Wednesday, April 26

Book Review: Nightwoods by Charles Frazier


Author: Charles Frazier
Title: Nightwoods
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, & Thriller
Format: paperback
Pages: 272
Published: January 1, 2011
Where I Got It: My shelf (Used book store)

Summary: 
Charles Frazier puts his remarkable gifts in the service of a lean, taut narrative while losing none of the transcendent prose, virtuosic storytelling, and insight into human nature that have made him one of the most beloved and celebrated authors in the world. Now, with his brilliant portrait of Luce, a young woman who inherits her murdered sister's troubled twins, Frazier has created his most memorable heroine.

Before the children, Luce was content with the reimbursements of the rich Appalachian landscape, choosing to live apart from the small community around her. But the coming of the children changes everything, cracking open her solitary life in difficult, hopeful, dangerous ways.

Charles Frazier is known for his historical literary odysseys, and for making figures in the past come vividly to life. Set in the twentieth century, Nightwoods resonates with the timelessness of a great work of art.


Review:
I finally finished this. Yayy! *throws confetti*

Luce is a young woman who doesn't need or want much in life. She wants to be left alone with the Appalachian landscape and the small community, but when she inherits her murdered sister's troubled twins everything is changed. Her life has become more difficult, and hopeful, but also a danger is breathing down their backs. 

I have been meaning to read this book for a while. In total now I have read 3 books by this author. My first one was 'Cold Mountain' and I absolutely ADORE that one. One of my personal faves. The other one and this one...sighs....I struggled with both. 

Now, this did get WAY better by 50%. The first half of the book I had to force myself to sit down and read it. Ugh. In the second half, I actually found myself wanting to read more and more. There were scenes that I wanted to skim, but I pushed forward. 

Luce was a rough character to really like. So were the twins. When you get to know why they are the way they are, you can feel for them and understand them (be warned there are some major triggers in the flashbacks and whatnot)....but I still never connected. Maybe that is why I struggled so much? I never fully connected with anyone. Yes, I cared and wanted them all to live and be happy, but I could've walked away in that first half and never looked back. After the second half, I cared a tiny bit more just because the action was heating up and things were happening. 

The baddie needed to be shoved off a mountain. Which yayy! Gotta love a baddie you loathe! 

In the end....I wish I had liked this better. The second half was way better than the first, but only just so. I had a hard time connecting with anyone and it just didn't fit for me. 2 stars from me. 





Challenge(s):
- #5 TBR Pile Reading





4 comments:

Melliane said...

Ah a bit too bad...

Carole Rae said...

Can't win them all :/

Blodeuedd said...

By 50! Nope too long

Carole Rae said...

I couldn't quit.