Gripping, suspenseful, magical, and richly atmospheric . . . Ilie Ruby's haunting debut novel, "The Language of Trees," is exhilarating fiction... read full description
reviews
May 07, 2011
Lisette
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Author Ilie Ruby’s rich portrait of the people of Canandaigua Lake, their secrets, their histories, their unrequited passions, their losses, and their quest for second chances, all come together stunningly in The Language of Trees.
Written in gorgeous poetic prose, this novel opens with a tragedy that draws the reader into the lives of Ruby’s multi-dimensional, disparate, and believable characters. The author’s knowledge of the area of Canandaigua, the folklore of the Seneca Indians, More...
Written in gorgeous poetic prose, this novel opens with a tragedy that draws the reader into the lives of Ruby’s multi-dimensional, disparate, and believable characters. The author’s knowledge of the area of Canandaigua, the folklore of the Seneca Indians, More...
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Dec 17, 2011
Christina (Reading Thru The Night)
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Initially, I was intrigued by this book because a review (from where?) I read explicitly said: "Heyyyy. If you like folklore then this book is for you." I immediately jumped up and down in my head thinking: "They're talking to meeee!". So I requested it and Ba-Da-Bing, upon my doorstop it came.
What we have here is a story of unrequited love, of desperation, of abuse, of longing, and of magic. And it all takes place in this quaint town called Canandaigua where " More...
What we have here is a story of unrequited love, of desperation, of abuse, of longing, and of magic. And it all takes place in this quaint town called Canandaigua where " More...
Mar 20, 2011
Joseph
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Ilie Ruby has crafted a magically moving novel composed of disparate elements: a tragic childhood death, a kidnapped woman, American Indian ghosts and spirits, wolves that interact with humans, unrequited love, and a parent's illness. The story is also populated with dysfunctional families; families fueled by shame and secrets - secrets that must be kept until they are divulged to save lives.
Two of the key characters are Grant Shongo and Echo O'Connell. Grant is a half-blooded Seneca More...
Two of the key characters are Grant Shongo and Echo O'Connell. Grant is a half-blooded Seneca More...
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Aug 28, 2010
Amy
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Part magic realism, part ghost story, part mystery, The Language of Trees by Ilie Ruby has many facets. First time novelist Ruby immediately plunges the reader into the lives of several troubled characters and the many secrets that are hidden in the small community of Lake Canandaigua. The tragic death of a young boy nearly a decade before which has haunted the small town, both literally and figuratively, is about to be revealed. Grant Shongo, a Seneca healer, and his first love, Echo O’Connell
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Aug 09, 2010
Jennifer
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This summary only hints at what this book is about. This story is so much more. Yes, there is the mystery of how a little boy drowned in the lake, but in order to solve it each character in the story must reconcile their pasts with the person they have become.
The chapters are character oriented, and each and every character is complex. Although the story takes place in the present, as the events unfold, the characters relive or remember the events of the past. You learn about eac More...
The chapters are character oriented, and each and every character is complex. Although the story takes place in the present, as the events unfold, the characters relive or remember the events of the past. You learn about eac More...
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Jul 21, 2010
April
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Mesmerizing, magical and haunting, The Language of Trees is a story that will remain with the reader long after the final words have been read. The story of these amazing characters will continue to shadow the reader's memory, tidbits surfacing out of the blue.
With poetically beautiful prose, Ilie Ruby brings to life the story of the Ellis family who has encountered one tragedy after another. The latest, the disappearance of wife, mother, sister and daughter, Melanie. Gone, without More...
With poetically beautiful prose, Ilie Ruby brings to life the story of the Ellis family who has encountered one tragedy after another. The latest, the disappearance of wife, mother, sister and daughter, Melanie. Gone, without More...
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Jun 28, 2010
Cheryl
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Many, many years ago a terrible tragedy bestowed upon the three Ellis children, Melanie, Maya and Luke. The three had taken the canoe out. Luke drowned.
