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The Waiting Tree
Eighteen-year-old Simon Peters wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for Stephen is unwavering, but does he have the courage to defend it when his entire church community, including his eldest brother has ostracized him? Trapped in a cashier's job he hates, struggling to maintain peace with his brothers after their parents have died, and determined to look after his mute brother, Simon puts everyone else's needs before his own. It takes a courageous act of self-sacrifice on Jude's part to change both of their lives forever. Jude, who knew that when the fig tree in their yard began to bloom, it was his time to finally be heard and to set Simon free.
Librarian's Note: alternate cover edition ISBN: 1477816348
Librarian's Note: alternate cover edition ISBN: 1477816348
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2013
6 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Moynihan
2 books5 followersLindsay Moynihan has had a passion for storytelling since her early childhood in Toronto, Canada. At eighteen, she moved to upstate New York to study at the Culinary Institute of America where she penned the text to Cake Art for the school’s publishing division. Moynihan currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where she attends the University of Central Florida, volunteers with local LGBTQ organizations, and continues to write about the struggles and successes of today’s young adults. The Waiting Tree is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 16, 2013
If you want to read a slit your wrist depressing book, here you go.
All this book did was piss me off, and make me want to hurl my kindle at the wall (poor kindle). I will not be buying this book, I wouldn’t really recommend it to anyone.
The family this is about is a hot mess, the oldest brother is a abuser, the second oldest is an enabler. The oldest physically and verbally abuses the main character, and verbally abuses the the youngest brother who is mute.
What pisses me off was the ending, what in the ever loving fuck was that.
I need to read something happy now before I punch a wall...if you can't read between the lines this book wasn’t for me.
I got this from NetGalley.
All this book did was piss me off, and make me want to hurl my kindle at the wall (poor kindle). I will not be buying this book, I wouldn’t really recommend it to anyone.
The family this is about is a hot mess, the oldest brother is a abuser, the second oldest is an enabler. The oldest physically and verbally abuses the main character, and verbally abuses the the youngest brother who is mute.
What pisses me off was the ending, what in the ever loving fuck was that.
I need to read something happy now before I punch a wall...if you can't read between the lines this book wasn’t for me.
I got this from NetGalley.
May 21, 2013
The Waiting Tree first caught my interest when I saw the dazzling cover that the book proudly showed off. Just look at the greens and blues and the tree mosaic! The cover is an absolute beauty. Unfortunately the contents are not nearly as good as the cover. In fact, I really wish that I just admired the cover from afar and didn’t read the book at all. This novel just made me angry.
The story isn’t centered on Simon being gay as much as it is centered on the cruelties of people and the unfairness of life. Most of the cruelties Simon has to endure is because of the gender he is attracted to, but that isn’t all the book is about. It’s about how people seem to push away and hate people who are not ‘normal.’
First and foremost, I felt that The Waiting Tree is just very extremely negative with its portrayal of things. Almost all the characters in this book, aside from Simon and his friends, are thought of as either hypocrites or people who are just cruel. The members of the church are specifically portrayed in a negative manner. This book doesn’t show the other side of the church that is accepting and caring. I know that there are people who are devoted Christians that don’t mind that you like people of the same gender as yourself. But that isn’t shown anywhere in this novel.
The characters weren’t all to great either. I can’t say that I loved them, much less liked them (except for Jude. Bless his heart). I just couldn’t feel any strong emotion for them other than rage. Not a good sign when the book’s purpose is to pull on heartstrings.
Another major flaw is the ending. Nothing is resolved by the time the ending comes. It’s vague and literally ends with a “this is just the beginning” line. If this was a series, I might forgive that, but this isn’t a series. So I basically just trudged through a ton of things that offended me greatly and sent me into rage only to feel unsatisfied. The Waiting Tree is only 218 pages. Surely the author could have added 50 or a 100 more pages to tie things up, right?
If you are looking for a book that writes the issue of being ostracized in a sensitive way I would recommend Speechless by Hannah Harrington, a book that not only has amazing characters that are rough around the edges, but also an ending that doesn’t make me want to throw my Kindle across the room.
An advanced copy was provided in exchange for a honest review via Netgalley.
The story isn’t centered on Simon being gay as much as it is centered on the cruelties of people and the unfairness of life. Most of the cruelties Simon has to endure is because of the gender he is attracted to, but that isn’t all the book is about. It’s about how people seem to push away and hate people who are not ‘normal.’
First and foremost, I felt that The Waiting Tree is just very extremely negative with its portrayal of things. Almost all the characters in this book, aside from Simon and his friends, are thought of as either hypocrites or people who are just cruel. The members of the church are specifically portrayed in a negative manner. This book doesn’t show the other side of the church that is accepting and caring. I know that there are people who are devoted Christians that don’t mind that you like people of the same gender as yourself. But that isn’t shown anywhere in this novel.
