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The Endless Forest (Wilderness #6)

by Sara Donati (Goodreads Author)

4.37 of 5 stars 4.37 · rating details · 2,544 ratings · 274 reviews

With a master storyteller’s skill and a historian’s precision, Sara Donati has delighted readers and critics alike with her bestselling novels of the nineteenth-century New York frontier. Now she brings us The Endless Forest, set in the remote village of Paradise, where the Bonner family that readers first met in Into the Wilderness make their home.

The spring of 1824 is a...more

Published February 2nd 2010 by Bantam (first published December 15th 2009)

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May 09, 2011 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolutefavs

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Read for the third time. May 20117
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I don't think that I've ever read a series of books that I fell in love with so many of the characters in the series. The strong women and the even stronger men who love them makes me happy. Nathaniel. Simon. Luke. Daniel. Lily. Hannah. Elizabeth. Courisity. Even young Birdie is fast becoming one of my fav's.
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This is the last book of the Bonner Family by Sara Do...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, all-time-favs

I loved this series. I read it because I was a huge Diana Gabaldon fan, and I saw her recommendation on the cover of the first book in this series. However, I became a fan of this series based on it's own merits and the talent of the author, Sara Donati (Rosina Lippi). I won't waste anyone's time giving my own synopsis of the story, that is better done by the author. I do want to say that I appreciate the world and the characters created by Ms. Lippi, and that it was a pleasure to spend some tim...more I loved this series. I read it because I was a huge Diana Gabaldon fan, and I saw her recommendation on the cover of the first book in this series. However, I became a fan of this series based on it's own merits and the talent of the author, Sara Donati (Rosina Lippi). I won't waste anyone's time giving my own synopsis of the story, that is better done by the author. I do want to say that I appreciate the world and the characters created by Ms. Lippi, and that it was a pleasure to spend some time in their world. I came to love these fine people. Their joys were mine, and their heartbreaks inspired my tears. Technically speaking, I think the author has a great talent for pacing, for fine detail without being burdensome to the story, and for creating anticipation in her love stories. This serious was a joy to read, and it is one I'm sure that I will read again and again.

On my second read-through: Heaven's, I wish I could bottle Curiosity and Birdie and warp them into my world! These two characters are so fun to read.

If I have a criticism, it's that the story wraps rather abruptly. I would have liked another chapter or two to ease into the idea that the story is concluded. I would have loved to watch Lily, Simon, Nathaniel, Elizabeth, Curiosity, Daniel, etc. show their joy over the new baby. I would have liked to have a definitive answer as to what information Jemima was threatening Ethan with. I would have liked to have seen a little more between Ethan and Callie, just enough to know definitively if they would always bee just friends, or if there was hope that their relationship could grow into more. I felt that there were hints to both scenarios. I would have liked to know if Daniel did find some relief from the pain in his shoulder. I would have liked more from the Lake in the Cloud couples.

Still, with that said, isn't that the mark of a great series? The dissatisfaction in having to finally say goodbye to characters we have grown to love. I enjoyed this series even more the second time!
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Dec 28, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found the following, posted by the author, on Amazon.com:

I am Rosina Lippi, aka Sara Donati, author of the Wilderness series. If you've come here because you are wondering about a book in the series called "Journey's End" please note: there is no such book. The sixth book in the series is called "The Endless Forest" and that is available here on Amazon for preorder. Journey's End was a working title that somehow (mistakenly) found itself way onto Amazon, but I don't seem to be able to get them...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Thebakingbookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).

My Thoughts: I loved this book. Although it didn't have as much adventure as previous books, Donati was still able to keep up the momentum and keep the reader interested. I have to give Donati credit. She knows how balance the overall storyline in her 6 book series from one generation to the other. Other major series, like Outlander, tend to focus too much on one generati...more This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).

My Thoughts: I loved this book. Although it didn't have as much adventure as previous books, Donati was still able to keep up the momentum and keep the reader interested. I have to give Donati credit. She knows how balance the overall storyline in her 6 book series from one generation to the other. Other major series, like Outlander, tend to focus too much on one generation (ie Claire and Jamie) and don't develop other characters to take over the storyline in future books. Donati has been able to keep Elizabeth and Nathaniel as key characters while introducing their children as main characters with their own interesting storylines. I loved being able to see Elizabeth and Nathaniel's children grow up throughout the books and take over the storylines.