It has been over five years since Grant has been back to Canandaigua. Now that he is all alone… his ex-wife, Susanna left him, Grant decides to come back for a change. Though, Grant soon realizes that coming back home means facing his demons.
Echo O’Connell and Grant used to hang out together when they were younger. They More...
It has been over five years since Grant has been back to Canandaigua. Now that he is all alone… his ex-wife, Susanna left him, Grant decides to come back for a change. Though, Grant soon realizes that coming back home means facing his demons.
Echo O’Connell and Grant used to hang out together when they were younger. They More...
Mar 23, 2010
Jane
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This book is a richly woven mystery that is filled with imagery, intriguing metaphors, a touch of spiritualism, native American culture at times, and textured mental visuals. The writer has an artist's literary "eye" and brings you closer to actually sensing what she describes better than any book I've ever read. One of the things I like in a novel is when I get to the end of a chapter and it leaves me with even a hint of a cliff hanger and this book doesn't disappoint. The mystery bui
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Mar 09, 2011
Peggy
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The themes in the book are varied. There is a realistic part which is about the lives of the people around Canadaigua, New York. There is a mytical part of the book, where some of the characters in the community are healers with ties to the Seneca Indians. There is also a mystery involved.
This is a many faceted book that explores the lives of its characters. Grant Shongo has returned to the area after a failed marriage to get his head together. Echo O'Connell returns to check o More...
This is a many faceted book that explores the lives of its characters. Grant Shongo has returned to the area after a failed marriage to get his head together. Echo O'Connell returns to check o More...
Nov 04, 2010
Harrie
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I'm divided about this book. On the on hand, it is a smoothly written love story that people who love love stories will love. On the other hand, it is based upon Seneca Indian lore, and loaded with mythical people, supernatural healings, portents, signs, etc. Again, if you can let yourself believe in these, then you will really like this book. My problem is that I don't believe in ghosts, born healers, wolves which mysteriously attach themselves to someone for beneficent purposes and the like
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Apr 16, 2011
Dagmar
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I adore this book. It's the touching love story of Grant Shongo, a descendant of the Seneca Indians, and Echo O’Connell, who both return to their childhood town, Canandaigua, NY. Grant moves back into his family’s house after his wife leaves him, and Echo returns to deal with spirits of the past and ends up sharing a secret with her first love, Grant, that will change both of them.
This book is haunting, I couldn’t put it down. As a writer, I’m so impressed with the way Ilie uses langua More...
This book is haunting, I couldn’t put it down. As a writer, I’m so impressed with the way Ilie uses langua More...
Sep 08, 2010
Brianna
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I would have to say that of all the books that I have read this year, this is probably my favourite, and for so many different reasons. I could go on and on and on about how much I love this book. The book has amazing reviews. When I was reading the beginning of this book, I can't say I was overly loving it, so I read some more reviews for inspiration,which I'm glad I did, because once I got a few chapters in, the story was just so captivating I couldn't set it down. It was full of secrets, mys
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Jul 16, 2010
E.J.
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A town drowning in guilty secrets and the hopes of the living while haunted by the spirits of the dead. The residents of Canandaigua Lake have all experienced tragedy before but some families seem especially cursed. A melancholy tale of loss and redemption, The Language of Trees is a story of how the lives of these families are intertwined like the branches of trees grown close together and how their inseparable destinies hold sorrow and hope. Ilie Ruby blends Seneca myth and tradition with a
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Nov 16, 2010
Teresa
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This, Ilie Ruby's debut novel, contains so much of what I love in a novel, great storytelling, ghosts, a beautiful setting and memorable characters. It's a story about homecoming, principally that of Grant Shongo and Echo O'Connell, once teen lovers, who return to Canandaigua, a place steeped in the history of the Seneca Indians. The disappearance of a young boy many years before is still impacting on the community and those still living must address the past and unearth previously buried sec
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Jul 30, 2010
Alison
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I originally wrote the review for The Language of Trees two weeks ago, moments after I read the last page. For some reason, computer gnomes most likely, my review did not save, so here I am two weeks later...with a slightly different opinion. The gnomes did me a favor, they allowed me to step back and take a look at a book again. Unfortunately, I found The Language of Trees did not have staying power.
