Under the Mercy Trees

Jul 24, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

It really is a slow read. But when I finished it, I was glad I did because all of these characters pull at you. Not just Martin and Liza (the girl who loved him), but all of the Owenby family. They are all screwed up in their own right but each one has a story. This is one of the rare books that completes the story of all of the character. Oftentimes when you have a book that each chapter focuses on a different character's point of view, somebody's story gets lost in the shuffle and it doesn't...more It really is a slow read. But when I finished it, I was glad I did because all of these characters pull at you. Not just Martin and Liza (the girl who loved him), but all of the Owenby family. They are all screwed up in their own right but each one has a story. This is one of the rare books that completes the story of all of the character. Oftentimes when you have a book that each chapter focuses on a different character's point of view, somebody's story gets lost in the shuffle and it doesn't quite finish how it should. This one pulls it off beautifully.

What I loved about it is that it's really relevant to today even though the story is back a few years and it all starts in the late 50's/early 60's. Think of where our country was on topics such as adultery, homosexuality, and family duty. It's a completely different scenario today... but not really. Martin's story as a young boy discovering he isn't like other boys and although he loves Liza... it's not the same way that she loves him. She plans a future with him and he feels terrible, but he knows he would be breaking her heart no matter what. So his life goes into a tailspin. Which makes me think of all of the kids who are killing themselves by being taunted based on their sexuality, they could be Martin. Martin could be them. You root for Martin through the whole book because you know he has the potential- he just has to be shown that it's ok to be a failure in some rights. It's not the end of the world and life will move on.

The story also touches on mental illness as we perceive it. One of Martin's sisters sees ghosts and she talks to them, sometimes she forgets others can hear her. Everyone of course assumes she's crazy but it's tragic. She suffers tremendous loss in her life with the loss of her children so to speak, and it makes you think of all the people we automatically label as crazy.

Overall, I loved the book. I liked how it tied social issues in with real people and it was believable. I liked how the author shows you the same issues but in two different time periods and you see how time has really changed not just people but the issues themselves. You root for these characters and the ending was something that I never saw coming. Usually I can figure out the ending of the "who done it" but wow- that was not what I was expecting at all. And the ending, tragic as it is, feels like the way it should have ended. It feels like all of the characters are then able to move on past early traumas and into their futures. Which isn't giving you any information about the story really- you'll have to read it to understand it. :)(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book in three days (would have read it straight through if I'd had the uninterrupted time). There are five adult siblings in the Owenby family of Solace Fork, NC (rural, mountain community where "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an Owenby"), one of whom goes missing, and one of whom--long-gone prodigal son--returns home. The story unfolds in four masterfully controlled points of view, and by the end of the book, it was clear to me why the author chose the voices she did, an...more I read this book in three days (would have read it straight through if I'd had the uninterrupted time). There are five adult siblings in the Owenby family of Solace Fork, NC (rural, mountain community where "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an Owenby"), one of whom goes missing, and one of whom--long-gone prodigal son--returns home. The story unfolds in four masterfully controlled points of view, and by the end of the book, it was clear to me why the author chose the voices she did, and why some characters were not narrators. This book is in one sense a mystery, although finding out "who-dunnit" is not what carries the reader almost compulsively through to the end...it is those individual stories. I simply had to know what was going to happen to Martin--on the one hand, unsympathetic (broke, out of work, unmotivated except to buy Scotch)--but also a man of great feeling. He's wounded but has a strange compassion for his relatives. He hasn't been able to come out to anyone in Solace Fork as gay, and has chosen instead to stay away from them. Liza--the main narrator--for many years has pined for Martin, not realizing on a conscious level that he is gay. She is deeply shaken by her father's death, and becomes disconnected with her husband, a good man; as a reader, I wanted her to know what a rich and fulfilled life she has, with two healthy daughters and a loving hunk of a husband. Then there's "crazy" Ivy, who may by book's end, seem the sanest of them all. She became so dear to me, and I found it fitting that she was quite important to the story's conclusion...also makes me want to be more sympathetic next time I hear of someone being labeled psychotic or schizophrenic. There are so many more stories...Bertie, whose almost accidental infidelity becomes understandable, so much so that I hoped for forgiveness from her husband. Eugenia...well, don't get me started...I never did come to like her, but the author skillfully helped me to see why Eugenia was the way she was. Ditto for Leon...couldn't believe I ultimately empathized with him. There are also characters readers love to hate--Bobby & Cherise (ugh), who fulfill their reason for being, but are never nice.

