Reviews

Greenwood by Michael Christie

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katwalke7's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This novel is not what I initially expected it would be, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. What I found most impressive was the author's ability to intertwine the generations of Greenwoods and their unique relationship to trees. Trees are the real main characters in this book and the lives of the Greenwoods are no more than a couple rings on their trunk.

jordysbookclub's review against another edition

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5.0

QUICK TAKE: I think this is one of those books that has kinda flown under the radar, which is unfortunate, because GREENWOOD is a quiet masterpiece. For fans of multigenerational family stories (think THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD, THE CORRECTIONS, ASK AGAIN YES), for fans of historical fiction (I swear I got Kristin Hannah THE GREAT ALONE vibes), for fans of fiction tackling climate change and ecology (THE OVERSTORY, AFTER THE FLOOD), and for fans of long, world-building books (this one clocks in at 501 pages), this book is for you. A family story spanning 100+ years centered in and around trees and the various industries that depend on them, the Greenwood family kept me captivated all weekend. The characters and world-building are rich and incredibly well-written, the narrative format is unique and lends itself to the story, and overall this was one of the best of the year for me.

cakefairy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

inesmadeleinelouise's review against another edition

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4.0

it was really hard at first to really get into the story because i was so confused at the character names and times switches and who's who but then as soon as it got thrilling i really couldn't put it down and it was so good not to know until the end how its gonna turn out and i loved how you really couldn't preview what was going to happen next, so twists and cliffhangers were insanely welll built-in and the whole complexity of the story was sooo intense and thoroughly researched. i was disappointed in the ending tho, so it's not getting a full 10 from me. i get that the ending was written in a way so the message isn't sugar-coated, but it honestly feels like the author really couldn't wait to finish the story himself, bit sloppy and rushed in my opinion.