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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
I received an advanced reader copy of Damnation Spring in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity.
Damnation Spring was painfully difficult to get into. I spent three days forcing myself through the first, excruciatingly slow one hundred pages. And then I read the rest of the book in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down.
Where did the author get the talent for this gorgeous writing style? If anyone finds the store where that is sold, do hit me up.
The story itself was as slow as the first hundred pages promised it would be. Those were so slow in particular because of the lengthy introduction into the setting and there was lots of logging terminology that I had to struggle through. Much of that was honestly quite lost on me and it’s unlikely that I would have pulled through had this not been an arc. But I did, and I am so grateful for it.
The premise is unlike anything I’ve ever read about. Everything takes place within the same logging town, but the scenery was described in such amazingly engrossing detail that I was looking forward to every glimpse into the forest. I felt like I was walking right there beside Chub, guided by his rhymes and hand map, and staring up at those old and immense redwoods.
What I adored even more than the setting, and what was developed even more beautifully as well, were the characters and their relationships. I’ve never felt as close to any group of characters in any book as I felt to the Gundersen family. The changing points of view between Chub, Rich and Colleen provided unique insights into their family dynamics and I liked the aspects that Chub’s perspective added to the story.
I liked the loyal, calm character of Rich who tried to find a way to protect his family’s health and secure their living, Colleen’s fierce belief in doing what is right and standing up for herself and her pain, and insightful and quiet Chub.
I passionately disliked Enid and Eugene, two of the most selfish and self-centered side characters I’ve ever encountered. However, theirs was a very central aspect of the struggle with the future of the logging business, and they added a lot to the story. Despite everything, there was still a lot of love between them and the Gundersens.
I could see the reasoning behind all the character’s actions, their pain and their challenges, and the loyalty most of them showed each other, and I believe this is what made this book so heartbreaking and impactful for me.
Although it had a rough start, this was a great debut and I’m looking forward to reading more of the author’s works in the future.
4/5 stars.
Damnation Spring was painfully difficult to get into. I spent three days forcing myself through the first, excruciatingly slow one hundred pages. And then I read the rest of the book in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down.
Where did the author get the talent for this gorgeous writing style? If anyone finds the store where that is sold, do hit me up.
The story itself was as slow as the first hundred pages promised it would be. Those were so slow in particular because of the lengthy introduction into the setting and there was lots of logging terminology that I had to struggle through. Much of that was honestly quite lost on me and it’s unlikely that I would have pulled through had this not been an arc. But I did, and I am so grateful for it.
The premise is unlike anything I’ve ever read about. Everything takes place within the same logging town, but the scenery was described in such amazingly engrossing detail that I was looking forward to every glimpse into the forest. I felt like I was walking right there beside Chub, guided by his rhymes and hand map, and staring up at those old and immense redwoods.
What I adored even more than the setting, and what was developed even more beautifully as well, were the characters and their relationships. I’ve never felt as close to any group of characters in any book as I felt to the Gundersen family. The changing points of view between Chub, Rich and Colleen provided unique insights into their family dynamics and I liked the aspects that Chub’s perspective added to the story.
I liked the loyal, calm character of Rich who tried to find a way to protect his family’s health and secure their living, Colleen’s fierce belief in doing what is right and standing up for herself and her pain, and insightful and quiet Chub.
I passionately disliked Enid and Eugene, two of the most selfish and self-centered side characters I’ve ever encountered. However, theirs was a very central aspect of the struggle with the future of the logging business, and they added a lot to the story. Despite everything, there was still a lot of love between them and the Gundersens.
I could see the reasoning behind all the character’s actions, their pain and their challenges, and the loyalty most of them showed each other, and I believe this is what made this book so heartbreaking and impactful for me.
Although it had a rough start, this was a great debut and I’m looking forward to reading more of the author’s works in the future.
4/5 stars.
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Tried to cover too many ecological issues, deforestation, pollution of ground water.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Parts of this I really enjoyed, but also a deeply frustrating novel. It could have been 100-150 pages shorter and I don’t think would have lost anything; we spend a huge amount of time being familiar with the world, and that could have been more woven into the plot. At times the novel feels loose, at other times more like a plot summary than novel. The last section in particular suffers—I had the sense that Davidson realized the need to wrap things up before this turned into a 600-page behemoth, and so there are only brief sections, a sense that the hand of God is constantly interfering with these characters. (And to what point? People seem to be injured and die only so the reader will have something to react to.) I wish the central tension, of the environmentalists, the birth defects, had come to something…it’s there and then, suddenly, it isn’t. I just don’t know what to think of this novel. There was a lot of potential.
I liked the changing POV between the chapters, but it took me over half of the book to really feel like the plot was progressing anywhere. I wanted to read this knowing that literary fiction isn't my typical genre of choice and wanting to be a little more well-rounded. I still enjoyed this book, so don't let the 3-star review fool you, but this is not likely going to be a book you can read in a day or while basking on a beach somewhere.
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
At first I was really angry at the ending. (So be warned!) But after sleeping on it I have accepted that while I would have preferred a different ending, the one Ms. Davidson gives us really underscores the whole situation surrounding logging, the environment, the lives of loggers and their families, etc. Until the ending, the book is a well written taunt look at so many controversial issues, especially for those who live in Northern California. There is no easy answer to the problem of mankind supposedly needing lumber (and other wood products) and the fact that we are using up trees faster than we can regrow them. This book does an excellent job of putting a very personal touch on the situation.
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was my August 2021 Book of the Month book. It took me a while to get through this book, and I’m not exactly sure why. Each time I picked it up, I enjoyed what I read. The development of the main characters was deep and thorough and heart wrenching, but the side characters were many and sometimes unnecessary. The ending of this book broke my heart, and I almost cried (which would’ve been a first for me — crying from a book). Although it took a while to finish, I do recommend this story about a family and their hardships in the logging industry. I learned a lot and felt a lot of emotions for the characters and their story.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Immensely beautiful. Such a talented debut writer who I can’t wait to hear more from. This book made me hold my breath, sob, and generally feel so deeply.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-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
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes