lovelytreez
Agatha Christie Whodunnit
Hibernating
Posts: 277 
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Post by lovelytreez on Mar 18, 2016 14:28:12 GMT
In her latest novel, Tracy Chevalier returns to Ohio, the setting of The Last Runaway, except this story is not about quilts but trees, from the humble apple tree to the majestic sequoia. The story begins in 1838, with Sadie and James Goodenough literally stuck in the mud in the Black Swamp, Ohio where they hope to stake their claim by growing an apple orchard. It is a truly bleak, inhospitable environment with bitter winters and the summer swamp fever ruthlessly claiming so many lives year in year out. James and Sadie are passionate pioneers but unfortunately their passions collide with devastating consequences – James with his devotion to his beloved sweet apples and Sadie with her lust for applejack, the strong liquor made from the inedible “spitter” apples. As well as this desolate Ohioan setting, we experience the excitement and wonder of Gold Rush California when, Robert, the Goodenoughs’ youngest son, heads West but don’t expect a sudden reversal of fortune for the Goodenough offspring! This is a story about family, sacrifice, determination and the need to set down roots. There aren’t a lot of laughs but then the pioneers didn’t have an easy time of it. As in other Chevalier novels, there’s an impressive amount of research with the inclusion of real-life historical figures and wonderful attention to detail. The characters are flawed and not very likeable but all the more compelling as a result. Yes, this is a grim tale but amid the doom and gloom there is the tiniest glimmer of hope – a sense that those sequoia seedlings might take root and begin anew. My thanks to Penguin Viking and Net Galley for providing a digital copy of this novel for review purposes. www.lovelytreez.com |
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jobar
Novella
You will find me blogging about books at Jaffareadstoo..
Posts: 190
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Post by jobar on Mar 19, 2016 13:47:09 GMT
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Post by windysisters on Jul 31, 2017 13:30:10 GMT
I'm afraid I was quite disappointed with this one.
Treez has already given a synopsis so I will base my review on that.
The first part which revolves around James and Sadie was quite repetitive with James explaining over and over again the best way to grow apple trees, the taste of his favourite apple and so on. Also James and, especially, Sadie aren't very pleasant characters which I don't think helped me to enjoy this section.
Following a short part two which is made up of letters which fill in the "missing" years, we then move to part three which follows Robert as he makes his way in the world in the West. If found this much more interesting and more what I expect from a Chevalier novel.
The later parts of the book do go someway to lift my opinion of the book but I still don't think it is as good as others by this author.
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anzee
Agatha Christie Whodunnit
Posts: 284
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Post by anzee on Aug 1, 2017 10:57:50 GMT
I was considering recommending this book to my reading group, since we've enjoyed several Tracy Chevalier novels in the past, but windysisters' review, plus others I've read on Amazon have rather put me off.
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Post by rick o' shea on Aug 2, 2017 8:57:44 GMT
I too was disappointed in this. I have felt - increasingly with her books - that the research is getting in the way of creating a good narrative. The facts and history of the apple orchards in Ohio is not as seamlessly woven into the plot as the research supporting her other work, though it is really interesting. It must be difficult for her to break away from the genre, having established a nice little earner!
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