On the one hand, the ending felt contrived. On the other, this is not only a "boy in the wilderness" book, it's also a look at social structures and how they trickle down from adults to children, and multiple versions of grief, from losing a child, to losing a fiance, to an unflinching look at child neglect. All while keeping our protagonist safe enough to be able to be borne. So all in all, a very strong book.