction is more than just a story of searching for sasquatch. When this group of misfits go into the woods of Montana together, the resulting adventure is comedic and heartfelt with a few moments that verge on psychological horror. The characters have more depth than first meets the eye, and the relationships that develop are unexpected. Jute and Vicky debate religion on a mountain top (if you can believe in God, why not Bigfoot?), Bernard reexamines why he started studying apes in the first place, and Vergil works to heal his relationship with his daughter.
Woven throughout is a timely reminder of the sanctity of wild places. As Jute, Vergil and the gang trek through Montana’s Elkhorn mountains, magic and nature mix. With a series of mysterious journal entries, Cromley references the early days of America’s extractive industries—mining, timber and even fur trapping—but with a twist. What if nature could fight back?
So, do Jute, Vergil, Bernard, Vicky and Rye find Bigfoot? You’ll have to read American Mythology to find out. Though, perhaps Vicky put it best in one of her many Herzog-inspired voice overs: “Maybe Bigfoot is a Rorschach test—less about what’s out there, and more about what’s inside each of us.”
American Mythology comes out July 15, and is available for pre-order here.
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