Donati was able to make small town Paradise and it's inhabitants very realistic. The inhabitants had their own issues, storylines etc that intertwined with the main characters. This book ties up some of the loose ends in storylines concerning Paradise citizens left in previous books.

This final book was a great way to end a wonderful series of books. I loved the final chapter which were excerpts from the newspaper in Paradise. Each installment told what happened to individual members of the Bonner family. Donati kept her book based in reality when dealing with the normal mortality in 1800's North America. Even so, I was literally shocked and saddened at the end when one of the main characters obituary is read. Like I thought that the character would never die?!? lol

I will definitely sad to let this series end but I'm glad that Donati could do it on such a high note. Donati didn't get bogged down by over describing scenes and was able to help the reader picture the scene in few words. She keeps her storyline moving and the reader interested (which, sadly, cannot be said for the Outlander series as many of us trudged through "The Fiery Cross").

I definitely recommend this book as well as the whole series. This is one of the series that I will be adding to my own personal library and the characters will stay with me a very long time.

My Rating: 4.5/5 (less)

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Feb 02, 2011 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

OK--three and a half stars. I read it quickly, to find out what happens to all of the characters.

It's one of the better books in the series (although I liked "Queen of Swords" a lot, being full of colorful detail about New Orleans in 1814: real characters, events and place). The epilogue is very satisfying and feels almost real.

But there's something kind of flavorless about the writing. When an author accrues such a large cast of characters, she's got to give them something to do, a way to tell...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Gretchen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

Ah, the final book. The challenge for anyone who ever writes a series - how to wrap things up so that you tell the story you intended to tell, while satisfying readers with the story they want to hear. It's a tough line to walk, and Donati does it quite well.

I loved the return to Paradise and the extended Bonner family. The prologue with Curiosity catching us up on what's happened was wonderful. Curiosity is one of my favorite characters and I loved her in this book. I also really enjoyed the ec...more Ah, the final book. The challenge for anyone who ever writes a series - how to wrap things up so that you tell the story you intended to tell, while satisfying readers with the story they want to hear. It's a tough line to walk, and Donati does it quite well.

I loved the return to Paradise and the extended Bonner family. The prologue with Curiosity catching us up on what's happened was wonderful. Curiosity is one of my favorite characters and I loved her in this book. I also really enjoyed the echoes of earlier books - Daniel and Martha teasing, Jennet's comment that "sooner or later all Bonner women fall", the walks up to Lake in the Clouds - all fit for a large family that has deep roots. I also loved the moments when older characters shone through: Gabriel's resemblance to Hawkeye, Birdie remembering Many Doves, or Daniel thinking about what he learned from his mother.

For the story I wanted to hear, Donati could have skipped the storyline with Callie/Martha/Jemima. It wasn't necessary for me to get resolution on that story, and I didn't think the drama was required. I would have preferred to hear more about Elizabeth as an author, or how Gabriel grew up, or more between Lily, Hannah and Jennet. But again, that's the story I wanted, not the story Donati wanted to tell. It's also worth noting that this ended up being much more of a romance than a historical fiction novel. That's not news to those who ended up reading the whole series, but fair warning to those who don't enjoy sex scenes - there are plenty in this book.

As for the epilogue, it was a satisfying end to the series, and I loved the nod to Louisa May Alcott. I would have been happier with more resolution to the book before the resolution to the series, but it still was a good ending. I don't think this book is as re-readable as the earlier ones in the series, but it's definitely worth keeping on the shelf for a time in the future when I want to return to Paradise. Recommended for those who love the series.(less)

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Nov 30, 2010 CJ Bro rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Donati & Gabaldon fans, lovers of historic fiction

The continuing saga of the Bonner family of Paradise, New York, circa 1824, finds Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner now joined on their mountain paradise by their offspring, come home to roost. All are now married with children of their own, or expecting, save the youngest Bonner sibling, Birdie. Most of this, the final story, revolves around Daniel Bonner and his romantic entanglement with Martha Kirby, the good-hearted–and polar opposite–daughter of the family’s arch nemesis—Jemima Southern Quick...more The continuing saga of the Bonner family of Paradise, New York, circa 1824, finds Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner now joined on their mountain paradise by their offspring, come home to roost. All are now married with children of their own, or expecting, save the youngest Bonner sibling, Birdie. Most of this, the final story, revolves around Daniel Bonner and his romantic entanglement with Martha Kirby, the good-hearted–and polar opposite–daughter of the family’s arch nemesis—Jemima Southern Quick. The story also closely follows the trials of Jemima’s step-daughter, Callie Quick. Callie has, in previous volumes of what has come to be known as the “Wilderness Series,” suffered severe emotional and financial damages at the hands of her step-mother. In The Endless Forest, Jemima has returned to Paradise with mischief on her mind, and Martha and Callie its target.