The first time around, I did enjoy this book and thought that it was a beautiful More...
The first time around, I did enjoy this book and thought that it was a beautiful More...
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Jul 31, 2010
Caitlin
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I very much enjoyed this beautifully written debut novel. It reminds me a bit of Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein in that it deals with similar themes - the death of a child, the power of place - and interweaves Native mythology throughout the tale, although Ruby's novel is more lyrically written.
It is often the case in books about returning home that home is forever changed and vanished. In this book home is changed, but also subtly the same. The journey home is redemptive for More...
It is often the case in books about returning home that home is forever changed and vanished. In this book home is changed, but also subtly the same. The journey home is redemptive for More...
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Jul 19, 2010
Laura
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A truly beautiful book! It almost made it to 5 stars, other that one issue that might well be a positive for other readers.
The characters were amazing. I enjoyed the variety, each with a strong personality, shaped by life experience.
Each character carried the past with them-- Melanie, her sister Maya, and her mother carried the death of Luke, the youngest of the three children. Melanie had finally seemed to put it behind her so she could get on with her life with her b More...
The characters were amazing. I enjoyed the variety, each with a strong personality, shaped by life experience.
Each character carried the past with them-- Melanie, her sister Maya, and her mother carried the death of Luke, the youngest of the three children. Melanie had finally seemed to put it behind her so she could get on with her life with her b More...
Apr 17, 2011
Christi
rated it:
"The Willows here grow to enduring heights of one hundred feet, their narrow leaves and long branches bent toward the ground, never forgetting their home." From The Language of Trees
Ilie Ruby's debut novel, The Language of Trees, is a story about place as much as it is about the people who live there. The trees in Canandaigua lay claim to the land and the characters, holding together their history and keeping their secrets.
Grant Shongo and Echo O'Connell both retur More...
Ilie Ruby's debut novel, The Language of Trees, is a story about place as much as it is about the people who live there. The trees in Canandaigua lay claim to the land and the characters, holding together their history and keeping their secrets.
Grant Shongo and Echo O'Connell both retur More...
Aug 02, 2011
A treasure chest filled with secrets and memories both caused by nature and nuture. The characters uncover and remedy these elements through Ms. Ruby's analogies. Her descriptive sentences weave your senses through the story. You feel as though you are in the book's setting. Mysticism and spiritual themes persuade you that there is a connection between the past, your roots and the present. You believe that those loved ones who have pasted on are still watching over. The relationships are domino-
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May 16, 2010
Allison
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Ms Ruby's novel explores the universal themes of love lost and found,
and families beset (and ultimately, made stronger by) unimaginable
tragedy. It does so, however, in a way unlike anything I've ever read
before: by drawing upon and weaving together elements of Native
American spirituality and the broader question of what happens to our
loved ones once they are no longer of the physical world. Wholly
original and yet utterly relatable, The Language More...
and families beset (and ultimately, made stronger by) unimaginable
tragedy. It does so, however, in a way unlike anything I've ever read
before: by drawing upon and weaving together elements of Native
American spirituality and the broader question of what happens to our
loved ones once they are no longer of the physical world. Wholly
original and yet utterly relatable, The Language More...
Mar 31, 2011
Karen
rated it:
From the opening scene a welcome spell is cast over the reader. Each character, no matter how `minor' is important and fully developed. The Author brilliantly expands on each character as the story unfolds, adding to the deepening mystery! The storyline is woven like a delicate silk thread through a vibrant fabric. It's simply Magic.
To my delight and surprise I found Spiritual Truths on every page:
"...we were like two trees growing next to each other, one a willow, the other More...
To my delight and surprise I found Spiritual Truths on every page:
"...we were like two trees growing next to each other, one a willow, the other More...