The way the story unfolds is another strength of this novel, and a sign of a sure-handed writer. We'll be in the middle of a present-day narration when a character's thought will lead to a masterfully revealed back story. Neither does Newton fall into the trap that catches less adept writers...not every character's story comes to a certain conclusion. When you've read this book, you'll see that it would have come close to boring if all the stories had been brought to a neat end. And boring is a word that cannot be applied to anything about this amazing piece of work. I look forward to more from Heather Newton.(less)

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Aug 31, 2011 Michele Stefanides rated it 4 of 5 stars

This debut novel by North Carolina attorney Heather Newton is a deeply moving account of the Owenby family’s harsh life in a rural southern county. The story spans decades of multiple generations of Owenbys pushing through their lives, with seemingly little satisfaction or enjoyment.

The plot initially seems to be the mystery of the disappearance of Leon, one of the five Owenby siblings who are the centerpiece of the story. But very quickly, we learn that the real stories are the characters—Leon...more This debut novel by North Carolina attorney Heather Newton is a deeply moving account of the Owenby family’s harsh life in a rural southern county. The story spans decades of multiple generations of Owenbys pushing through their lives, with seemingly little satisfaction or enjoyment.

The plot initially seems to be the mystery of the disappearance of Leon, one of the five Owenby siblings who are the centerpiece of the story. But very quickly, we learn that the real stories are the characters—Leon and his siblings and two generations before and after them; long-time family friends; teachers of both academics and life.

Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the characters, all but one sister’s told in third person. Ivy, who most people believe is seriously mentally ill but who really sees and interacts with ghosts, tells her own story. Back and forth, the stories of each character unfold throughout the years, always coming back to the present and the search for Leon, or at least his body.

Finding Leon and learning what happened to him cannot be told outside the context of the complicated family dynamics that have played out through the many generations of this family. What start out as back stories for each character quickly become pieces of the puzzle of Leon’s disappearance, and what it represents to the family.

The Owenbys and their friends are simple country people, what some folks would disparagingly refer to as “backward”. Martin, the youngest of the five siblings, is able to escape and attend college, but the great personal cost makes him wonder at times if it was worth it. A few of the family friends have also “made it”, working their way into positions of respect within the community.

There are no stereotypes here. Newton lays bare each character’s flaws, as harsh as some are, and good qualities. As is the case with real people, there is almost always something that makes each character sympathetic in some way. There are precious few who do not endear themselves to me in some way, however small.

Under the Mercy Trees poignantly illustrates the fact that even the most simple people, people who most of society either ignore or wish didn’t even exist, are complex and filled with emotion. Every human being has a story to tell–intricate, sometimes tragic, and sometimes triumphant stories.

There are no happily ever after endings here, but most of the characters come to some type of resolution and acceptance of their lives, although much of that acceptance carries a heavy shroud of regrets.

Like Ivy’s ghosts, who surround her every waking and often sleeping minute, these characters will swirl around me for some time. As fictional as they are, they are too real to be shaken out of my mind simply because I have closed the book.

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Jun 05, 2011 Jillian rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I received Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I received, however, was a compelling novel full of dynamic characters that pulled me right into the middle of a family drama where I happily stayed for a couple of weeks. Generally, when I am forced to focus on multiple characters in books, they are poorly written and my focus is divided to the point where I cannot enjoy the read, but it was not the case in this book and I was able to truly understand th...more

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May 11, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-novel

UNDER THE MERCY TREES by Heather Newton is an interesting contempory novel set in the 1850's and 1980's in Solace Fork,North Carolina a mountain town.This is this author's debut novel.It is well written with depth and details inspired partly by her husband's family and partly by her own experience. This is the story of North Carolina mountain life,a gay man,
a homecoming,family,deception,secrets,bitterness,healing,and facing the past.To the Owenby family bitterness among themselves is nothing usu...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

For more info about upcoming books, visit my site: www.pre-reads.com
No spoilers ever!

