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The Killing Tree: A Novel
by
Rachel Keener (Goodreads Author)
It's the summer after Mercy Heron graduates from high school, and she's living in the household of her domineering grandfather and a grandmother whose behavior has always been erratic--some folks even call it crazy. They've raised Mercy since her mother died giving birth to her under the June apple tree, after Father Heron locked her out and ignored her pleas for help.
Me...more
Me...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
March 18th 2009
by Center Street
(first published 2009)
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Mar 10, 2009
Eve
marked it as to-read
From a good friend of mine:
"Hi Everyone,
I so rarely recommend books, but there's a book being published this month which I absolutely love, and which I want to give my highest recommendation to -
Rachel Keener's The Killing Tree
Here's the link to the book on B&N:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-...
Here's the link to it on Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/chqxcv
It's this beautiful, beautiful story about this girl (well, she's 18), in Appalachia, who falls in love with a migrant worker - and ab...more
"Hi Everyone,
I so rarely recommend books, but there's a book being published this month which I absolutely love, and which I want to give my highest recommendation to -
Rachel Keener's The Killing Tree
Here's the link to the book on B&N:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-...
Here's the link to it on Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/chqxcv
It's this beautiful, beautiful story about this girl (well, she's 18), in Appalachia, who falls in love with a migrant worker - and ab...more
A really good book by a first time author. Set in the mountains of Virginia, it is the story of Mercy Heron, her Grandfather, grandmother and her friend Della. Mercy's mother ran away from home with a man,came back pregnant, and her father (Mercy's grandfather) would not allow her back into his house. Mercy was born under a tree in the backyard, and her mother died from the complications of her birth. This event is something that haunts the whole family. Mercy repeats the event when she runs of...more
I have been thinking of the words I would use to describe this book since I finished reading it late last night. For some reason, I can't seem to formulate a description. Each character kept me up for different reasons: the cold, domineering grandfather kept me up as I wondered how anyone could be that cruel to his own blood. The aloof, free spirited grandmother kept me up as I wondered how she could allow so much sadness to happen under her watch. Teenage Mercy kept me up as I thought about her...more
This was the first novel by this author. I picked it up on the "new"
book row at the library. I don't remember reading an entire book in 24
hours in a long time. I did read for three hours in bed that night.
It was a simple story of a Kentucky mountain girl who had just finished
high school and worked in the local diner while living with her grand-
parents who had raised her. Publisher's Weekly: The novel succeeds in bringing to life a slice of mountain life where old and new, foreign and native, rea...more
book row at the library. I don't remember reading an entire book in 24
hours in a long time. I did read for three hours in bed that night.
It was a simple story of a Kentucky mountain girl who had just finished
high school and worked in the local diner while living with her grand-
parents who had raised her. Publisher's Weekly: The novel succeeds in bringing to life a slice of mountain life where old and new, foreign and native, rea...more
Rachel Keener's writing has put a spell on me. I read her second novel, The Memory Thief, first and was bowled over by how wonderful it was. I've even put it on my best reads of 2010 list. When I closed the pages of her debut novel, I was equally as thrilled and surprised. It is a beautiful and wonderful story that is at turns hopeful and achingly sad. The writing is terrific, so vivid that I felt transported to Crooktop Mountain. A coming of age story that is hard to put down. Mercy's story wil...more
I very much enjoyed reading "The Killing Tree" by Rachel Keener.
I actually won this book from a ReadingGroupGuides give away.
It's the story of an 18 year old mountain girl who is being raised by her grandparents after the death of her mother during child birth. Mercy and the people of Crooked Top Mountain just come alive through the vivid descriptions. You are immediately drawn in and made a part of the scene.
It's an emotional book of survival.
It was beautifully written and leaves you wanting m...more
I actually won this book from a ReadingGroupGuides give away.
