Reviews

Czerwone drzewo by Caitlín R. Kiernan

fclancy93's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

catcouch's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

dreamofbookspines's review against another edition

5.0

Haunting, from the very beginning when I had to check that the author's name was not in fact Sarah. The unreliability of Sarah as a narrator is part of what makes this book so creepy. It's a constant "is she crazy or isn't she" battle that goes on in your own head as you're reading. I couldn't read this at night, but during the day I sat in patches of sunshine that moved across my floor, and read as much as I could. Then I had to read something else before bed, so I wouldn't go to sleep with images from this blood-flecked horror story fresh in my head.

The author has some minor language quirks that are irritating (e.g. "half a decade"--seriously, it's five years; "somesuch"--only good in historical fiction or once in an entire book of a different genre), but luckily they're relatively minor. Because the story is so excellent, I was able to overlook these. Mostly it's a subtle progression [of the narrator] from totally sane, though maybe a little immature, to increasingly insane and doubting herself.

This book reminded me of quite a few other books and movies, some of which Kiernan actually references in the novel. The Red Tree has a hint of the psychosis from Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, the gothic mood of Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, the mysterious qualities of Picnic at Hanging Rock (the Peter Weir film, not the book), and some similar thematic elements from Elizabeth Hand's Black Light. Since these are all things I rather liked, this book was a pleasure (though it also left me terrified and panting, breathless).

katkinslee's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

moore2030's review against another edition

5.0

Great horror novel. Told as a series of journal entries. Interesting use of an unreliable narrator.

crochanqueen13's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

starlesscircus's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Animal death

dani_k's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jafeyrer's review against another edition

4.0

I liked this and was sufficiently freaked out (I didn't really realize it was a horror novel until about half way in), but I was hoping for a bit more supernatural and a bit less psychoanalysis. Which it wasn't even really that, more Sarah getting stuck in her head too much (and lord knows I know enough about that myself). I actually identified quite a bit with Sarah - mostly the overthinking things to death, hating her own writing, seeing metaphors in everything. I like to think I've moved past that, so in the end it was in part a good cautionary tale for how bitter I could have become.

troyennhorse's review against another edition

4.0

The imagery of this book was one of my favorite parts. The descriptions were evocative and the images were unconventional which allowed for some of the more familiar beats to feel new and exciting. Sarah was a person that I probably wouldn't like in real life, but I loved reading about her. I think it's very difficult to write an unlikeable character and still have the reader root for them throughout but I approached the end of the book with dread because the editor's note tells you what happens to her and I wasn't ready for it. The style of found diary worked very well and allowed for a lot of exposition that never came off as too navel gazey. The supporting characters were interesting. The novel set up a lot of mysteries to unravel and most of them had a compelling ending. This book does feature a graphic description of pony play, which is not my thing, but I understand why it was included in the book and it did fit in with the surreal world that was built. I continued to think about the themes of this book after I stopped reading it and I expect that I will read it again soon to keep unpacking some of the ideas it explored. Kiernan is a truly talented writer.