In the rural (fictional) town of Solace Forks, North Carolina, death and birth are the only events that can draw the Owensby family to share the same space. In Heather Newton’s lovely debut novel, her deeply flawed characters are not loveable or pitiable. But they are undeniably poignant. This is not a novel of young love and happy endings. The majority of her characters are eligible for the senior discount at...more For more info about upcoming books, visit my site: www.pre-reads.com
No spoilers ever!

In the rural (fictional) town of Solace Forks, North Carolina, death and birth are the only events that can draw the Owensby family to share the same space. In Heather Newton’s lovely debut novel, her deeply flawed characters are not loveable or pitiable. But they are undeniably poignant. This is not a novel of young love and happy endings. The majority of her characters are eligible for the senior discount at the local Bojangles and share one thing in common. They are deeply dissatisfied but resigned to their lives. The disappearance of Leon Owensby provides a backdrop to the joining and breaking of bonds between the members of his family.
While the word “mystery” is used in early synopses of this book, the connotations associated with this word choice conjure unjust expectations. This is no paperback thriller with a neat conclusion. This is not a mystery novel. If anything, the characters are laid bare, whether past, present, missing or dead. They are raw and rough, tangled hopelessly in their family roots. Although Ms. Newton is from Raleigh, it is clear through her vivid perception that she is more than familiar with the small mountain towns in her home state. She peoples her story with salt-of-the-earth folk who might appear simple to someone more refined. However, they are anything but.
Martin Owensby has escaped the small town that threatened to suck him into an endlessly simple life of farming and family discord. Through seamlessly transitioned flashbacks, Newton shows the stunning contrast between the young and idealistic and the older selves who have lost their illusions about life. Martin left Solace Forks with aspirations to be a playwright. Decades later, his career petered out before it began. When his brother, Leon, is reported as missing, he reluctantly journeys home to the people and places he spent his life avoiding. Having hidden his homosexuality from his conservative family and friends, he dreads facing those he sought to forget.
In Solace Forks, we meet a cast of characters whose dreams have long dissipated. Throughout the novel, Newton reveals their losses and heartbreak with elegant metaphors and imagery. Liza, Martin’s high school sweetheart, has never learned to stop loving him despite the futility. His brother James and wife Bertie have resigned themselves to a marriage lacking in intimacy. Martin’s sister Ivy, who sees ghosts, is more haunted by the loss of years with her three children, who were taken into foster care. Although two of her children are devoted to her in adulthood, she can never forget the third, who was irreparably damaged.
Locked together by blood and marriage, the large Owensby clan fights, unable to let go of the what-ifs that stain their lives. Martin’s journey is the centerpiece as he learns to accept his family and connect who he his to who he thought he would be. Newton lightly weaves the issues of alcoholism, adultery, child abuse and homophobia throughout the book. The apt name of the town, Solace Fork, speaks not only of sorrow and choices but also of healing. The title embodies the inhabitants’ search for a seemingly irretrievable peace and forgiveness – whether from a lost loved one, a spouse or God.
Heather Newton does not take the easy formulaic path of Character A + Character B + Forgotten Love = Happily Ever After. The deep issues in the novel are not so easily resolved. Her writing and descriptions are authentic and touching. While you don’t always like her characters, you feel their dilemmas and wish along with them for second chances. Overall, the book was well written, captivating and worthy of praise. If it is not buried in an avalanche of new releases, Under the Mercy Trees has the chance be a true standout work of literature when it hits shelves on January 18th, 2011.
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Jan 09, 2011 Holly Weiss rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-authors-you-may-not-have-heard

Inspired by an incident in her husband’s family, debut author Heather Newton explores human regret, broken relationships and loss of family communication in Under the Mercy Trees, a January 18, 2011 paperback release from Harper Publishing.