The characters weren’t all to great either. I can’t say that I loved them, much less liked them (except for Jude. Bless his heart). I just couldn’t feel any strong emotion for them other than rage. Not a good sign when the book’s purpose is to pull on heartstrings.
Another major flaw is the ending. Nothing is resolved by the time the ending comes. It’s vague and literally ends with a “this is just the beginning” line. If this was a series, I might forgive that, but this isn’t a series. So I basically just trudged through a ton of things that offended me greatly and sent me into rage only to feel unsatisfied. The Waiting Tree is only 218 pages. Surely the author could have added 50 or a 100 more pages to tie things up, right?
If you are looking for a book that writes the issue of being ostracized in a sensitive way I would recommend Speechless by Hannah Harrington, a book that not only has amazing characters that are rough around the edges, but also an ending that doesn’t make me want to throw my Kindle across the room.
An advanced copy was provided in exchange for a honest review via Netgalley.
July 9, 2013
Simon Peters and his boyfriend, Stephen, were caught in a passionate moment by Stephen's father. Stephen was shipped off to a gay conversion center and Simon's struggling in their conservative town. He'd leave, but he can't leave his twin brother, who has an unspecified disability. It's a particularly timely book, completely by accident, since Exodus International shut down and apologized.
I really enjoyed THE WAITING TREE until the end. It's a good contemporary that really gets small-town life and the struggle to escape it when you don't have many resources. But one bit of the ending is treated like a good thing, yet I have trouble seeing it as anything but terrible. THE WAITING TREE turns out well for most of the characters, but this is not a book where everyone gets what's coming to them. Some bad things happen to good people and some bad things never happen to bad people.
I really enjoyed THE WAITING TREE until the end. It's a good contemporary that really gets small-town life and the struggle to escape it when you don't have many resources. But one bit of the ending is treated like a good thing, yet I have trouble seeing it as anything but terrible. THE WAITING TREE turns out well for most of the characters, but this is not a book where everyone gets what's coming to them. Some bad things happen to good people and some bad things never happen to bad people.
October 11, 2014
There is never a time when I feel happy about reviewing a one-star rating, or even a two-star rating for that matter. Granted, if a book thoroughly upsets me enough, discussing how and why the story disappoints me can feel therapeutic. It’s venting in written form, and although I am pleased and eager to move on, the prospect of beginning a negative review feels daunting. It intimidates me, sometimes more so trying to convince others of a five-star rating. What I would prefer to do is forget the book that left me in such a frustrated state in the first place. Forget and move on to a better story, so why don’t I? Why bother writing a negative review? The answer to that question is a nothing but long, and one that I could turn into a lengthy essay. In short, there are certain books I agree to read and make it my goal to review, and I review honestly.
Although Simon is gay, The Waiting Tree is not a book about being gay. Rather, it focuses on some of life’s unfair and ugly aspects—a few of which stem from Simon’s sexual orientation. Caught with his boyfriend, Stephen, Simon finds himself alone and an outcast in his church community. With Stephen sent away to ‘make-the-gay-go-away’ Waverly Christian Center, Simon fears he’s lost the one person who accepted him without judgment. As his presence hardly seems tolerated, and Simon can’t bring himself to face Stephen’s parents, he stops attending church. These, however, are the least of Simon’s worries.
After his parents died in a car accident, Paul—Simon’s oldest brother—assumes head role in the family. Meanwhile, Simon has dropped out of high school to begin work at Stop 'n Save to add to the family income. As the Peters household try to cope with new roles and responsibilities, caring after Jude becomes Simon’s ‘second job.’ Mute at birth, Jude is perhaps the most peculiar among the brothers. With a gentle disposition, Jude is an easy target for bullying, yet through his dependent nature, he is all-consuming. Stuck in a town that, by vast majority, will not accept him, there can be nothing better for Simon than to move forward in his life. But how can he when the two people he loves the most need him? No one but Simon knows how to care for Jude, and as the clock ticks, Stephen withers away.
Through circumstance, I can relate to Simon’s situation: putting the needs of another above your own. I have found myself in that same predicament where the one thing I need most is to think of my future, but how can a person carry on like that when someone else needs help? And what does a person do when caring for that someone is preventing, or hindering, the option to move forward? A person might feel guilty or selfish, frustrated by the conditions, or all-caring and devoted. The Waiting Tree, unfortunately, fails to explore not just the answers, but the depth of the situation. Upon reaching the last page, I don’t think I could have felt more bothered. For a minute I sat there, staring, and I may or may not have screamed my frustrations out-loud at the entire book. I shouted, How can it end this way?! and there a frown and bunched eyebrows marred my face. How can I call this book’s ending a conclusion when it feels like nothing is resolved? What an annoyance!
