A review by annamariesreads
The Trees by Percival Everett

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I read this on the back of Erasure, which was amazing satire. I was very excited 

I think the first third of this book is immaculate and throughout, there's alot to love. Ed and Jim really made me laugh and the pure ridiculousness of the white people was very entertaining. I also think Everett always does a great thing of making you laugh out loud and then immediately questioning why you just laughed out loud.

I think it's also really factually interesting. You learn alot, particularly about the Emmett Till case. 

Ultimately I think it lost its way. I'm unsure if we were supposed to be surprised by the ending but for me, it was evident early on who was responsible so I was a bit disappointed by that. 

I also think the pacing was off when they were skipping between counties. I was mostly invested in the activity in Money, Mississippi, so I found this quite frustrating. I can see why he did it though, to show the
enormous scar of racial violence
that will never disappear and for these victims to finally have their
vigilante justice on white America.
I think maybe the cast of characters became too large and it threw the pacing off.

Definitely not his best but a good read and I had some laugh out loud moments, for sure, as well as profound moments of reflection, which I think Everett does so well.

Trigger warnings are as to be expected for a novel about black history in the deep South.
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