As always, the Bonner clan stands behind their own when threatened by their (and the entire town’s) common enemy. Daniel Bonner makes a strong and compelling protagonist who, after the loss of the use of his arm during his war years, has established himself as the town’s school teacher. His reclusive ways change drastically from the moment Martha enters the picture. Their love story is almost as endearing as that of Nathaniel and “Boots” in the first of the series: Into the Wilderness.

I felt the story took awhile to build up steam, but after it did, it moved along quite nicely to a very satisfying conclusion. Having found the previous book in the series, The Queen of Swords, somewhat disappointing and ‘un-Bonnerly,’ (Sorry. Maybe it’s just me), I wasn’t sure what to expect of this, presumably the last, of the series. But I have to say, I’m glad I took the time to read The Endless Forest. I recommend it to those who have followed the Bonners and the Carricks and their Kanien'kehá:ka family and friends throughout this six book series. For those who haven’t, my suggestion is to start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. I would give this one 4.5 stars.

Carol B
www.open.salon.com/blog/backfence
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Jun 24, 2010 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

ENDLESS FOREST ends the saga of the Bonner family and the series that started with INTO THE WIlDERNESS. The series opens in the 1790's and runs to a conclusion (in the ENDLESS FOREST)in the 1840's. The story takes place in colonial New York north of Albany at the edge of the endless forest. Through all the trials and tribulations of the Bonner family and friends you will travel a number of places, including Scotland, Canada, "the west", Florida, New Orleans and more. When they go off to war, as...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical-fiction

The Endless Forest is the sixth and final book in Sara Donati's series. The series is set in the 1800's and involves a large family living at the edge of ruralness. It's not really necessary to read the other books before this one, but it does help with some of the background and keeping the people straight.

Its years later and Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner's children are mostly grown up and starting families of their own. Hannah is the town's doctor and little Birdie is in school, and their own...more The Endless Forest is the sixth and final book in Sara Donati's series. The series is set in the 1800's and involves a large family living at the edge of ruralness. It's not really necessary to read the other books before this one, but it does help with some of the background and keeping the people straight.

Its years later and Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner's children are mostly grown up and starting families of their own. Hannah is the town's doctor and little Birdie is in school, and their own Daniel has finally found happiness in pursuing Martha Kuick. Martha has a terrible mother though and she arrives in town to put a damper on things and cause trouble like she normally does. She has brought a young boy, believed to be her son, with her as well and soon shuffles him off onto the Bonners and their relations. All they want is to live in happiness, but it seems like there is always something happening in the small town of Paradise.

The characters were their old familiar selves from the previous books. Hannah was a bit more matronly and wise than she had been previously, but I suppose age will do that to a person. Regretfully Elizabeth and Nathaniel, while being in the book, don't have as large of parts compared to when the series first started and they were the main characters. The largest set of characters were Martha and Daniel and while they were compelling characters, I didn't find them as enjoyable to read about as Elizabeth and Daniel. Jemima Kuick, Martha's mother, was just as nasty and lowdown as ever.

This plot tended to meander quite a bit. It was more just the telling of what happened in a span of time and the difficulties of normal life than any one set problem that they had to overcome. Sure Jemima presented problems, but that was only part of it. I do like that the epilogue of the story was told in newspaper articles, I thought that was clever. Donati's writing is always very good and you can tell her linguistic background through the use of accents and voices for her characters. I do have to warn though that she doesn't shy away from descriptive sex in this book. If that's not your thing you may want to avoid it.

A nice ending to the series. I enjoyed finding out what happens with all the characters and putting a finish to their stories.

