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jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
Hayes does a good job of allowing the reader to experience the world from March's perspective. His clear love of and fascination with trees shines through, of course, but I also appreciate the small moments that help us understand his frustration with not understanding the expectations people have of him and not being understood by those same people. It was great to see him grow throughout the book, especially when his fascination with trees helps him connect with classmates and adults.
krista_billings's review against another edition
4.0
Really good book written from the perspective of someone on the autism spectrum. I'm not sure how accurate the point of view was, but I felt like it must have been a fairly good representation. It was an enjoyable read either way.
jenlynnhill's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so different than I was expecting, as it was written from the point of view of an autistic teenager. It was so well written, I really felt like I garnered a tiny look into the mind of someone who is autistic. In addition to that, I learned a lot about trees! Parts of the book with all the information about trees was a little harder to get through, but the story was so interesting that it kept me reading. I would be interested in reading more work by this author.
mrjspancakehouse's review against another edition
1.0
I hate rating a 1 star. But man this book was so slow. The first 3/4ths of the book was nothing but an encyclopedia about trees. The last 1/4th was plot. This book really was just not for me.
cactuspunk's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
poetryotter's review against another edition
2.0
I'm always on the lookout for books featuring autistic characters, especially autistic protagonists. Sadly, most of them disappoint me one way or the other. This book is one of them.
It wasn't awful, and I did like some parts. However, a few things really annoyed/bored/frustrated me.
1) The 'Autistic Voice'. It's not as bad as many other books, but it's still there, somewhat. March tells us the exact timing of things. He over explains things. The sentences often sound formal and stilted.
2) Trees. Did we really have to get that many pages about trees, and the names of trees, and.. trees? I'd rather have more about the characters, but nope, we get trees. Is it a novel or a botanical study?
3) All's well that ends well. Ending just seemed unrealistic, and even annoying.
All in all, not an awful book, and at least we didn't get yet another mathematical genius (and autism is mentioned, for once!), but it failed to grip me. I didn't even care that much about the character. I also appreciate that March may well resemble actual autistic people here and there, but find it odd that some people say they appreciate the 'insight into an autistic mind', as if, somehow, a fictional character by a non-autistic person could hold that role. Just strange for me.
It's one thing to appreciate a book and character, and another to use it as your reference for real life... See how many issues cropped up after Curious Incident!
It wasn't awful, and I did like some parts. However, a few things really annoyed/bored/frustrated me.
1) The 'Autistic Voice'. It's not as bad as many other books, but it's still there, somewhat. March tells us the exact timing of things. He over explains things. The sentences often sound formal and stilted.
2) Trees. Did we really have to get that many pages about trees, and the names of trees, and.. trees? I'd rather have more about the characters, but nope, we get trees. Is it a novel or a botanical study?
3) All's well that ends well. Ending just seemed unrealistic, and even annoying.
All in all, not an awful book, and at least we didn't get yet another mathematical genius (and autism is mentioned, for once!), but it failed to grip me. I didn't even care that much about the character. I also appreciate that March may well resemble actual autistic people here and there, but find it odd that some people say they appreciate the 'insight into an autistic mind', as if, somehow, a fictional character by a non-autistic person could hold that role. Just strange for me.
It's one thing to appreciate a book and character, and another to use it as your reference for real life... See how many issues cropped up after Curious Incident!
maddiehunt02's review
4.0
I liked this book quite a bit, however it was a bit hard to get into at first.
100pagesaday's review
5.0
March Wong is a young man who loves trees and especially climbing trees. In a tree he finds meaning to the rest of the crazy world, he can find calmness. March Wong is also autistic and climbing trees is an obsession that has gotten him in trouble more than once. Now, there is a hearing to see if his mother is a fit guardian for him. On the heels of his hearing, March finds a new tree. With help from his Uncle, March goes to the old growth forest, the LBA Woods in Olympia Washington. After climbing several trees, he spots a very tall tree standing out from the rest. It is a Ponderosa Pine; affectionately called the Eagle tree. It is an unusual tree to grow in that habitat and March must climb it. However, the land that the Eagle Tree grows on is bought by a private developer and it is now a rule that March cannot climb the tree; the developers will also cut the tree down. In his obsession to now save and climb the Eagle Tree, March will overcome many of his fears in order to get the support he needs to save the beloved tree.
“I am like a tree that looks dead to the world, but when you climb to the very top, you find bright green limbs sucking sap one hundred feet from the ground. And you discover the tree is very much alive, and is keeping its secret life from the world.”
In a wonderful combination of forest ecology and a very specific look into an autistic mind, Ned Hayes has created a unique story line. As someone who loves trees and has also worked with people who have autism, this book was perfect for me. I was most impressed with the voice of the narrator; told completely from March’s point of view, I was easily brought into March’s world in a way that was easily understandable. March’s human experience was brought to light through this point of view; his focus, ways of thinking, interactions with others and sensory needs were brought to the forefront so it was easily relayed to all the ways that March needed the trees; from the way that the leaves filter light, to thinking about each step in order to climb to the basic biology of the tree. In addition, as a caretaker, I could also relate to March’s mother’s frustrations with how he interacted with the world beyond trees. March’s ability to grow through his own means with the help of the Eagle Tree and his willingness to campaign for it was well done. Overall this is a touching, emotional and environmentally conscious book, perfect for someone looking for something a little different.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
“I am like a tree that looks dead to the world, but when you climb to the very top, you find bright green limbs sucking sap one hundred feet from the ground. And you discover the tree is very much alive, and is keeping its secret life from the world.”
In a wonderful combination of forest ecology and a very specific look into an autistic mind, Ned Hayes has created a unique story line. As someone who loves trees and has also worked with people who have autism, this book was perfect for me. I was most impressed with the voice of the narrator; told completely from March’s point of view, I was easily brought into March’s world in a way that was easily understandable. March’s human experience was brought to light through this point of view; his focus, ways of thinking, interactions with others and sensory needs were brought to the forefront so it was easily relayed to all the ways that March needed the trees; from the way that the leaves filter light, to thinking about each step in order to climb to the basic biology of the tree. In addition, as a caretaker, I could also relate to March’s mother’s frustrations with how he interacted with the world beyond trees. March’s ability to grow through his own means with the help of the Eagle Tree and his willingness to campaign for it was well done. Overall this is a touching, emotional and environmentally conscious book, perfect for someone looking for something a little different.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
njlanzetta's review
4.0
I loved this novel about an autistic fourteen year old boy who is obsessed with trees. It follows Peter Wong, or March as he likes to be called, as he finds out about and tries to save the "Eagle Tree", a very large, old, and rare tree in his local forest. I love to read books from the perspective of children every once in a while because I think they give a different view of the world. The way the author wrote March as an autistic boy felt very real and authentic. I loved Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and this felt similar in the voice of the narrator. There was a lot of technical details and facts about trees that were mostly interesting, but sometimes they were too much. It was an easy read (besides some of the passages about trees) that I highly recommend.