During her childhood, Ms. Newton and her siblings played on a tree which looked much like an elephant trunk, believing it was magical. The book’s title, Under the Mercy Trees, is reminiscent of those trees ravaged by Hurricane Hazel. The trees survived but gre...more Inspired by an incident in her husband’s family, debut author Heather Newton explores human regret, broken relationships and loss of family communication in Under the Mercy Trees, a January 18, 2011 paperback release from Harper Publishing.

During her childhood, Ms. Newton and her siblings played on a tree which looked much like an elephant trunk, believing it was magical. The book’s title, Under the Mercy Trees, is reminiscent of those trees ravaged by Hurricane Hazel. The trees survived but grew mangled and askew, much like Ms. Newton’s characters. With stellar craftsmanship, the author delves into difficult family issues. Character rather than plot driven, the novel is dark and honest. The author moves fluidly between numerous voices and points of view. We sympathize with her characters and long for them to find healing.

Set in small-town Solace Fork, North Carolina in the 1950s and 1980s, the plot of Under the Mercy Trees centers around the disappearance of sixty-five-year- old Leon Owenby, eldest of five siblings. Newton’s characters stand in the autumn of their lives, disillusioned and resigned to their existences. They dance to a stinging tune of sibling abuse, molestation, homophobia, intolerance and suicide. Some find redemption in their relationships with each other and God. Others sit isolated—as Newton describes— “like a broken desk waiting to be taken out with the trash,” longing for a morsel of the solace for which their town is named.

Liza, high-school girlfriend to youngest sibling, Martin, aptly articulates the premise of the novel. Upon considering the trees, she asks, “Did they remember the trauma that bent them, or had they gotten on with things?”

Although the swarm of characters may overwhelm the reader at first, their dilemmas are gripping and honest. Bitterness breeds in the Owenby family, but welcome hints of healing enrich the novel, like a hymn sung during a baptism:

“There is a calm, a sure retreat;
‘Tis found beneath the mercy seat.”

Ms. Newton astounds by revealing the damage done by lack of communication between family members whose dreams are long gone. Under the Mercy Trees is a brave examination of a family we may publicly shun, but secretly fear might be our own.

An impressive first novel recommended for those who appreciate character studies and family dramas.

I thank Harper Collins for supplying me with this review copy. The opinions expressed are unbiased and wholly my own.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
http://www.hollyweiss.com
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Aug 20, 2011 Kaje Harper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature

3.5 stars. This is at heart a Southern family novel, with a cast of characters, albeit more real and less eccentric than in some versions. The primary focal character is Martin, who escaped from his family to New York. He's a writer, college educated and gay and a poor fit with the rest of his kin. But there are other characters whose viewpoints are taken up, especially his childhood friend Liza who never left Solace Fork, NC, and his aunt Ivy, who sees ghosts. The author makes the unusual choic...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Judi/Judith rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Owenbys are simple country people who live in a western North Carolina mountain town. Except for Martin, they don't have and mostly don't want connection with the outside world. They spend most of their time absorbed in minding each other's business. The story is centered around five siblings, Leon, the oldest has disappeared and the plot centers around what happened to him The greed and jealousy and the love between the sisters and brothers runs unrestrained in this family. Martin, with his...more The Owenbys are simple country people who live in a western North Carolina mountain town. Except for Martin, they don't have and mostly don't want connection with the outside world. They spend most of their time absorbed in minding each other's business. The story is centered around five siblings, Leon, the oldest has disappeared and the plot centers around what happened to him The greed and jealousy and the love between the sisters and brothers runs unrestrained in this family. Martin, with his love of adventure and aspirations of becoming a playwright is the only one who manages to leave when he goes to college and then moves on to New York City. In college he soon discovers Deke and his own homosexuality. Through his relationship with Deke, he soon realizes why he was not sexually attracted to his high school sweetheart, Liza. When he returns to his hometown to help look for Leon his demons follow him. He struggles with alcoholism and the urge to flee when things close in on him.