Book One: Into the Wilderness
Book Two: Dawn on a Distant Shore
Book Three: Lake in the Clouds
Book Four: Fire Along the Sky
Book Five: Queen of Swords

The Endless Forest
Copyright 2010
623 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011(less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Karen added it · review of another edition

Donati is an excellent writer, and this series is unique in its portrayal of a fascinating time period and place. While the book had me turning pages rapidly, afterward I felt disappointed about certain aspects of the story. Daniel and Hannah are beautifully written about in the book - I was gratified to read about Daniel's gradual acceptance of his pain and disability, and loved reading about the development of their relationship. Once again, Curiosity is a wonderful character, and it was inter...more

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Jan 19, 2010 Kd rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a finish!!! At least I am assuming this is the last in the series. All the loose ends were tied up in the last few pages and in such a unique way. When our library acquired Queen of Swords and paperbacks of all the previous books in the series, I knew it was time to reread the whole set, especially since I had been waiting to read the 'Fire' one. Two weeks and many late nights later,I was finished with all that had been published so far and waiting for 'Forest'. This week it came to the lib...more

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May 14, 2010 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: based-on-folksong-myth, historical-fiction, upstate-ny-setting-moment-idea

This is the sixth and final book in the series that started with Into the Wilderness. At the outset this is meta-fiction/ historical fiction the son of Hawkeye from The Last of the Mohicans and Elizabeth Middleton, a Jane Austen character, meet and fall in love.

Now it’s thirty years later and this novel is mostly concerned with their grown children and grandchildren. Martha, who is the villain Jemima’s daughter, falls in love and marries Daniel (Elizabeth & Nathaniel’s son) who lost the use...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars

For a finale to the "Into the Wilderness" series, The Endless Forest wasn't as strong as I had hoped it would be. There were too many changes in POV and many of the chapters were extremely short. I also hated Birdie and the sections of the book that were told from her POV. In my mind I kept referring to her as "Scrappy Doo," because she was such an irritating character. I felt the same about the parts of Dawn on a Distant Shore that were told from Hannah's POV, although Hannah did become my favo...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't remember when or why I ever started reading this series, except that it was long ago and probably had to do with my fondness for pioneer stories. The whole series turned out to be more romance-y than I might prefer but I managed to get sucked in anyway. Now the series is done and, as always, I am sad to say goodbye to people with whom I just spent 600 pages, but I'm glad that everything got wrapped up in the end. I was a bit worried that I'd be lost, given that I read the previous five b...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Gail Amendt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, where do I even begin? For the past two and a half months I have been on an epic journey with the Bonner family. I first started this series largely because it was recommended by Diana Gabaldon, and many reviewers have compared it to her Outlander series. It is similar, in that it is very well written romantic historical fiction, with very strong, well developed characters. It even makes reference to a couple of the characters in the Outlander books in the first book of the series. I soon s...more Wow, where do I even begin? For the past two and a half months I have been on an epic journey with the Bonner family. I first started this series largely because it was recommended by Diana Gabaldon, and many reviewers have compared it to her Outlander series. It is similar, in that it is very well written romantic historical fiction, with very strong, well developed characters. It even makes reference to a couple of the characters in the Outlander books in the first book of the series. I soon set aside my comparisons to Outlander, however, and just enjoyed the journey for what it was. Spanning over thirty years in the life of this family, it covers several generations and a great deal of US history, and is a true epic.

This final book in the series brings all the Bonner children back to their family home in up-state New York. Several years have passed since the last book, and there is much catching up to do, which is helped by a very cleverly done prologue. We get to know the younger Bonners, while at the same time catching up with some of the well loved older characters who have been largely absent from the last couple of books. One of the great things about a long series is that we have a very large cast of very well developed characters by the end. Without going into any detail, I will just say that most of the loose ends are tied up, and we are left with a happily ever after feeling, although the epilogue lets us know that all is not perfect. There is a romance or two, and I have to say that Sara Donati has gotten better and better at writing romance as this series has gone on. With this final novel she has finally mastered the sex scene. I felt her sex scenes were a little awkward in the first couple of books, but she definitely has the right idea now....perhaps she got some advice from her friend Diana Gabaldon.