What happens at the end felt more appropriate to occur earlier on, as the events that take place between the first and last pages hardly deserve to be called events. What I find between the covers of The Waiting Tree is stupidity mingled in stagnancy and the dry sort of text that’s mind-numbingly dull. I’ll explain:
Simon faces several issues, and many of these problems pin him down into a daily routine that will never lead to a greener field. This doesn’t mean Simon is super-glued into this monotonous, disconsolate lifestyle—if only he would take action! What Simon opts for instead is nothing, unless you consider lots of wishful inaction progressive. By the time I neared the halfway point in the book, the plot had developed by a shocking zero percent. If Simon doesn’t commentate on the hot weather, he narrates his walk to work, daydreams about Stephen, grouches about his drug-dealing neighbor, or worries over Jude. When a reader works through a story and this is all that the protagonist feels content on doing with his life, I wonder what the point is—if there is, indeed, a point. Why continue reading if Simon invests more in telling the audience what his family eats than fighting back against his worries?
A violent urge to reach my hands into the pages and pluck Simon out before he could finish another food description pulsed within me, because all I wanted was to slap some sense into him. Yes, I wanted to slap him, and I wanted to slap him hard in the face.
By the time Simon does choose to stop squirming in an anxiety puddle, the story is half over. In the very least I had hoped this course of action would not just move the story forward, but that Simon would begin sorting priorities. Oh, the let-down I felt was tremendous, because nothing comes of it. Simon settles back into a hapless life, and the story drives toward a dead-end once again. The one thing—or person, I should say—that holds Simon back is Jude, but Jude is not the problem. The issue of a Simon-dependent Jude is a result the family’s inability to work together, and this remains one of the weaker points in Lindsay Moynihan’s writing.
While I understand Simon’s reasons for concerning himself over Stephen, he needs to move one step beyond assessing his situation. He needs to face the draw-backs head-on, crash through these road blocks, and pummel on down the street. The question remains, still: how can Simon do anything for himself when he has Jude to look after? Allowing Jude to discover independence to a certain degree, or learn how to function without Simon, is what Moynihan needed to focus on. Only when this aspect of the story found a solution could the other problems find closure, or be addressed.
Although Simon is, at best, unmotivated, and I find the plot stale, these are only part of my problem. When I look at the characters overall, each one comes across as flat and without range. Through first-person narrative, Simon is granted a spectrum of thoughts and emotions that readers can see; albeit, the spectrum is limited. Paul, however, never steps foot outside of short-temperedness. Luke is always the jokester and Tina never moves beyond this troubled, “bad-girl” stereotype. Needless to say: did I feel surprised to discover that no character growth happens? No, but it didn’t stop me from wishing otherwise.
I could say that Simon disappointed me, yet it’s Moynihan’s craft—or lack thereof—that fails to thrive. In terms of characters with quality, Simon has little going for him. What irked me the most, aside from his nearly-absent determination, is how Stephen—or reveries of Stephen—consume large chunks of Simon’s days. At some point or another, I couldn’t help but groan, because he doesn’t seem capable of being in charge of his own self.
The feeling I get when I meet people who aren’t self-aware can’t compare to too many things. It’s a trait I seek not only in fictional characters, but in people I meet in real life. It’s simply easier to enjoy another’s company if that person doesn’t need guidance to explore his or her own likes and dislikes. Granted, Stephen was Simon’s guide. However, if Simon could stop thinking of him—or Jude—for five seconds, I would like Simon to discuss getting his GED, applying for college, and moving out on his own. Above all, I wanted to see Simon form a legitimate plan that would help him move on in life. I wanted his situation to improve. But of course, there is Jude to care for.
No one handles the “Jude issue,” least of all Moynihan. What should have been considered is Jude's well-being, and the well-being of those who care for him. The manner in which Moynihan takes care of Jude and gives Simon his freedom is a cop-out. I can't think of a better word to describe it, and the circumstance surrounding Jude's removal feels wrong. Is it fair to sacrifice the weaker person so that the caregiver can go back to his or her life? Is it fair to anyone, even if the dependent individual says it's okay? These are questions I've asked myself before, and I found myself asking them again. It's not fair and it's not okay, and things don't always work out justly in the real world. There is, however, a huge difference between finding another caregiver versus the vulnerable person landing a jail booking.
By writing this book, the author had a good opportunity to explore family dynamics and deal with problems any breathing person can bump into. Unfortunately, Lindsay Moynihan doesn’t grapple with any of the book’s conflicts, because the way issues are handled feels like evasion. It’s the act of skirting around the problems that disappoint me the most. Dry text and fizzed-out characters fail to entertain, but an unresolved and eventless plot nose-dives straight down toward unwelcome depths of disappointment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Children's Publishing for providing a free copy of The Waiting Tree in exchange for my honest review.
This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.