The story is told in several different view points through the Owenbys and their friends. All of the viewpoints are told in third person except one of the sisters, Ivy, which is in first person and who everyone thinks she is mentally ill because she speaks to the ghosts who surround her. When I first "met" Ivy, I thought she might really be crazy but by the time I finished Under the Mercy Trees I strangely believed in her ghosts also. The characters in this novel are worthy of remembrance because they are tragic but strong while bringing you into the story as if you live and breath with them.

Even though I was born in western North Carolina I never really lived there. Most of my relatives on both sides were from that area. Even though I was raised in a military family, mostly in Alaska and northern Maine we visited when we could. As a child I was always fascinated by the different lifestyle, than mine, I experienced there. In Alaska, my mother entertained us with the ghost stories that are part of the rich heritage of folklore that North Carolina is noted for. The tales made us shiver for hours.

For anyone who likes southern fiction and strong character driven stories, I highly recommend this novel.(less)

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Jan 12, 2011 Molly rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: most everyone

Recommended to Molly by: TLC

Shelves: book-review

I am not sure how to really go into this review. I both liked it and disliked it. I disliked it because it was such a long story that was drug out too much, at times. I liked it, however, because this first time author really shows talent and created a complex, dramatic story that is life like and filled with characters who have flaws. Not fake-y stuff. Simple, normal, and even dysfunctional flaws. That's what brings out the complexity of the novel.

I am still, too, a little unsure of Martin's c...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

I loved this book. It kind of reminded me of Empire Falls from Richard Russo. It's just a slice of American life. The life in this case is the Owenby family.

The Owenby family is described chapter by chapter, each chapter focusing on one of the four main family members, though the main character is Martin Owenby.

Martin, a down-on-his-luck writer in New York returns to North Carolina because his brother Leon has gone missing. The storly slowly unfolds as the family deals with the feelings of the...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Debbie Maskus rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book reminded me of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. The main emphasis of the novel rests in the characters. I did not like the way the author jumped around from first person to third person in the narrative. Newton writes a Southern novel seeped in quirky and vindictive characters within the setting of decay as in the home place and the school. The story opens with the disappearance of Leon, one of five children born to a poor sharecropper/farmer in the 1920-1930's. At the end of...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Mary Moore rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't grow up in the North Carolina mountains, but reading this novel set in those hills leaves me feeling homesick. At its heart, this novel--written decades after the classic NC-mountain novel, LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL--is about leaving home, losing the people we love, and whether it's possible to go back. These themes are played out with a superb cast of characters, and the story is told with wisdom, insight, and with quietly beautiful language.

Primarily set in the late 1980s, the novel is bui...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, own

Martin Owenby currently lives in New York City, having escaped the place of his childhood, Solace Forks, North Carolina. He is an unsuccessful writer, drinks heavily, and has meaningless relationships with various men. Martin is forced to return home to his family when his brother, Leon, goes missing. Bringing the Owenby siblings together again causes them to confront their past, and even present.

The author effortlessly weaves the past within the present story, showing how characters have been s...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Tina Ray rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous book! A debut novel(always my favorite) by Heather Newton. The oldest brother of a family of five siblings goes missing in North Carolina in 1986. This forces the estranged youngest brother to return home to face his own past, and the secrets of generations. Under the Mercy Trees is told from four different people. Martin; the estranged brother, Liza; a girlfriend from his childhood until he realizes he is really homosexual. Bertie, the depressed and anxious wife of his other brother Ja...more

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Dec 05, 2010 Jennifer Jensen (Literally Jen) rated it 3 of 5 stars

“Under the Mercy Trees” by Heather Newton, a family saga spanning 30 years, is a book that deserves to be read slowly and with concentration. The cast of characters was sometimes overwhelming for me, and if one does not pay careful attention to who is who and how they are related, it can be very easy to lose one’s way while reading this novel. By the time I reached the last section of this novel, I found myself wishing I’d kept a list of all of the characters and how they knew one another. Only...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Eleanor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

