Scan barcode
schantzm's review against another edition
5.0
This book! Once I got to the last 1/3 of the book I could not put it down. This book had the ending where I needed to take a breath and sit with my thoughts. Great character development and relatable/real feeling.
laurenmichellebrock's review against another edition
3.0
So the first three quarters of the book are slow burning as Fowler sets up the story, which begins with the Whitman family moving into their flashy new home in Oak Knoll, a quaint and diverse older neighborhood in small-town North Carolina. Behind them sits the Alston-Holt home, belonging to Valerie Alston-Holt and her biracial teenaged son, Xavier, who is preparing to go off to college in the fall. Xavier becomes taken with Juniper Whitman, the daughter and step-daughter of Julia and Brad Whitman. Juniper also is fascinated with Xavier. He and Valerie offer a glimpse into a humbler lifestyle than what she has at home. Her step-father, Brad, owns a successful HVAC business, affording him no end of privileges, which is evident by his fenced-in pool, his Maserati, and that when he sees Xavier raking in the yard next door Brad assumes he is for hire. Sitting in the Alston-Holt’s yard is an old oak tree that becomes a source of conflict when Valerie, a professor of forestry and ecology, discovers that the Whitman’s builder, and possibly even Brad Whitman himself, cut corners in the construction process that has fatally harmed her tree. Being that they tore down their deceased neighbor’s home and foliage to build the house in the first place, Valerie is incensed. She decides to sue Brad and his builder for damages only to discover Xavier has developed an intimate relationship with the Whitman’s oldest daughter. But Juniper admires Valerie’s courage, and even though she warns Xavier against Juniper, Valerie can’t help but admire her in return. Events escalate when Xavier and Juniper decide to take their relationship to the next level, completely destabilizing the course of events.
The last leg of the book I’ll refrain from summarizing. The first half is more or less eluded to in the book’s own summary. The latter half of the story, though, is fraught with so much tension and drama I couldn’t see straight for all the rage I felt. First of all, this is a book that sets out to enrage its reader. I was fuming during the final chapters, and am really conflicted about the ending. I understand why the author chose the ending she did, because she was trying to make a point. But it was completely heartbreaking in a way that I wondered if it had to be that way if she weren’t purposely trying to gut punch people into a specific reaction. I do feel like she strong-armed her characters into certain pathways, even while I appreciated her strong writing and enjoyed the pace of the narrative.
I read a review on Goodreads where the reader said they didn’t feel like the characters were fleshed out very well. I had to sleep on it to get an accurate interpretation myself, as I felt Fowler did a decent job at turns developing her characters while I was reading the book. However, I do remember feeling as though there wasn’t much to Xavier and Juniper’s relationship that gave me deeper insight into their feelings for each other. I struggled to see their chemistry and had to rely on the fact that I was just being told to believe they had it for the sake of the story. And in another GR review someone discussed the angry black woman interpretation of Valerie’s character, which also pegged me while reading the book. I also found it completely frustrating how much I aggressively hated Brad Whitman. Juniper’s mom, Julia, is not much better, but she does get credit for self-evaluation. There is absolutely nothing redeemable about Brad at all. He is just a terrible character. His inappropriate observation of Juniper is disgusting, and the fact that he was going to use an intimate and vulnerable moment between she and Xavier to weasel out of his lawsuit is egregious. Not to mention how it completely derails and then obliterates Xavier’s life.
I was so angry and then abruptly devastated by the end of this book I didn’t know what to do with myself. I agree with other readers that I felt like Fowler was taking my emotions for a ride to serve her purpose. Which is not to say that I disagree with the effort, but I very much felt pulverized by the execution. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s not meant to be a likable book. Maybe one is meant to leave the story in a fraught state. I do feel she tried to iron out the wrinkles in the epilogue but it came up short for me. I did not leave the story feeling hopeful, just destroyed. Again, that may very well have been the point of the book. I’m only saying it didn’t land well for me and hasn’t sat well with me since. And I guess when I think about The Bluest Eye, for instance, and I know it’s a tall order to compare anyone to Toni Morrison, but that is also a devastating book, but written with such care and nuance, which is what I feel is lacking in this story, in these characters and their lives. Nuance. It’s evident that the story is meant to catapult the reader into action, but even in the final pages before the Epilogue that call to action lands awkwardly. It’s a show versus tell issue for me there. I saw where someone else said it read like literary journalism, which it did. The story is narrated by a third person omniscient voice of the neighborhood that is never identified but has all of the right sources and insights into the character’s lives, lending to this idea of literary reportage.
I almost always have trouble saying I didn’t like a book, but most of the books I read, this one included, and probably because I was an English major, I tend to analyze to death, hit somewhere in the middle of the typical five star rating measurement. I will say this about the book: I did enjoy the reading experience, the fact that I got to a certain point where I could not put it down for my life. That feeling is seductive and hard to ignore and, like romantic seduction, makes a person assign more meaning to their feelings than what might realistically exist. My reality here is that I have struggled in the aftermath of this book. It just didn’t really hit home for me as much as I may have wanted it to.
