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hmatt's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This one snuck up on me. At the start, I maybe expected the story to stay more in the speculative future and stick to that genre, but it really is much more historical fiction than anything.
It starts slower than I usually enjoy, but the characters really grew on me. I wasn't expecting the depth in the characterizations and the nuance within each character's storyline.Imagine my joy at the low-key queer storyline AND how it resolved to be not-quite-as-tragic-as-it-could-have-been! While I agree it was a necessary inclusion, the only character I couldn't quite connect with was Lomax.
The writing style plus the Canadian-centric setting really reminded me of Emily St. John Mandel, except perhaps more developed with a better plot than most of her work (sorry, I love her writing, but Station Eleven is a clear outlier when it comes to a solid plot).
I know this is a book that I will read again - I'm sure it's one of those ones where you notice so many more little details on the re-read. And I love that there's a book club kit for it (that has recipes).
It starts slower than I usually enjoy, but the characters really grew on me. I wasn't expecting the depth in the characterizations and the nuance within each character's storyline.
The writing style plus the Canadian-centric setting really reminded me of Emily St. John Mandel, except perhaps more developed with a better plot than most of her work (sorry, I love her writing, but Station Eleven is a clear outlier when it comes to a solid plot).
I know this is a book that I will read again - I'm sure it's one of those ones where you notice so many more little details on the re-read. And I love that there's a book club kit for it (that has recipes).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Bullying and Emotional abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Title: Greenwood
Author: Michael Christie
Genre: Historical Fiction/Climate Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: September 24th 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Atmospheric • Mesmerizing • Extensive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Greenwood is a multi-generational family saga spanning more than a 100 years, running parallel to a story about trees, a continuous metaphor for the constant weathering and survival that is life. A story packed with secrets, growth and sacrifice that dives deep into the meaning of family, and shines an ever needed light of climate change, it's one of the books that will stay with you long after the final page.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am so pleased to see this novel as the @readcanlit January 2021 selection, otherwise I may have never picked it up! I had received wonderful feedback from several trusted sources, but each time I read the blurb, I couldn't phantom it being a book for my taste. Now after having read it, I'll gladly admit it was nothing like what I was expecting, and I continue to struggle to put my thought into words. Michael Christie has delivered a timely literary masterpiece!
Greenwood is my first dip into climate fiction, and I must say I am impressed with this genre blending novel! I originally thought the structure was confusing, but came to understand it was a beautifully woven aspect for a novel centering around trees, mirroring its concentric rings. There were so many astonishing metaphors sprinkled throughout between life and nature. It delves deep into the roots of what makes a 'family' a family, and explores how branches of a family tree aren't always so straightforward. There was so much to love, and every time I put it down my mind kept coming back to it, however, I did find it an extremely slow build and long book. At times I had difficulty keeping track of the characters and the different timelines, and for that reason alone I couldn't give it full stars. At the end of the day, books, trees, and families all have their own story to tell.
Greenwood is certainly worth your time and I would recommend it to everyone. To be honest, I'm not sure you want to miss this one! More specifically to anyone who appreciates nature, enjoys a good multi-generational family saga, is looking for a great Canadian read, and/or enjoys historical fiction or climate fiction. I can also attest it makes a wonderful choice for book clubs!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• everyone!
• nature lovers
• book clubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"How intimately a book is related to the tree and its rings, she thinks. The layers of time, preserved, for all to examine."
"No, her son is not hers alone. He descends from many bloodlines. Or, more precisely, he descends from the one, great bloodline: born of the Earth and the cosmos and all the wondrous green things that allow us life."
"Everett turns back to regard him and places his hands on Liam's head. 'There aren't any normal lives, son. That's the lie that hurts us most.'"
"People can adapt to anything, as long as it is necessary. And though she's been turned out of her Eden, she's leaving with a story. Only a partial story, it's true, but as far as she can tell, that's the only type there is."