My sister-in-law insisted I read this book. I will admit that for the past many, many days I have been telling her the same thing: I like this book, but I keep finding reasons to set it aside. It's just not grabbing hold of me. She kept telling me to keep on, and I did. Today during a lull at the store I decided to pick it up and knock a little more off, and OH MY GOODNESS did it ever just reach out and yank me up. I knew from the get-go that Heather Newton's writing was marvelous but I just was...more

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Dec 31, 2010 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

I got a free advanced e-version of an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley. The story follows a family in rural North Carolina. The book begins with the mysterious disappearance of the eldest brother. His disappearance leads the youngest brother of the family a gay man, who long ago left his family and North Carolina to return. The story is told through the perspectives of various family members as well as the high school girlfriends of the gay brother. The story moves back and for...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Lindaellen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book grew on me, and there were many things I liked about it - the author's prose is lovely, the device of having each chapter told from the viewpoint of one of the main characters works well here. But, to me, much of it was too stereotypical to really win me over - dysfunctional Southern family (and note to anyone reading: Southern families are NOT always dysfunctional and violent), one child gets away and makes good (seems to me that lately whatever child gets away always becomes a writer...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

While I liked this book, I should have waited for a few sunny days before reading it as there is not much light to be found here. A friend here, a friend there, but mostly tired, worn down, closed (or invisible) family members and their volatile adult-children that remain in the area.
Leon, 65, one of five siblings, is missing. Youngest brother Martin has chosen to avoid going back home but now he must, hoping to keep his failures, sexual orientation and drinking from family. His family asks his...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars

A regional story - set in Asheville area. Kind of depressing- lots of broken promises, wasted dreams and talents. When his older brother goes missing, Martin is forced to return home to face all that he has been running from for the past 20+ years . A very dysfunctional family with lots of secrets . A "crazy " sister that see ghosts/spirits and an undiscovered murder. This story has lots of twists and turns. I thought it lacked continuity and just didn't hook me. I kept waiting for the "somethin...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Ginny rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book. At first, I actually thought about not finishing it, but I eventually got caught up in the characters. There was an underlying mystery to solve but it wasn't what drove the novel. It's a story about the Owenby family and how they dealt with the disappearance of one of their brothers. I enjoyed the friendship between Leon and Liza, a gay man and the woman who loved him years before. I loved rooting for Bertie, the sister-in-law, as much as I enjoyed...more

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Dec 20, 2010 Jael rated it 4 of 5 stars

How long can you run from your past? Weeks? Months? Years? How long can you ignore the truth before you are forced to face it? Fear, shame and self-loathing no longer work. There comes a time eventually when you have to face the past. Several characters in Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton are running from their pasts. A tragedy within the Owenby family of Solace Fork, N.C., forces everything to the surface.

It's 1986, and Martin, the youngest of the Owenby family, learns that his older bro...more How long can you run from your past? Weeks? Months? Years? How long can you ignore the truth before you are forced to face it? Fear, shame and self-loathing no longer work. There comes a time eventually when you have to face the past. Several characters in Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton are running from their pasts. A tragedy within the Owenby family of Solace Fork, N.C., forces everything to the surface.

It's 1986, and Martin, the youngest of the Owenby family, learns that his older brother Leon has disappeared. Martin must now leave the cocoon of his New York City apartment. Martin left Solace Fork, a town so small only five people were in his high school graduating class, decades ago. Instead he is drowning in debt and alcohol. As a gay man, Martin could never truly be himself around his family. In such a small town there is no one like him. His long-suffering childhood friend and semi-girlfriend Liza knows the truth, but only after years of denying it to herself. Once home, only alcohol can quiet the noise coming from the mouths of his relatives. While someone in Martin's shoes would be afraid of family finding out his secret, he seems more afraid of people discovering his drinking. With the exception of his niece Trina and nephew Steven, Martin feels the need to drink in secret. As if that makes it better, the alcohol is merely masking his problems.

Liza has moved on physically, having married and had two daughters, but over the years there were still unanswered questions. Was Martin the one? Why did he reject her advances? Why does he always disappoint her when she needs him the most? In turn, why does she always forgive him?