It's the story of an 18 year old mountain girl who is being raised by her grandparents after the death of her mother during child birth. Mercy and the people of Crooked Top Mountain just come alive through the vivid descriptions. You are immediately drawn in and made a part of the scene.
It's an emotional book of survival.
It was beautifully written and leaves you wanting m...more
I really liked this book about a mountain girl with a domineering grandfather. Her mother died after being cruelly cast out by her grandfather for running off and getting pregnant with a man he didn't approve of, but Mercy still can't help but fall for a poor migrant worker on the mountain. When her grandfather finds out, he'll do anything to make her atone for her sin, and she'll do anything to stay with her love. The ending left an important detail up in the air and therefore wasn't as satisfy...more
I won this book right here on Goodreads in the giveaway section. It is a story about 18 year old Mercy Heron who has been raised by her grandparents when her mother dies giving birth to her under an apple tree under dubious circumstances. When I was done the story, I was yearning to know more, and it is my hope that a second book will follow up ~ I am so curious as to what the future holds for Mercy...what happens to Trout? Will they ever get the chance to be together...and Della DeMar ~ I reall...more
Loved it. A wonderful debut effort by Keener, set on Crooked Top Mountain in the Appalachians. The protagonist is Mercy Heron, whose mother died during Mercy's birth. Mercy is raised by her authoritarian, Bible-thumping grandfather and grandmother. She befriends, then falls in love with a migrant worker named Trout, finding tenderness and caring for the first time in her life, but leading to further estrangement from her grandparents. Wonderful charater development, suspenseful story line ... hi...more
The Killing Tree: A Novel
Written By: Rachel Keener
Published By: Center Street a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.
Date: 2009
Pages: 327 pages
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1599951119
The Killing Tree's title alone is enough to pique ones curiosity. As I began reading the story I was immediately drawn into Mercy's emotional struggle and felt very strongly towards many characters whose lives impacted the teen-aged girl in a negative way. Mercy's Grandfather in particular, is a real (insert curse...more
Written By: Rachel Keener
Published By: Center Street a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.
Date: 2009
Pages: 327 pages
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1599951119
The Killing Tree's title alone is enough to pique ones curiosity. As I began reading the story I was immediately drawn into Mercy's emotional struggle and felt very strongly towards many characters whose lives impacted the teen-aged girl in a negative way. Mercy's Grandfather in particular, is a real (insert curse...more
I liked this book but I thought it was sad. Sad in that fact that people are so prejudice against other people, sad that people have to live in such poverty and work so hard to just get by, sad that family isn't there to help out family. While this is a fictional novel most of the facts in there can be seen as true. Good news is that good friends are always there for you in your time of need. Whereas I was hoping for a different ending, I found myself rooting for Naomi and wishing her the best.
If you novels wrapped up in the end, then this isn't the novel for you as it is pretty ambiguous (perhaps the author is an english teacher). The characters were very interesting and different to me. Mercy grows up in the mountains of Virgina, super poor with her strict Grandpa and crazy Grandma. She's repeats her mother's fate by falling in love & getting pregnant by a migrant worker, but her strong will helps her overcome. I liked it because it's different from anything I've read in a while...more
Rachel Keener's 'The Killing Tree' is one of those novels that you just can't put down! Mercy, the main character, and the people of Crooked Top Mountain are true to the life of Appalachia, and allow the reader to feel and experience the beauty, the harshness, and uniqueness of the mountains. It is a story written with depth, heart, and courage, that the reader will not soon forget. My hope is that Keener will continue Mercy's story in a future novel. She definitely leaves the reader wanting mor...more
Hard to clarify exactly how I feel about this book. Usually I really like a book or dislike it. Enjoyed the storyline. Understood and connected with characters. In fact would probably have rated higher but about pg. 130 or so it kind of fell apart for me. Symbolism became heavy handed and events seemed implausible to me. Author seemed hard pressed to describe someone speaking other than the term they said lowly. Felt like screaming everytime someone spoke "lowly". So good enough story to keep me...more
Aug 04, 2009
Christen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Christen by:
won from ReadingGroupGuides
Shelves:
discussion-books
I really enjoyed this book. It is always interesting to read about cultures and people you do not know a lot about. This book is set in an isolated mountain community and tells the story of one girl's struggle to either fit in or leave the only place she's ever known. While reading this book, I pictured the final home in the book, "The Glass Castle," set deep in the mountains in coal-country.
