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A review by richardrbecker
Willa of Dark Hollow by Robert Beatty
3.0
When deciding which books we read together, Robert Beatty is one of my daughter's goto authors. We alternate between fantasy and classics or literary fiction. His Sarafina series is one of her favorites.
Willa of Dark Hollow was the first book by Beatty that fell short of expectations. It's a good book but somewhat passive in its plotting — with things happening to Willa more than Willa making things happen. And that's ironic because more than any other story, she considers the consequences of her choices, for better or worse. Except, she wasn't making choices as much as she was reacting to the situations thrust upon her — many without the usual foundation experienced in other books.
"The choices we make in our lives aren't just the paths we take, they are the shape we are turning ourselves into." — from Willa of Dark Hollow
The concept of choice isn't the only theme Beatty attempts to tackle. He is much more heavy-handed in his exploration of the environment. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, mainly because the story is partly inspired by the history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And yet, it does become a bit more tiresome as one of several mechanisms Beatty uses to elongate what could have been a shorter, tighter story. (Another is rehashing the same feelings over and over without resolve.)
The book is somewhat saved by its premise. This is a story about the Great Smoky Mountains in 1901, when logging crews began cutting paths through some of America's most majestic forests. Through Willa's eyes and her relationship with nature, we see a point of view opposite of unchecked progress. The woods and its interconnected inhabitants — from the trees to Native Americans — are forced to fight or flee as everything is leveled.
In that regard, it is a sobering story. Yet, at the same time, it doesn't feel like Willa's story. It's just one she happens to be caught up in.
Willa of Dark Hollow was the first book by Beatty that fell short of expectations. It's a good book but somewhat passive in its plotting — with things happening to Willa more than Willa making things happen. And that's ironic because more than any other story, she considers the consequences of her choices, for better or worse. Except, she wasn't making choices as much as she was reacting to the situations thrust upon her — many without the usual foundation experienced in other books.
"The choices we make in our lives aren't just the paths we take, they are the shape we are turning ourselves into." — from Willa of Dark Hollow
The concept of choice isn't the only theme Beatty attempts to tackle. He is much more heavy-handed in his exploration of the environment. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, mainly because the story is partly inspired by the history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And yet, it does become a bit more tiresome as one of several mechanisms Beatty uses to elongate what could have been a shorter, tighter story. (Another is rehashing the same feelings over and over without resolve.)
The book is somewhat saved by its premise. This is a story about the Great Smoky Mountains in 1901, when logging crews began cutting paths through some of America's most majestic forests. Through Willa's eyes and her relationship with nature, we see a point of view opposite of unchecked progress. The woods and its interconnected inhabitants — from the trees to Native Americans — are forced to fight or flee as everything is leveled.
In that regard, it is a sobering story. Yet, at the same time, it doesn't feel like Willa's story. It's just one she happens to be caught up in.