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sassypierogi_'s review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books I’ve read this year. A story of two families with a history of feuding which turn out to have a lot more in common then they think. I really enjoyed the characters development in this book and the writing was very enjoyable
lena_taco's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sofia_maria's review against another edition
4.0
This book....It had been a while since the last time I read something so obsessively. It is not a small book and I don't have all the free time in the world but I finished it in record time. There is a reason for that of course. Although the story was not terribly original or unexpected, the writing was incredible and surprisingly enough, got better and better as the book progressed. The entire narrative was based on the subtlety of the more supernatural elements and there was a continuous sense of dread that made the story feel like a psychological thriller. I also really liked the fact that all characters were realistically morally grey and even the protagonist was a flawed human being that acted a lot like a child of her age is expected to.
All in all, this book could be a case study for good narration and most of all atmosphere building. I do recommend it with no hesitation.
All in all, this book could be a case study for good narration and most of all atmosphere building. I do recommend it with no hesitation.
alexandra_92's review
4.0
Second re-read for the blog tour by the Fantastic Flying Book Club!
I liked the book very much. There is an atmosphere of haunting magic and trees. Sorrow is a really well fleshed out character. Despite the slow pace of the book, I enjoyed the adventure and the mystery the book had. The storytelling is masterful and tragically so too!
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enchanting read with an amazing diverse cast, realistic characters, and mystery! Totally recommended!
I liked the book very much. There is an atmosphere of haunting magic and trees. Sorrow is a really well fleshed out character. Despite the slow pace of the book, I enjoyed the adventure and the mystery the book had. The storytelling is masterful and tragically so too!
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enchanting read with an amazing diverse cast, realistic characters, and mystery! Totally recommended!
theresemary's review against another edition
3.0
Great book about dealing with loss and family troubles. It was a bit slow but the writing style is beautiful and everything feels very daunting. I also don't think I was instantly grabbed into the book but instead it took me about 80-100 pages before I was really enjoying the book.
lei_reads's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Lesbophobia, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
anthropologue's review against another edition
2.0
There was a lot here that piqued my interest, with good narrative structure, and an interesting mystery. I liked the memories, and historical influence on the narrative, and the names. I just didn't get especially sucked in to the story. It wasn't as witchy as I had wanted.
icameheretoread's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This might be a case of not getting what you think you paid for. This shows up on horror lists. Someone compared it to Practical Magic. If you are about to read this know it is more of a family saga, over many generations, with historical chapters. Normally when I am not enjoying a book, I DNF it. But I got tricked into the halfway mark on this by incorrect reviews and the idea that Sorrow finds "treasures" in the grounds that I thought were going to be magical objects. So I suffered through the rest. And goodness is it slow. Also the author can string some pretty sentences together, and really create an atmosphere but man, oh man, did she forget a plot. Sorrow comes back to her family's orchard to get to the bottom of what really happened to her sister, I guess, but instead she just kind of bumbles along and we read about other horrible things that have happened to her family. This needed an editor and to be about 100 pages shorter. It also needed tension. I would have liked more character development on the grandmother and Verity and less trips to town to meet characters that have nothing to do with anything.
dreximgirl's review against another edition
4.0
Despite a slow start and to begin with a slightly irritating main character I actually ended up really enjoying the book. The revelations were interesting and I didn't guess them at all. I ended up really liking the story and the development of Sorrow. I'd be interested in reading more from this author.
marydrover's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, this was so lovely. I read Wallace’s other novel, Shallow Graves, at the beginning of 2017 when I was just beginning my journey back into the world of reading and YA. It was one of the first books I picked up in a book haul, and I absolutely adored it. When I saw that she was writing a new one, I was all over that. And this was, hands down, a truly beautiful second novel. Wallace’s language was just–wow. It was so gorgeous. I felt like I was reading a Stiefvater novel. I was so drawn in by the way she handled words that sometimes I forgot what the story was and just felt myself floating, absolutely content and reading at an absolute snail’s pace so I could linger in the words a little longer.
That is about 75% of the reason this got 5 stars. The other 25% is the story. I kept thinking there was going to be witchcraft in here somewhere, and while there wasn’t directly, I feel like there was a little something going on in the background. The Memory Trees follows the story of Sorrow Lovegood (WHAT A NAME) as she journeys back to her childhood home in Vermont following an eight-year absence after her older sister died. Sorrow is missing pieces of her memory surrounding her sister’s death, and is hopeful that returning to VT will help her remember. What unfolds is much more than I think Sorrow, and definitely me, ever expected.
That is about 75% of the reason this got 5 stars. The other 25% is the story. I kept thinking there was going to be witchcraft in here somewhere, and while there wasn’t directly, I feel like there was a little something going on in the background. The Memory Trees follows the story of Sorrow Lovegood (WHAT A NAME) as she journeys back to her childhood home in Vermont following an eight-year absence after her older sister died. Sorrow is missing pieces of her memory surrounding her sister’s death, and is hopeful that returning to VT will help her remember. What unfolds is much more than I think Sorrow, and definitely me, ever expected.