I have to say that I am going to really miss the Bonners and their extended family and friends. Sara Donati has created some really great characters. I love that there are so many strong women in this series, as well as several men that I could easily fall in love with. Don't tell my husband, but I think I am in love with Daniel Bonner. And I would so love to sit down for tea with Elizabeth and Curiosity, and enjoy a visit with Jennet and Hannah. Since it does appear that Sara Donati really intends this series to be over as she really hasn't left any room for a sequel, I can only hope that she starts another series and brings us more great characters in the future.

Now, I guess I will have to go back to reading other books by other authors, which shouldn't make me sad, but right now it kinda does.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Susanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

This was the last book in the Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati. It was a beautiful closure to the lifes of the Bonner family and friends. Martha's and Daniel's love devoloped beautifully and even though I didn't expect the last book in the series to concentrate so much on Daniel, Martha, Callie and Jemina I found it to be an interesting and satisfying ending to my taste. The epilogue was priceless, without it so many questions would have been left unanswered. I read it three times and c...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the fifth and final book of the Into the Wilderness series. It is a historical romance set in revolutionary and post revolutionary America. It chronicals the lives of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner and their many friends and offspring in New York.
This was my favorite of the series it was sad to say goodbye to characters that you have come to know and care about. It has a nice epilogue at the end of the book that nicely "wraps up" the lives of all the characters.
I started reading thi...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Jacqui rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “The Endless Forest” is the sixth and final book in Sara Donati’s Wilderness series of historical fiction. The story takes place some years after the events depicted in the previous book, “The Queen of Swords”. We are back in Paradise again and Lily and Simon return home accompanied by Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Luke, Jennet and their children. They also bring with them Martha Kirby, Jemima’s daughter who has been living in Manhattan all this time and who returns somewhat indifferently to the land...more “The Endless Forest” is the sixth and final book in Sara Donati’s Wilderness series of historical fiction. The story takes place some years after the events depicted in the previous book, “The Queen of Swords”. We are back in Paradise again and Lily and Simon return home accompanied by Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Luke, Jennet and their children. They also bring with them Martha Kirby, Jemima’s daughter who has been living in Manhattan all this time and who returns somewhat indifferently to the land of her childhood. Martha has been jilted by her fiancé and as she returns to Paradise, she carries with her the dread of her mother’s inevitable return. The travellers arrive home to a Paradise that has been devastated by a late winter flood. As the town rebuilds, the Bonner family reconnect with each other and old wounds bleed open as Jemima also returns.
“The Endless Forest” is a largely gentle read. Much of the high drama that fills the other books in the series is gone, replaced by the careful drawing together of the narrative threads of the series. It is a fitting ending to a rich and heavily textured story. The characters are written with such tenderness and love and although it is almost a relief to be back to the familiarity of Paradise and the well known characters such as Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Curiosity, this book is really about the younger Bonners. In particular, Daniel, who comes out of his self-reclusion and back into the fold of his family and Martha, who has to rediscover who she is if she wants to be more than her mother’s daughter. Ms Donati’s skill as a story teller is largely in her ability to create characters whose layered complexities reflect the essence of lived experiences. While most of the series has had as its themes, the clash of cultures, the struggle of women for independence from their traditional roles and living beyond what society expects of oneself, this novel shifts slightly away from this and has at its heart, the question of family, what it means, and how we are bound by family.
It is not often that the final book in a series lives up to the promise of the first book but this one does. From its start, where Curiosity leads you into the story to its final pages as we travel through years to see what happens to Paradise and the Bonners in years to come, this book is very much like coming home, sinking deep into an old familiar chair, lifting your feet up and nestling them under you, cocooned from the rain outside. Readers will miss the Bonners but will hopefully be rewarded with more by Sara Donati in the future.
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Jan 05, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sara Donati is kind of my guilty pleasure when it comes to reading. Her writing style is incredible - she can weave a crazy good story - but I always have to give several caveats when recommending the books to others. Having said that, her final book in the Wilderness series was really good. I felt like the story bogged down toward the end (perhaps reached a plot climax too soon??) and I didn't like the newspaper synopses for the last few pages because so many important pieces of information wer...more

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Sep 25, 2010 Lynda rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 20, 2010 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the last book in a series that I started when I lived in Germany. The series takes place in New York in the 1700s-1800s. I think that is part of what initially caused me to pick up the first book. It is set in the "wilderness" that was/is upstate New York. I really liked it and thought that she ended the series well. I wouldn't recommend it if you have not read the others though. She tried to make it so it could be read alone, but I don't know if that would really work. You'd miss a lot...more

