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A review by asourceoffiction
Pine by Francine Toon
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Pine is brilliantly atmospheric, quietly building tension and mystery with its beautiful descriptions of a wild, untamed landscape and the wild characters within. I liked the Scottish idioms; they felt authentic without being hard to understand and it anchored the book in its location.
The story was actually quite slow, but it still drew me in completely. I couldn't put it down, but for long stretches there's also a sense that not much is happening. That combined with some heavy emotional background for the characters gave the whole book a quiet sense of dread. I was tense pretty much from the start.
The end felt a little abrupt, though it did fit with the tone of the book. Perhaps I was hoping for more resolution to help lift the tension I'd been feeling. But still this is a great thriller that packs a really emotional punch.
The story was actually quite slow, but it still drew me in completely. I couldn't put it down, but for long stretches there's also a sense that not much is happening. That combined with some heavy emotional background for the characters gave the whole book a quiet sense of dread. I was tense pretty much from the start.
The end felt a little abrupt, though it did fit with the tone of the book. Perhaps I was hoping for more resolution to help lift the tension I'd been feeling. But still this is a great thriller that packs a really emotional punch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Death of parent