Reviews with content warning for Murder - Birnam Wood

This was good, great character introspection and development. Even if one of the characters I find most annoying ends up playing a larger role than first suggested. And the third act does pick up the pace significantly. But also maybe... This is just Macbeth and maybe a little Hamlet.

Rosie = Rosencrantz
Lady Jill = Lady Macbeth
Etc etc etc

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

What do you get when you cross the founder of a guerilla gardening group with a billionaire who has ambitious plans and secrets to conceal, and a left-wing journalist desperate to make a name for himself? Birnam Wood, a propulsive literary thriller, one with a surprisingly high body count. The book begins in a leisurely literary way. Some may a find it a little slow to get going - I did not and was invested from the get-go - but by the end, the tension is high, the action fast paced, and the thrillerish vibe very much in evidence. Catton knows how to structure and craft a story and this one has lots to recommend it. The characters are well-drawn and fully fleshed out, most a believable mixture of good and bad - except for the billionaire, who is as amoral, self-serving, egotistical and downright evil. They are also recognisable archetypes and as such allow for some subtle and not-so-subtle satirical skewering which is good fun. Living in the city part of the book is set in, and near to the inspiration for the fictional settings, I can attest to these being well-depicted. Its a special treat for me to read a book and know the setting so well. The plot has many layers, with lots of interesting smaller stories and conflicts incorporated into the main storyline. The themes touch on so many pertinent issues - technology and surveillance, food security, exploitation and degradation of the natural environment, infrastructure resilience, the inordinate power of large amounts of money and the ways that can be abused, the sale of land to foreign owners, capitalism, the divide between rich and poor, old and young, left and right and so much more. And the writing? Simply superb. There are some gorgeous lengthy complex sentences more familiar in nineteenth century novels. There are the Shakespearian allusions and connection, subtle rather than dominant. And then there’s Catton’s experience with screenplays shining through and giving many sections a cinematic feel.

This novel absorbed me from beginning to end and left me with plenty to think about. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with it.

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jodar's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

As its title foreshadows, this engrossing novel brilliantly captures the convictions and flaws of its characters with the intensity of a Shakespearean tragedy. Set in New Zealand a few years before the arrival of COVID-19, the reader becomes immersed in the lives and thoughts of a group of left-wing conservationists on the one hand and of a right-wing, exploitative, capitalistic, narcissistic billionaire on the other.

The eco characters articulate altruistic motivations to their inner circle and into the public sphere, but in reality they have fragile motivations and commit all-too-human deceits and self-deceits. Catton portrays the discourse of their leftist debates astutely: highly intellectualised, intense and judgemental, they are aimed at challenging political ‘orthodoxy’ but ironically the debates can never establish ‘true belief’; there is always some political grievance somewhere not yet properly addressed, some newly fashionable socio-political theory not yet brought to bear. In contrast, the billionaire is not conflicted: he has unwavering, sociopathic aims. Although presenting himself as a philanthropist to the world, through technological and psychological means he cunningly exploits personal and institutional weaknesses for his own ends. As for the more minor characters of middle-aged ‘middle’ New Zealand, they are moderate in their worldviews, even though they are not without their own deceits and weaknesses. Their impact, though, is largely ineffectual in the face of the major political forces at play.

When the conservationist group and the billionaire become uneasy bedfellows, the pressure of conflict gradually builds and builds. The novel’s explosive ending shocks even as it seems inevitable.

A couple of minor criticisms on word choice:

p. 281 ‘enormity of her love for him’ from context does not mean her love was extremely atrocious, despite the misuse of ‘enormity’.
‘on either side’ is used in several places when the sense of ‘on each side’ or ‘on both sides’ is probably intended rather than the literal meaning of ‘on one side or the other’.

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bookmaddie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Catton remains an exceedingly clever and talented writer—Birnam Wood definitely lives up to the hype (both online and in my own heart, since I loved The Luminaries). One of the things I love about Catton's writing is how deeply it explores the interiority of her character's minds. You feel at once that you know their deepest thoughts, and yet there is always something unknowable about each character, creating a continuously new reading experience as the story winds on.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the last third of the book. Dang! It flies by and you'll be hooked the moment the twist happens, trying to figure out what will happen next, or just happily along for the ride (I was the latter). Even as the intensity ratchets up, Catton's writing remains unflinching and it's a delight to see how the pieces all rush together. The ending is exceedingly dark and ambiguous—Catton shines a light on all parties, making it impossible to place blame on just one individual or group.

Full of fascinating, annoying and despicable characters, this story wonders at our modern life and the ethical, political battles argued over online and in groups of friends. Catton is a masterful satirist and puppeteer, and biting observer of our present day. I cannot wait for whatever she dreams up next, and in the meantime, I'll go back and read her debut novel. Thanks to FSG for my advanced digital copy!

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