Reviews

Blackwood by Michael Farris Smith

indy_oc's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a 5 star book until the final few chapters. Loved the writing, loved the tension and the mystery. Ending was unsatisfying and

killing Celia off felt a bit too tropey

tarrowood's review

4.0

A great southern lit novel that gave me hints of McCarthy and Faulkner. Almost a 5, but I didn’t love the attempt at resolution at the end — it was clear that there was an idea of wrapping a bow at the end, yet keeping the ending vague at the same time? If Farris Smith just decided to keep the ending open-ended, it would’ve been wonderful

franklyfrank's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

djr100's review

3.0

Michael Farris Smith is a talented writer but this book felt like it was incomplete to me.....the story just didn’t work. Not close to Desperation Road.

katrenia's review

3.0

I remember as a kid hearing my parents and their friends joking about how quickly kudzu grows and takes over everything in its’ path, so that added to the creepy vibe felt in the story. I didn’t really care for any of the characters, but also didn’t feel I was given enough info to do so. I even mixed up a couple of the men at one point, there was so little to differentiate them. I wanted to like the boy, but in the end, even that was questionable.

dingusdaemonicus's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

rapgamenancyreagan's review

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

sibbostar's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

shannon_reidwheat's review

3.0

This one fell short for me. Too many unanswered questions.

erincampbell87's review

3.0

Michael Farris Smith is a masterful storyteller and world-builder in this page-turning southern noir about the mysterious power of the land and the past to wrap around us and pull us back into a dream-like waking life. Each clipped, perfectly worded sentence reads like it’s spoken by a slow-moving small town sheriff and though there were few surprises, the bleak, dark mood of the bar and kudzu fields and abandoned houses, with an unseen evil hovering just above the surface, was one I was thrilled to inhabit as each haunted character wrestles with their grief and guilt, wondering if they’ll be able to escape or, just like the land under the smothering kudzu vines, they’ll be engulfed by it.