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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
It’s more 3.5 stars for me. It was interesting for sure. I was a little confused in certain parts of the book and I felt there were some unanswered questions, but I was curious enough to keep going. It was really, a pretty heartbreaking story of a boy who lost his mother. He wants to bring her back to life. This book was full of magic, friendship, love, and the meaning of life and death. I can see teenagers enjoying this.
Seriously one of my favorite books. I can't wait to read it with my kids but they are too young. The story is captivating, the writing simply flows, the characters are interesting, and the story is a mix of mystery, fantasy, and adventure. I loved it.
I finished it, but only to say I did. It was odd, and honestly didn't pull me in.
I thought this showed promise but there was way to much telling and not nearly enough action. Sam’s mother is killed in a lightning storm trying to rescue his cat. Since she sacrificed her life, people begin looking for the Tree of Life. Sam isn’t sure how to cope with his mother’s death and thinks finding the Tree of Life will bring her back. The story is told by flashbacks from Sam as an old man.
I read the first 25 % and skimmed the next 25% but DNF.
I read the first 25 % and skimmed the next 25% but DNF.
(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
After Sam watches his mother die in a tragic accident, he is pulled into a battle of Good vs. Evil. He must help to restore the Tree of Life or ensure its destruction. At stake? The ability to bring his mother back from the dead.
Although I generally appreciate allegories tackling life and death, grief and healing, this book fell short for me. The narrative was clunky and expositional, and left very little to the imagination. Also, the plot was completely predictable. I think my middle school and high school students would have been too bored to finish it.
I wanted much more character development all around. The mom got "fridged" early, Sam and Abra were inexplicably best friends, and Sam's father was said to be mourning. I would have loved to witness more of the characters' emotions instead of just being told they were having them. I would have also liked to have our mysterious visitors more fleshed out and a stronger atmosphere developed.
After Sam watches his mother die in a tragic accident, he is pulled into a battle of Good vs. Evil. He must help to restore the Tree of Life or ensure its destruction. At stake? The ability to bring his mother back from the dead.
Although I generally appreciate allegories tackling life and death, grief and healing, this book fell short for me. The narrative was clunky and expositional, and left very little to the imagination. Also, the plot was completely predictable. I think my middle school and high school students would have been too bored to finish it.
I wanted much more character development all around. The mom got "fridged" early, Sam and Abra were inexplicably best friends, and Sam's father was said to be mourning. I would have loved to witness more of the characters' emotions instead of just being told they were having them. I would have also liked to have our mysterious visitors more fleshed out and a stronger atmosphere developed.
Gorgeous
Stunning prose. Fantastic mythology. Kind of like a American version of Gaiman's "The Ocean at the End of the Lane."
Stunning prose. Fantastic mythology. Kind of like a American version of Gaiman's "The Ocean at the End of the Lane."
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Very readable, and the characters and story were likable enough. I'm a sucker for the small town/rural coming of age story. However, there were few surprises here. The story kept on as you suspected it would, nearly from page one, with no shifts or changes in the expected roles of each of these players and events. Kept waiting for some depth to emerge from the mythology story, or some further exploration of the potentially very interesting theme of the necessity of death in a damaged world. Missed opportunities there, but still kept me engaged.