Martin's sister Eugenia feels like it's her job to be the family's moral compass. She's so judgmental Martin is even afraid to turn down Eugenia's invitation to dinner. I'm sure we all have relatives like that! Brother James is a hard one to figure out at first. He doesn't speak much, including with his wife Bertie, unless prompted. But as the layers of their marriage are peeled away, there is more than meets the eye. A long ago betrayal by Bertie comes to light. How do they move on? Can they move on?

Another sister Ivy is the "crazy" one of the family. Her children, Shane, Steven and Trina went in and out of foster care. She hears voices and speaks to ghosts. When she narrates, Ivy sounds very scatter-brained, especially when talking about simple things like laundry. However, when speaking about her deceased son Shane, Ivy sounds very sane and lucid. The pain and grief is very concrete, and it's easier to express those feelings.

After a while, Leon's disappearance fades to the background. The family drama takes over. Newton does give you glimpses into Leon's character, but I was more invested in the rest of his family. Leon sounded like a big bully, with moments of kindness mixed in. Martin is a sympathetic and tortured soul. You wish he would give up the alcohol, but can understand why he won't. If you don't feel like you belong, you have to do something to mask the pain. In her youth, Liza pined after Martin, you wish she wouldn't but can understand. The one that got away is often hard to resist. A betrayal at the hands of Leon and his friends, turn Ivy into someone else. She seems to like being in a state of manic confusion.

Sometimes it was hard to keep track of the Owenby family tree, so you might want to take notes. This a complex family drama, but one worth discovering.

Rating: Superb

Notes: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. For more on author Heather Newton, visit: http://www.heathernewton.net/
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Apr 24, 2011 Rachel Brown rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall this book was a quick and easy read that was written very well.

I'm a big fan of local authors and this was pretty impressive for Heather Newton's first novel. The writing was done very well and she is great at creating really vivid mental images. The story line took a little while to develop, but once things got going it was really interesting.

There are a lot of characters, so sometimes it's a little hard to keep up with them all. I would've liked to have "heard" more from the character...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Rachel Ireland rated it 3 of 5 stars

"I am not sure how to really go into this review. I both liked it and disliked it. I disliked it because it was such a long story that was drug out too much, at times. I liked it, however, because this first time author really shows talent and created a complex, dramatic story that is life like and filled with characters who have flaws. Not fake-y stuff. Simple, normal, and even dysfunctional flaws. That's what brings out the complexity of the novel." I actually stole this review from someone el...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Heather Adams rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great story. The writing style is lovely and I enjoyed the different characters' perspectives. It's rewarding to see how they grow throughout the novel. I'm from NC and I have to say, the descriptions of landscapes and characters are incredibly authentic. The mystery aspect was a delightful surprise; I wasn't necessarily expecting it to be as compelling as it was, and while I did not guess the truth, it was right there all along, which I appreciate. I look forward to reading more from thi...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Pavarti Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton is not easy to characterize. I think Southern Literary Fiction would be the best description, but if that was on a book shelf I would have never picked it up! Which would be a tragedy. Newton has created a full world filled with fascinating and distinct characters. While it's a fluid read issues of mental health, abuse, homophobia, love and family are dealt with head on. You aren't spared the painful details of the character's inner demons.

At first I thoug...more Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton is not easy to characterize. I think Southern Literary Fiction would be the best description, but if that was on a book shelf I would have never picked it up! Which would be a tragedy. Newton has created a full world filled with fascinating and distinct characters. While it's a fluid read issues of mental health, abuse, homophobia, love and family are dealt with head on. You aren't spared the painful details of the character's inner demons.

At first I thought the book was about Martin, and as you read the description and even other reviews, perhaps it is. But to me the book was about Ivy. Each chapter is written from a different point of view (clearly marked and stylistically in character at all times, really great writing there). However the entire book is written in third person except for Ivy's. Perhaps this is because of her particular brand of crazy. She sees and hears ghosts so vividly, at times she forgets who is alive and who is dead. This is easier to relate to via the first person because you are so deeply within her personal experiences. However as the story goes on and generations linger long after they die, it seems Ivy's story of regret is the underlining truth.

