Take a photo of a barcode or cover
astridandlouise 's review for:
Greenwood
by Michael Christie
I received an ARC of this book with thanks to Scribe UK via NetGalley.
From the outset you’d be forgiven for thinking that this is a book centred around dystopian climate fiction, and whilst it definitely has elements of this, it is not centred around it. This is a multi-generational family saga. A saga about the Greenwood’s and the people at the forefront of its lineage. The structure follows the dendrochronology of trees, commonly known as annual growth rings. Beginning in 2038, we travel back in time (2008, 1974, 1934 and 1908) before travelling forward again (1934, 1974, 2008, 2038) representing the cross section of a tree; the growth rings. Throughout each of these years we discover the people and the secrets of the Greenwood name and origin.
"Families are not born, they're invented, pieced together from love and lies and nothing else."
This was superb. I absolutely love multi-generational family sagas and this one did not disappoint. We begin with Jacinda Greenwood and as we progress deeper into the narrative meet Liam, Willow, Harris and Everett of the Greenwood name. So layered and so complex it truly was wonderful to read about these people and the choices they all made in the various circumstances surrounding them. Christie analysed so many varied angles about what makes a family as well as what we pass from generation to generation. We all have struggles that can reverberate through family lines regardless of our biological DNA and that families being quite malleable are we something that we can either create or destroy. It’s an insight into what people are willing to sacrifice for their beliefs and the art of being able to accept the imperfections of life.
"Take heart, she seems to say. The world has been on the brink of ending before. The dust has always been waiting to swallow us. People have always struggled and suffered. Your poverty is not shameful. It is not a failure of your character. Life, by its very nature, is precarious. And your struggles are never for nothing."
Throughout the first character arc (2038) I did struggle to grasp what Christie was beginning to create but as I got deeper into the book the Greenwood’s burrowed under my skin. I didn’t want the story of Everett Greenwood (1934) to end. I just wanted to know more and more about him. Easily my favourite part of the saga. A truly astounding book. If you love a family saga, I highly recommend this.
4.5 stars
From the outset you’d be forgiven for thinking that this is a book centred around dystopian climate fiction, and whilst it definitely has elements of this, it is not centred around it. This is a multi-generational family saga. A saga about the Greenwood’s and the people at the forefront of its lineage. The structure follows the dendrochronology of trees, commonly known as annual growth rings. Beginning in 2038, we travel back in time (2008, 1974, 1934 and 1908) before travelling forward again (1934, 1974, 2008, 2038) representing the cross section of a tree; the growth rings. Throughout each of these years we discover the people and the secrets of the Greenwood name and origin.
"Families are not born, they're invented, pieced together from love and lies and nothing else."
This was superb. I absolutely love multi-generational family sagas and this one did not disappoint. We begin with Jacinda Greenwood and as we progress deeper into the narrative meet Liam, Willow, Harris and Everett of the Greenwood name. So layered and so complex it truly was wonderful to read about these people and the choices they all made in the various circumstances surrounding them. Christie analysed so many varied angles about what makes a family as well as what we pass from generation to generation. We all have struggles that can reverberate through family lines regardless of our biological DNA and that families being quite malleable are we something that we can either create or destroy. It’s an insight into what people are willing to sacrifice for their beliefs and the art of being able to accept the imperfections of life.
"Take heart, she seems to say. The world has been on the brink of ending before. The dust has always been waiting to swallow us. People have always struggled and suffered. Your poverty is not shameful. It is not a failure of your character. Life, by its very nature, is precarious. And your struggles are never for nothing."
Throughout the first character arc (2038) I did struggle to grasp what Christie was beginning to create but as I got deeper into the book the Greenwood’s burrowed under my skin. I didn’t want the story of Everett Greenwood (1934) to end. I just wanted to know more and more about him. Easily my favourite part of the saga. A truly astounding book. If you love a family saga, I highly recommend this.
4.5 stars