Jan 02, 2011
Carrie
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“The Language of Trees, transports us into the deep, magical aspects of nature, while inviting us to reconsider the magnetic power of desires long buried. While not a believer in second chances, but rather in what is meant to exist, this story had me wanting to change my mind. This is a well rendered tale of shattered pieces, and the sorrow of remembering their beginnings. Ruby’s suspenseful story telling style and painterly prose make for an alluring read.
Ruby brings us to a seemin More...
Ruby brings us to a seemin More...
Oct 29, 2010
Lila
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I don't know what it is but 2010 has so far been producing a wonderful array of debut writers. I'm obviously not complaining, I'm actually loving it. For an avid reader like me, it's always great to experience a work of such talent as Ilie Ruby's. And to read The Language of Trees by Ms. Ruby, it truly is an experience, and one that I will not soon forget.
Simply put, The Language of Trees took me by surprise and in the end I realized I cared for the story, for the people in it mor More...
Simply put, The Language of Trees took me by surprise and in the end I realized I cared for the story, for the people in it mor More...
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Dec 02, 2011
Dimity
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I read this novel as a Group Read selection and although the discussion about it was rather lackluster and I never got around to participating, I’m happy it was chosen because I’d not heard of it before and it was a joy to read. Ilie Ruby’s writing is so relaxing. The plot was chaotic at times but her prose really flows smoothly and I found myself enveloped in the world she creates. I love her incorporation of Native myths into a wonderfully complicated and engrossing story. I look forward to re
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Feb 01, 2011
Angie
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I read a lot of positive reviews about this book, so I was surprised to be unimpressed with it. The writing is very descriptive and would have been lovely, but it was just too much. Too many overly-descriptive flashbacks interrupting every single line of thought. It felt like the writing had ADD and couldn't sit still in one place. The overall mood of the book was so dark and melancholy that even at the end, when all conflict was resolved, the heaviness of the book couldn't be lifted. Most of th
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Apr 12, 2010
Julie
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Attention: Busy moms, put this book on your summer reading list! The Language of Trees grabbed my attention from the first page--which is saying something since I am a busy mom and have a difficult time getting into most books these days! But this book is a page turner! Echo and Grant, the book's main characters, are real and relatable! In addition to the beautiful writing and the poetic references, this book is chock full of interwoven mysteries to keep one turning the page. I highly recommend
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Jan 03, 2012
Elizabeth
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This might be the best book I read all year. I picked it up because I saw that it was set in Canandaigua, which is not far from me, and I thought it would be cool to read something set locally. My only caution about it is that it is somewhat sentimental, but it was in a way that didn't irritate me the way a lot of sentimental books do. It was interesting to watch the mysteries unravel and see how the characters developed, and it left me wanting to hear more about them.
May 11, 2011
Carol
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This is one of those that I really shouldn't say I read because I didn't finish it. The writing was so inconsistent to me that I couldn't get into the story. On one page I loved the quote "Faith is made up of one part belief, two parts courage. Life has taught her that a gift always arrives on the heels of despair." Then on the next page I was just scratching my head at, "Her curly hair had resisted the once popular feathered hairstyle, while all the teenage girls carried roun
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Apr 18, 2011
Peter
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Being Irish, I had never heard of the Seneca Nation nor Canandaigua until a friend suggested I read The Language Of Trees. It resonated deeply with me, as we too have a heritage of mysticism clearly inspired by the haunting beauty of the surrounding landscape. It came as no surprise to me that Ilie Ruby is also a visual artist; her descriptive passages are breathtaking as she transfers her skills effortlessly from canvas to page. Strongly recommended!
Mar 23, 2010
David
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Could not put this book down! This is a fiercely compelling novel of great compassion, a beautifully-structured page turner that kept me riveted until the end. I was immersed in the lyrical prose and smitten with the heartrending characters whose interconnected trials and triumphs created a complex web of love, lies and legacies. Part love story, part mystery, this is a sensually vivid debut by an author whose stories I will follow time and again.