Under the Mercy Trees: A Novel is set primarily in 1986. Back stories and personal histories go back fifty years easily, but the primary plot is set in the late 80s. With the main character being gay in a time of deep closeting and AIDS it is easy for authors to slip into stereotypes and outlines of characters instead of real people. Newton has expertly navigated the truth behind some of those stereotypes, allowing people to be as they truly are, while maintaining their individuality.

There are a few brilliant lines I'd love to quote for you, but was so engaged in reading I didn't bother to jot them down. So you'll have to trust me that the language is both authentically cultural for the south and striking in it's beauty. Under the Mercy Trees: A Novel made me want to be a better writer.(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club, literary

Ohhh...I liked this. It broke my summer book club dry spell! My 4th book after 3 previous ones unfinished, and it was a winner!

A little story for you: I was at the Journey/Foreigner concert Sunday night (and yes, it was awesome, thanks for asking), enjoying myself immensely, and I was sitting in my chair, enjoying the good music. But on occasion, Journey would try out a new song from their new album (which I could care less about), so my brain would drift, just waiting for them to play "Any Way...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Zoë (In The Next Room) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy

Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton begins when Leon Owenby goes missing. His brother, Martin, returns to the family farm in Solace Fork, North Carolina after decades in New York City to help look for his brother. Martin left with dreams of becoming a writer, but finds his life centered around booze and flings with men. Returning to the Owenby farm means encountering the demons of his past, including Liza, the girl who's heart he broke. Under the Mercy Trees alternates in perspective between...more Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton begins when Leon Owenby goes missing. His brother, Martin, returns to the family farm in Solace Fork, North Carolina after decades in New York City to help look for his brother. Martin left with dreams of becoming a writer, but finds his life centered around booze and flings with men. Returning to the Owenby farm means encountering the demons of his past, including Liza, the girl who's heart he broke. Under the Mercy Trees alternates in perspective between Martin, Liza, as well as Martin's sister, Ivy who sees ghosts, as well as his sister-in-law Bertie who left his brother James for four days several decades ago a mistake which has never been forgotten. Each of these characters, as well as Ivy's children, Bertie and James' children, and Liza's husband, are developed and unique, and each of them has their own struggles to be overcome.

Although the story develops leisurely at times, Newton's language is so beautiful that I hardly minded, finding myself immersed in the world she had created. The mystery and family secrets the novel contains are revealed throughout the novel, as the past of the characters is a tangled web that Newton slowly unweaves. The imagery in Under the Mercy Trees is incredibly beautiful and powerful, and the reader is easily taken into the Owenby world of a rural Southern town as they fall under Newton's spell. Newton takes on a complex and vast number of issues through the Owenby family, including alcoholism, homosexuality, first love, the meaning of family, infidelity, marriage, suicide and a mother's love for her children. Despite the wide scope of Under the Mercy Trees, each issue is addressed with the maturity and thoughtfulness that makes the novel so successful.

Under the Mercy Trees is a stunning and incredible debut, and I have purposefully kept my description of the novel vague because this is a gem best which is best discovered by the reader as it unfolds. Newton never resorts to gimmick, and I found myself completely surprised and heartbroken by the ending. The characters in the novel are flawed and human, and the lessons they learn can be universally applied. I also think it would make a great novel for a discussion group or book club due to the number of issues the book addresses. Under the Mercy Trees is a complex and powerful debut, but it is not a book to be read in a rush, it is best enjoyed if the reader allows themselves to become fully immersed in the realistic and beautifully described world Newton has created.(less)

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Dec 29, 2010 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, nook, for-review

I love a good drama, and this one was surely that. The eloquent writing style of this author makes it hard to believe this is her debut book. The imagery and wonderfully descriptive style of this story made it a true delight to read.

As the story progressed, somewhat slowly at times, I found myself becoming very attached to the Owenby family. Each family member was flawed in some way and you couldn't help as a reader, to become invested in their lives. While the entire lot of characters were dysf...more

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