How Does Barkskins End?

2026-01-15 03:48:40
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3 Answers

Kieran
Kieran
Favorite read: Where the Pack Ends
Detail Spotter UX Designer
'Barkskins' ends where it began: with the land. After hundreds of pages tracing the Sel and Duquet families through centuries, Proulx brings the story full circle by showing the consequences of their choices. The final chapters jump to the present day, where descendants like Sapatisia Sel confront the legacy of deforestation. It’s not a happy ending—more like a stark reminder that history isn’t done with us. The prose is spare but powerful, especially in the last few lines, where the weight of all that lost wilderness settles in. I finished it with a mix of awe and heartache, which is probably exactly what Proulx intended.
2026-01-16 16:37:49
11
Sawyer
Sawyer
Favorite read: The Last Howl
Detail Spotter Sales
I was completely absorbed in 'Barkskins' from start to finish, and that ending still lingers in my mind. The novel spans generations, following the descendants of René Sel and Charles Duquet as their lives intertwine with the brutal deforestation of North America. The final chapters tie together the sprawling narrative by revealing the fates of the remaining characters, particularly the modern-day descendants grappling with environmental devastation. Annie Proulx doesn’t offer a neat resolution—instead, she leaves you with a haunting sense of cyclical destruction and the irreversible cost of human greed. The last scenes with the logging companies and the dwindling forests hit hard, almost like a quiet lament for what’s been lost. It’s the kind of ending that makes you put the book down and stare at the wall for a while.

What struck me most was how Proulx contrasts the early settlers’ struggles with the corporate ruthlessness of later eras. The Sel and Duquet lineages mirror each other in tragic ways, and the final pages underscore how little has truly changed despite centuries passing. The environmental message isn’t preachy; it’s woven into the soil of the story. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction with teeth, though fair warning: it’s not a cheerful ride.
2026-01-16 17:10:38
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Grant
Grant
Favorite read: How it Ends
Bookworm Doctor
Reading 'Barkskins' felt like watching a slow-motion collision between humanity and nature, and the ending caps that off with brutal clarity. By the time you reach the final act, the focus shifts to the modern-day characters, like the Sel descendants fighting to protect what’s left of the forests, while the Duquet lineage embodies corporate exploitation. Proulx doesn’t wrap things up with a bow—instead, she leaves threads dangling, emphasizing how the damage is ongoing. The last image of the novel, with the relentless logging machinery, is almost cinematic in its bleakness.

What I admire is how Proulx avoids villainizing any single character. Even the most destructive figures are products of their time and circumstances, which makes the ending feel more nuanced. The book’s real antagonist is greed itself, and that’s what lingers after you close the cover. If you’re into sprawling family sagas with an ecological heartbeat, this one’s a must-read—just don’t expect warm fuzzies.
2026-01-19 10:09:17
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