The author did a great job with the characters; although they were each unique, I could identify with eac...more
The author did a great job with the characters; although they were each unique, I could identify with eac...more
This was a very fast read for me. I couldn't put it down. I knew going into it that it would probably remind me of home but when I got to Mercy talking about Magic Mart, boy did it ever. It was as if I had stepped into the book myself and was following her around. I was a little surprised with the ending but it did keep me on my toes. I'd have to say this is probably the best book I've read in a long while.
This is a fantastic story set deep in Appalachia. Crooked Top Mountain is a place all too familiar to me. Written with heart and hope, Keener draws the reader in and holds them in the palm of her hand. I love the way she weaves the story in and out of such utter sadness, but satisfies us with a great ending. Mercy, Della, Mamma Rutha, Trout, I swear I've known these people. Great job, Rachel Keener!
Well that was a weird one. A good one, but a weird one. It's kind of a cross between Cold Mountain and the sequel to Gone with the Wind. It goes out there a bit. The story is engaging and the characaters are , and there's just enough uncertainty to keep you off kilter, which makes for good reading. A Book Club book, I'm glad it was chosen, I would have never found it.
I loved this book. The protagonist Mercy captures your heart immediately. Keener succeeds in portraying the anguish of life in the back woods of the Blue Ridge Mountains so well that you feel instantly drawn into the world she creates. The hypnotic style of her writing draws you into the beauty and drama of life's harshest lessons. It is a tale of survival and growth.
Good book about a girl in a small mountain town who meets a boy and tries to get away from her controlling grand father. It would have been nice if the author added a few more pages to the book and told us what happened to Trout and if Mercy and he meet again. But I guess that is what sequels are for!
At times I got a bit fustrated at the dialouge but I enjoyed the tale enough to give it 4 stars. It was a good read and I'm one that doesn't always like a perfect ending, (since life isn't like that), so this book suited me just fine. Also I love first time writers...it makes my heart sing when one does a good job.
I really liked this book. I don't think it warranted a full 5 stars. I wish I could give it 4 1/2 but since that is not an option, I rounded up. I tend to give high scores to books that I can't seem to put down and this was one of those. It pulled you into the world of Crooktop with it's imagery. Parts of it were hard for me to relate too (borderline unbelievable or too much fantasy) and maybe that's where I had the slight disconnect. It also left me wanting to know more about the fate of the ke...more
This book is excellent. The author's language is so vivid. Her descriptions of the mountains, the valley, love, and hate put you on Crooktop Mountain. As a reader you don't just follow along with the main character's (Mercy) journey...you walk right next to her.
I read this book in two days....and easy and beautiful read. The story is sad, but it gives insight into the life of an Appalachian 18-year-old girl and the lives she and her "family" lead. The descriptions and the dialogue are excellent.
I thought this was going to be pretty cliched but then I got to the trashy romance section and it was awesome. Then it got cliched again. I read it in one night so now I'm moving on.
This is an emotional book about survival and the meanness of the people of Appalachia. The book has great characters and unexpected plot twists. A great read
This was definately a page turner. I loved the author's writing style. It left me wanting more. The reason I gave it a four was because I needed more closure.
Read for book club. Pretty well written first novel. Fairly compelling story. I found it hard to believe at times, but I still enjoyed it.
The beginning was slow but I ended up really liking it and thinking about the characters and the story after I was done reading it.
The book is ok, nothing spectatcular. The story is good and the characters are believable. A good but not a great read.
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Jul 27, 2010 08:42am