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khaleesimod93's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
While the premise of this book is everything I wanted, the story itself was lacking. I will say that I learned a lot about logging that I didn't know before so that's in the plus column. Unfortunately, the technical jargon bogged down the story. I found myself dreading Rich's POV. And when it switches back and forth as often as it did, it makes it hard to want to pick up the book. Colleen's story is the one I was most looking forward to. Unfortunately, her story, much like Richs, dragged on and on. She didn't even put what was going on together until halfway through the novel. Then, nothing happened until the last 100 pages. This book is long almost 500 pages. It shouldn't have dragged this much. The story had good bones and a great structure, but it failed in coming together cohesively. I wish I had liked the story more. By the time I came to the end, I didn't care what was going on. Still rating it higher than I usually would just because I did learn quite a lot about this time period and logging.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Infertility
kerri_f2003's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
agillen93's review
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
spregasaur94's review
5.0
This book is incredibly well-written and emotionally overwhelming. It simultaneously focuses on a single family's individual struggles, a small town's challenges with change, and a larger region's political and economic reality when significant and life-altering truths are brought to the surface. I was so emotionally wrapped up in all of these factors while reading - Ash Davidson is an incredible writer who can bring you right into the middle of the Redwoods and foreshadow in a subtle and heart breaking way. There were many times that I struggled to put the book down because the story pulls you along as you get your heart wrapped up in the fates and lives of the characters in this small lumber town. Absolutely recommend.
tarrowood's review
4.0
Very good book! Really made me think not only of the impact we have in the environment, but to consider the entire picture of an argument. There are times the book BELABORS the reader with certain motifs (like, yes, we get it by now), but it still made good points. Plus, it invested you into the characters enough so during the resolution, when the main conflict has subsided, you are able to connect deeply with what happens next
keenanmaree's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a really hard one to rate. It was such a deeply personal reading experience in so many ways, not all of them super comfortable.
5 stars for setting, absolutely. It’s set in Klamath, which is about 45 minutes from where I grew up, and every mention of a familiar place and description of the environment was like a warm blanket over my homesick heart.
Everything beyond that, though, was just so heavy. I know that it’s all pretty accurate to the history of the area, but that didn’t make it less of a tough read. I knew a story set in that area around that time period was gonna be at best bittersweet, but it got to the point where it started to feel like misery porn.
5 stars for setting, absolutely. It’s set in Klamath, which is about 45 minutes from where I grew up, and every mention of a familiar place and description of the environment was like a warm blanket over my homesick heart.
Everything beyond that, though, was just so heavy. I know that it’s all pretty accurate to the history of the area, but that didn’t make it less of a tough read. I knew a story set in that area around that time period was gonna be at best bittersweet, but it got to the point where it started to feel like misery porn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, Animal death, Car accident, Miscarriage, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Cancer
chelsl's review against another edition
medium-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
5.0
I'd give this more than 5 stars if I could!
eggbeater's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
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
5.0
I love a book that makes me consider different circumstances and perspectives. The logging industry, and all of its complications, was not previously on my radar at all. This book brought to light legitimate worker concerns as well as environmental issues. There didn't seem to be easy answers. I really felt for the characters and the hardships and dilemmas they faced. This was a great book.