Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very similar to his other books, The Forest explores the history and nature of the New Forest through generations of the same 6 families. It's a slow read, but rather lovely.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I had mixed feelings about this book. It was not very subtle historical fiction. Part of the time I felt a little like I was reading a textbook. However the more I read, the more I got into the book, and now I'm planning on reading more of his works. But if you're looking for a really cohesive story this will probably not satisfy. I personally enjoyed the slightly disjointed nature of the stories, but it was a little off-putting at first.
slow-paced
Really enjoyed this book. Took a little getting into but by the 2nd chapter I couldn't put it down. Flows very well from ancient to modern times and was a joy to read. I've learnt about the forest whilst enjoying myself reading it
reflective
slow-paced
[b:The Forest|92159|The Forest|Edward Rutherfurd|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1315247921s/92159.jpg|3275376] is a thoroughly researched story of the area of England known as the New Forest. Spanning almost 1000 years, it focuses on the interwoven lives of several families of the Forest through the generations—nobles, commoners, and those in-between. The author immerses the reader into the lives of the Forest inhabitants: some of the characters are more fascinating and memorable than others, some are a bit too broadly drawn, and at least a few of their stories dragged on a bit too long. Overall, the book is excellent historical fiction—we learn the nature, economics, and politics of the Forest and see the events of history through the eyes d lives of the Forest people
slow-paced
A fine piece of historical fiction, following the history and timeline of six (fictional) families over a period of about 900 years, from the year 1100 to the year 2000, living in the forest of southern England. Rutherford's description of the Forest would make anyone reading it long to live there. It's fantastic how each section of the book intertwines with the others, how things seemingly left unresolved become clear much later in the book, which is sometimes hundreds of years later in the story's timeline. The relationships between the families, their evolution over time and how their lines drift apart and come crashing back together later is beyond interesting, and sometimes exciting. I found myself surprised and thrilled at times, flipping back to previous pages to remind myself of certain events that had become relevant again much later.
The main theme through out is "In the Forest, all is not always as it seems". Think of that theme as not simply applying to the subject of the story, but the actual story itself.
Two thumbs up! The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I felt like the first half of the book wasn't as good as the second. It felt a little wordy and cumbersome at times. The last three chapters really make the rest of the book worth every second.
The main theme through out is "In the Forest, all is not always as it seems". Think of that theme as not simply applying to the subject of the story, but the actual story itself.
Two thumbs up! The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I felt like the first half of the book wasn't as good as the second. It felt a little wordy and cumbersome at times. The last three chapters really make the rest of the book worth every second.