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Feb 02, 2010 April Dinucci rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads

I am always sad to see a series such as this end. It must be a very daunting task to have to close out in words the lives of so many loveable characters. This was not my favorite of the wilderness series but the love building relationship between Martha and Daniel was beautifully written as was all the back story of the Bonner crew. I found Mima's story lagging and almost inconsequential by the end. And OHHH the epilogue! What a tear jerker that was. But I must thank the author for such a wonder...more

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Mar 29, 2011 AJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic, historical-pre-1900, series

Alright so call me naive but I like stories that are all wrapped up happily ever after. I floated through this book on a cloud of happiness, loving the stories of the Bonner clan all together at last, everything coming together nicely for the characters we have followed for six books and then WHAM - the Epilogue! I know that people die, but after loving these characters for so long, I really didn't want to know about it. Thankfully there were some happy hightlights in there as well but I must co...more

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Oct 30, 2010 Jeanette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: checked-out-library

I started this book knowing that it was part of a series and that I was starting in the middle. It was a great story that just kept drawing me in. I wanted to know what happened to Birdie, Hannah, Lily, Martha, Daniel. Everyone in the book is the main character and they become your family as you read. At just over 600 pages I was a little unsure if I would make it but once you get halfway, then you can't put it down!
The only thing I did not care for was the epilogue. It was sections from the to...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Agnes rated it 4 of 5 stars

These stories remind me of my teen-age fantasies of being lost in the forest and rescued by a handsome stranger.

There are multiple stories within the main one, but they are easy to keep separate. Donati has a great way with her words; her writing keeps you wanting to continue and not put down the book (even if it is big and cumbersome!). She isn't sparing of words.

Now I've read the first and the last, I can't wait to read those four in between.

Donati ended the series in a unique manner, which I...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful series this has been. To me, it has the same effect on me as the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. All these wonderful characters, developing over the time of the series. The stories of each blending in with the ones gone before. The Bonner clan come together in this final book of the series.

I cant recommend this series enough, but please start at the beginning as Sara Donati gives little detail of the stories that have gone before and you really dont want to miss any of it. I...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Jtolan1 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Jumped in in the middle of a series. At first I found the going a bit slow, but maybe it was reading out of sequence. Once I got into the book, the characters came to life brilliantly. I felt I knew these people and was glad of it.

The anticipation of the expected trouble was not intense, which might have been a fault had I not been perfectly happy living with the characters and their eventful lives. I found the plot progress pleasant and relaxing.

Now I'll probably start from the beginning so I...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 26, 2010 Kimberly Morghan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great book with lots of well-developed characters. I especially liked how well she describes the strengths and motivations of the women in her books. I have not read all of the books in this particular story line, but I had no problem picking this book up and understanding what was going on, so it works fine as a stand-alone. A decent amount of action, though perhaps not as much as in the other book I read in this series. It is more strongly about the people she has been following and...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Jackie Schnupp rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed The Endless Forest, having read the others in the series. It's easy to become attached to the characters and really care what happens to them - kudos to Ms. Donati for her skill in grabbing the reader's attention - and heart.

I kinda sorta wavered about liking the way this series ended, however. Some of the most important characters end via newspaper obituary, and it seemed so quick - however, it would be worse to leave it unfinished and thereby leave the reader in limbo, so I have come...more

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About Sara Donati

Sara Donati is a pen name of Rosina Lippi. Notice: Sara does not age. Rosina does. R is also here on Goodreads; any and all reviews will show up under Rosina Lippi, so she's the one to follow. Sara just sits here eating bonbons.

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Books by Sara Donati

Dawn on a Distant Shore (Wilderness, #2)

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Quotes from The Endless Forest

“I am not afriad of death. I greet it as anyone who has a long and sattisfying day's work behind them greets sleep. I have loved the stars too to fear the night- Elizabeth Middleton Bonner” — 5 people liked it

“I have loved the stars too much to fear the night."
Elizabeth Middleton Bonner” — 5 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: The Endless Forest Goodreads rating: 4.37 (2544 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5292764-the-endless-forest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1262375790l/5292764.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5292764-the-endless-forest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Endless Forest by Sara Donati[/url]

The Endless Forest (Wilderness #6)

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