Reviews

The Overstory by Richard Powers

mjtess's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

daisymoffit's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

A beautifully written ode to nature, told in pieces through the lives of complex characters. Such a gorgeous writing style -almost felt like reading poetry at times. It is long, but that's almost part of the book's message too. There were a few parts where I was yanked back into reality because I could tell a man wrote this because of the weird unnecessary ways he wrote about women- but that's really my only grievance with the book. Enjoyed- feel smarter for it.

laurabucchieri's review

inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

sushibear2002's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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

zfeig's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This book does have the unfortunate side effect of making you want to become an eco-terrorist. Despite being a novel it presents a really solid, emotional argument for fighting climate change by any means necessary. It is also emotionally devastating. I cried in nearly every chapter especially near the beginning and end of the book.

It's hard to simultaneously read this book and be involved in capitalism. Think carefully about when you choose to read this book. It gets in your head.

kdahlo's review against another edition

5.0

Activism, environmental destruction, climate change, trees. Interesting structure with a lot to like. Early on the exceptional tragedy seemed over-the-top to me, like the author flexing their 'make readers cry' skill. In the long run though (and this book is long) it was worthwhile.

palmscout's review against another edition

Don’t feel ready for this one yet, not meant for me right now I think.

ericmellow's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

paolabeatriz's review against another edition

3.0

Not something I would have picked up without being prompted by a reading challenge. Good overall story just not quite my pace/style.

markcastaneda's review against another edition

3.0

it was a good story and i don't think it's bad but;

-1 for being slightly delusional storyline that refuses to develop its characters into cogent examples of humanity's best, worst, or anything in between in the face of mass deforestation (idk maybe working in natural resources makes me jaded)(and no olivia/maidenhair just didn't do it for me as a compelling character/leader).
-1 because it's not artistic to list trees for 2-3 pages at a time. it feels like he has a hard-on for trees. I love trees bro but typing something like "the whispering poplars, the charismatic sugar maple, the stone faced tepid oak" doesn't really mean anything if it's not with a writer's intent. you're just excited about the trees. and that's okay, but in a 500 page book when this is a repeating trope, I just don't care

I feel like this would have been a lot better if he had cut after the first round of introductory stories and gone no further. then developed the rest of the book as a second installment in the series, if you REALLY wanna get involved. but this just wasn't it.

I liked that some characters never got tangled up in the "main" storyline with the 5 who did meet, or at least not intentionally. beautiful demonstration of how everything is intertwined, like when mimi saw patty's speech. however, patty's end felt like weird timing i think and it didn't really debrief the effect on the rest of the story.

sometimes real world events were effective to weave in with the magical realism, like the american chestnut blight of course, and the stanford prison experiment, but sometimes it felt awkward and forced, like when he's just like "btw 9/11 happened, but trees thoooo!!!"

idk all in all I'm glad i finally got around to reading it but i'm afraid if i ever met the man who wrote this i would verbally berate him for taking something that was almost beautiful and making it super mid