Author: Michael Christie
Genre: Historical Fiction/Climate Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: September 24th 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Atmospheric • Mesmerizing • Extensive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Greenwood is a multi-generational family saga spanning more than a 100 years, running parallel to a story about trees, a continuous metaphor for the constant weathering and survival that is life. A story packed with secrets, growth and sacrifice that dives deep into the meaning of family, and shines an ever needed light of climate change, it's one of the books that will stay with you long after the final page.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I am so pleased to see this novel as the @readcanlit January 2021 selection, otherwise I may have never picked it up! I had received wonderful feedback from several trusted sources, but each time I read the blurb, I couldn't phantom it being a book for my taste. Now after having read it, I'll gladly admit it was nothing like what I was expecting, and I continue to struggle to put my thought into words. Michael Christie has delivered a timely literary masterpiece!
Greenwood is my first dip into climate fiction, and I must say I am impressed with this genre blending novel! I originally thought the structure was confusing, but came to understand it was a beautifully woven aspect for a novel centering around trees, mirroring its concentric rings. There were so many astonishing metaphors sprinkled throughout between life and nature. It delves deep into the roots of what makes a 'family' a family, and explores how branches of a family tree aren't always so straightforward. There was so much to love, and every time I put it down my mind kept coming back to it, however, I did find it an extremely slow build and long book. At times I had difficulty keeping track of the characters and the different timelines, and for that reason alone I couldn't give it full stars. At the end of the day, books, trees, and families all have their own story to tell.
Greenwood is certainly worth your time and I would recommend it to everyone. To be honest, I'm not sure you want to miss this one! More specifically to anyone who appreciates nature, enjoys a good multi-generational family saga, is looking for a great Canadian read, and/or enjoys historical fiction or climate fiction. I can also attest it makes a wonderful choice for book clubs!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• everyone!
• nature lovers
• book clubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"How intimately a book is related to the tree and its rings, she thinks. The layers of time, preserved, for all to examine."
"No, her son is not hers alone. He descends from many bloodlines. Or, more precisely, he descends from the one, great bloodline: born of the Earth and the cosmos and all the wondrous green things that allow us life."
"Everett turns back to regard him and places his hands on Liam's head. 'There aren't any normal lives, son. That's the lie that hurts us most.'"
"People can adapt to anything, as long as it is necessary. And though she's been turned out of her Eden, she's leaving with a story. Only a partial story, it's true, but as far as she can tell, that's the only type there is."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug use
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gun violence, Infertility, and Physical abuse
overdosealenap's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
tashadandelion's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, this is a gorgeous book -- a melancholy, deep history of a fractured family told in a cleverly stacked timeline that matches the rings of a tree as you progress from one side of the tree to the other. We begin our tale in a terrible 2038, where the air we breath is so full of dust and particulate, that we retch and cough incessantly... because we've destroyed our climate enough to be at this point. On an island off the coast of British Columbia, Jacinda "Jack" Greenwood works as a guide to wealthy "pilgrims" who wish to see some of the few remaining old-growth trees on Earth in their natural habitat. We go back through time (deeper into the rings of the tree) to learn about her father, Liam Greenwood (a restless master carpenter), and his mother, Willow Greenwood (a restless hippie eco-warrior), as well as her uncle, Everett Greenwood (a restless drifter, haunted by WWI), and his brother, Harris Greenwood (a brilliant but lonely logging industrialist). We learn how Harris and Everett became brothers, what they did to survive their peculiar and dire circumstances, and then we move forward through time (progressing past the middle of the tree into the outer rings once more) until we come back to Jack and what life may or may not hold for her in the unpleasant future of 2038. The story is one of those rare beauties where both the plot and character building are strong and accompanied by a literary depth of pathos that reminds me of the slow-build emotional punch of a book like Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry or Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I think that anyone who loves The Overstory by Richard Powers would be nuts not to also read this book. I loved The Overstory, but I think I love this one more. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
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