Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Therese Anne Fowler for the opportunity to read and review this amazing novel. 5 stars for a book that will be undoubtedly at the top of many best of lists. This is the perfect book club book - I want to talk to someone about it right now! And if books can change the world, even a little, we all need to read this book!
Oak Knoll, NC, has a history of being A Good Neighborhood. Good people, those who will be there for you when you need them. Valerie Alston-Holt has lived in the Neighborhood for a long time; she's a single mother raising her nice, bright, musically-gifted biracial son soon to be heading off to private college with a music scholarship. New neighbors move in next door after raising the small home and all the trees on the property and building a huge new home, complete with a pool in the backyard. The Whitman's seem to have it all - Brad is a hugely successful HVAC business owner; wife, Julia, has come far from her upbringing and young adult life. Juniper is Julia's daughter from her past; Lily is a product of the marriage. But all might not be what it seems. A giant oak tree on Valerie's property is threatened by the loss of the other trees and begins dying. A lawsuit is filed against neighbors.
The book is narrated by "we", those who also live in the Neighborhood, The narrator provides us with background into the characters, a glimpse into their thoughts, and hints of events to come. I loved this point of view.
This is an extremely powerful read. The topics of race, class, judgment, love are spot on and will make you squirm, think and want things to change. Plus it was just so beautifully written. I can't recommend this book highly enough!
No comments:
Post a Comment