Reviews

The Juniper Tree by Barbara Comyns

sloatsj's review

4.0

Barbara Comyns has a great storytelling style, very natural and engaging. This has some tint of a fairy tale to it, with its allusions to The Juniper Tree, one of the gruesome tales collected by the Brothers Grimm. The protagonist, Bella, a single mother, is enchanted by a childless couple that more or less adopts her and her daughter. You can feel that this enchantment will go awry, that some poor decisions are made, but also see how hard some situations are to resist.
I bought this after recently reading [b:The Vet's Daughter|1073750|The Vet's Daughter|Barbara Comyns|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563543786l/1073750._SY75_.jpg|1060445], and it has the same sympathetic voice and the story has a similar pace, flowing but not hurried.
Much enjoyed.

emisabelleruby's review

5.0

sobbing, scorching, screeching masterpiece

phiagrace97's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was such an eire and atmospheric read. Overall little happened save the last shock, but the whole story was laced with foreboding. I felt little joy in the “happy ending” given all that occurred leading up. While morose and slow paced, Comyns’s world was beautiful crafted and Bella’s story artfully told. 

mg_libros's review against another edition

5.0

75/2021 Leed a Barbara Comyns. Ya está.

Tiene una capacidad para construir historias intemporales que me alucina, tardé más de la mitad del libro para ubicar cuándo se desarrolla la acción, porque lo que cuenta es una historia que podría pasar en cualquier momento.

Una madre soltera comienza una relación de amistad con un matrimonio sin hijos y sus vidas se van enredando más y más hasta el final, que para mí fue completamente sorprendente.

Los personajes secundarios son también muy importantes para la historia, la relación con su madre sobre todo, la relación con el exnovio…

Lo devoré.

bronwynmb's review

4.0

While I wasn’t as charmed by this one as I was by Our Spoons Came From Woolworths, this was very good - Comyns is very good. I read the fairy tale before reading this, just in case (I read this one: https://fairytalez.com/the-juniper-tree/), and I’m glad I did as it did help at points, but I don’t think you’d really miss anything if you didn’t read the story first; it was more just sort of looking for Easter eggs in the book than anything.

Bella was a bit prickly of a protagonist, always understandably, but it made it hard at times. I wanted more of some of the other characters (Stephen, Mary, Peter), but can’t complain about what we did get.

abbieuprooted's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

angie_ranck's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lola425's review

4.0

Character-driven modern fairy tale. The mood it creates is dark and sinister, but you will be completely entranced by Bella. Evilness simmers just below the surface throughout and you are on the edge of your seat waiting for it to bubble up. This is not one of those plot-driven, unreliable narrator, troubled women thrillers, but something denser, more real, even as it is steeped in fairy tale unrealness.

sydms's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

johnson_erine4's review

3.0

I read this without reading the introduction first. I'm glad I did. The intro made it seem like this chaotic and whimsical story that doesn't make sense. I didn't find it to be chaotic at all but just a tad odd. I would classify this as a "slice of life" story. Written well (hence the 4 stars) but not my cup of tea.