The last leg of the book I’ll refrain from summarizing. The first half is more or less eluded to in the book’s own summary. The latter half of the story, though, is fraught with so much tension and drama I couldn’t see straight for all the rage I felt. First of all, this is a book that sets out to enrage its reader. I was fuming during the final chapters, and am really conflicted about the ending. I understand why the author chose the ending she did, because she was trying to make a point. But it was completely heartbreaking in a way that I wondered if it had to be that way if she weren’t purposely trying to gut punch people into a specific reaction. I do feel like she strong-armed her characters into certain pathways, even while I appreciated her strong writing and enjoyed the pace of the narrative.
I read a review on Goodreads where the reader said they didn’t feel like the characters were fleshed out very well. I had to sleep on it to get an accurate interpretation myself, as I felt Fowler did a decent job at turns developing her characters while I was reading the book. However, I do remember feeling as though there wasn’t much to Xavier and Juniper’s relationship that gave me deeper insight into their feelings for each other. I struggled to see their chemistry and had to rely on the fact that I was just being told to believe they had it for the sake of the story. And in another GR review someone discussed the angry black woman interpretation of Valerie’s character, which also pegged me while reading the book. I also found it completely frustrating how much I aggressively hated Brad Whitman. Juniper’s mom, Julia, is not much better, but she does get credit for self-evaluation. There is absolutely nothing redeemable about Brad at all. He is just a terrible character. His inappropriate observation of Juniper is disgusting, and the fact that he was going to use an intimate and vulnerable moment between she and Xavier to weasel out of his lawsuit is egregious. Not to mention how it completely derails and then obliterates Xavier’s life.
I was so angry and then abruptly devastated by the end of this book I didn’t know what to do with myself. I agree with other readers that I felt like Fowler was taking my emotions for a ride to serve her purpose. Which is not to say that I disagree with the effort, but I very much felt pulverized by the execution. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s not meant to be a likable book. Maybe one is meant to leave the story in a fraught state. I do feel she tried to iron out the wrinkles in the epilogue but it came up short for me. I did not leave the story feeling hopeful, just destroyed. Again, that may very well have been the point of the book. I’m only saying it didn’t land well for me and hasn’t sat well with me since. And I guess when I think about The Bluest Eye, for instance, and I know it’s a tall order to compare anyone to Toni Morrison, but that is also a devastating book, but written with such care and nuance, which is what I feel is lacking in this story, in these characters and their lives. Nuance. It’s evident that the story is meant to catapult the reader into action, but even in the final pages before the Epilogue that call to action lands awkwardly. It’s a show versus tell issue for me there. I saw where someone else said it read like literary journalism, which it did. The story is narrated by a third person omniscient voice of the neighborhood that is never identified but has all of the right sources and insights into the character’s lives, lending to this idea of literary reportage.
I almost always have trouble saying I didn’t like a book, but most of the books I read, this one included, and probably because I was an English major, I tend to analyze to death, hit somewhere in the middle of the typical five star rating measurement. I will say this about the book: I did enjoy the reading experience, the fact that I got to a certain point where I could not put it down for my life. That feeling is seductive and hard to ignore and, like romantic seduction, makes a person assign more meaning to their feelings than what might realistically exist. My reality here is that I have struggled in the aftermath of this book. It just didn’t really hit home for me as much as I may have wanted it to.
sandiet's review against another edition
5.0
It took me awhile to finish this one, not because it's not good but because of my trepidation on where it was headed. The way it's written is amazing, the narrator is telling the story, laying out facts in a 20/20 hindsight manner.
A very difficult book to read, especially given all the racially motivated attacks and murders that seem to be happening every day. Don't let that be a deterrent to reading it though, this is an important book because good neighbourhoods have bad people. 5++ stars.
A very difficult book to read, especially given all the racially motivated attacks and murders that seem to be happening every day. Don't let that be a deterrent to reading it though, this is an important book because good neighbourhoods have bad people. 5++ stars.
manderzreadz's review against another edition
5.0
Read in one day. Hard to read at times, but it encompasses all the injustice and inequalities that are ever present anywhere you go. I love a book with a message, and this message needs to be told.
tashaseegmiller's review against another edition
5.0
This book felt a bit like Scandal (TV Show) and Romeo and Juliet mixed together. The innocence of a new love, the rage of jealousy, and feuding families plus race meld together in a very well written and heartbreakingly complex story.
danweigel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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
eringreenwood's review against another edition
5.0
Flew through this- just the right amount of intrigue, character building, so good
jansbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
More like a 3 1/2 star book but I rounded up. I liked the voice it was told in, I thought the character development was good and I could believe the story. At the same time there were points in the story that I felt were too agenda driven - too preachy. Overall worth the read and will leave you reflecting.
lmskikun's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
nickscoby's review against another edition
1.0
I stopped a little more than half way through. I had this epiphany and was like, I did not sign up for this, so buh bye! The book starts out fine but then just takes a puzzling turn that just felt forced and stupid. I have no idea how it all ends but I will say that Juniper and Xavier just weren't developed enough for me to care about them or their romance. They were just dull. And then on the other hand, there is way too much Brad Whitman (whit. man. get it?) for my liking. He was just a cardboard villain. Not even an interesting villain.
And there's some talk about trees which I am sure is a metaphor for . . . community? racism? roots? I don't know. Something.
And there's some talk about trees which I am sure is a metaphor for . . . community? racism? roots? I don't know. Something.