Although Simon is gay, The Waiting Tree is not a book about being gay. Rather, it focuses on some of life’s unfair and ugly aspects—a few of which stem from Simon’s sexual orientation. Caught with his boyfriend, Stephen, Simon finds himself alone and an outcast in his church community. With Stephen sent away to ‘make-the-gay-go-away’ Waverly Christian Center, Simon fears he’s lost the one person who accepted him without judgment. As his presence hardly seems tolerated, and Simon can’t bring himself to face Stephen’s parents, he stops attending church. These, however, are the least of Simon’s worries.
After his parents died in a car accident, Paul—Simon’s oldest brother—assumes head role in the family. Meanwhile, Simon has dropped out of high school to begin work at Stop 'n Save to add to the family income. As the Peters household try to cope with new roles and responsibilities, caring after Jude becomes Simon’s ‘second job.’ Mute at birth, Jude is perhaps the most peculiar among the brothers. With a gentle disposition, Jude is an easy target for bullying, yet through his dependent nature, he is all-consuming. Stuck in a town that, by vast majority, will not accept him, there can be nothing better for Simon than to move forward in his life. But how can he when the two people he loves the most need him? No one but Simon knows how to care for Jude, and as the clock ticks, Stephen withers away.
Through circumstance, I can relate to Simon’s situation: putting the needs of another above your own. I have found myself in that same predicament where the one thing I need most is to think of my future, but how can a person carry on like that when someone else needs help? And what does a person do when caring for that someone is preventing, or hindering, the option to move forward? A person might feel guilty or selfish, frustrated by the conditions, or all-caring and devoted. The Waiting Tree, unfortunately, fails to explore not just the answers, but the depth of the situation. Upon reaching the last page, I don’t think I could have felt more bothered. For a minute I sat there, staring, and I may or may not have screamed my frustrations out-loud at the entire book. I shouted, How can it end this way?! and there a frown and bunched eyebrows marred my face. How can I call this book’s ending a conclusion when it feels like nothing is resolved? What an annoyance!
What happens at the end felt more appropriate to occur earlier on, as the events that take place between the first and last pages hardly deserve to be called events. What I find between the covers of The Waiting Tree is stupidity mingled in stagnancy and the dry sort of text that’s mind-numbingly dull. I’ll explain:
Simon faces several issues, and many of these problems pin him down into a daily routine that will never lead to a greener field. This doesn’t mean Simon is super-glued into this monotonous, disconsolate lifestyle—if only he would take action! What Simon opts for instead is nothing, unless you consider lots of wishful inaction progressive. By the time I neared the halfway point in the book, the plot had developed by a shocking zero percent. If Simon doesn’t commentate on the hot weather, he narrates his walk to work, daydreams about Stephen, grouches about his drug-dealing neighbor, or worries over Jude. When a reader works through a story and this is all that the protagonist feels content on doing with his life, I wonder what the point is—if there is, indeed, a point. Why continue reading if Simon invests more in telling the audience what his family eats than fighting back against his worries?
I laughed and gave him a little push into the house. ‘Well, don’t you have more important things to worry about than my shoes?’ I joked.
Once inside, I grabbed eight pieces of bread so that we could each have two sandwiches. I bought green bananas every Monday so they’d be ripe by Friday. Everyone in the house knew not to eat those bananas.
Jude placed the sandwiches on two dinner plates, and I got out drinks. We sat at the kitchen table eating our lunch, Jude finished quickly and went to the sink to wash off his plate.
A violent urge to reach my hands into the pages and pluck Simon out before he could finish another food description pulsed within me, because all I wanted was to slap some sense into him. Yes, I wanted to slap him, and I wanted to slap him hard in the face.
By the time Simon does choose to stop squirming in an anxiety puddle, the story is half over. In the very least I had hoped this course of action would not just move the story forward, but that Simon would begin sorting priorities. Oh, the let-down I felt was tremendous, because nothing comes of it. Simon settles back into a hapless life, and the story drives toward a dead-end once again. The one thing—or person, I should say—that holds Simon back is Jude, but Jude is not the problem. The issue of a Simon-dependent Jude is a result the family’s inability to work together, and this remains one of the weaker points in Lindsay Moynihan’s writing.
While I understand Simon’s reasons for concerning himself over Stephen, he needs to move one step beyond assessing his situation. He needs to face the draw-backs head-on, crash through these road blocks, and pummel on down the street. The question remains, still: how can Simon do anything for himself when he has Jude to look after? Allowing Jude to discover independence to a certain degree, or learn how to function without Simon, is what Moynihan needed to focus on. Only when this aspect of the story found a solution could the other problems find closure, or be addressed.
Although Simon is, at best, unmotivated, and I find the plot stale, these are only part of my problem. When I look at the characters overall, each one comes across as flat and without range. Through first-person narrative, Simon is granted a spectrum of thoughts and emotions that readers can see; albeit, the spectrum is limited. Paul, however, never steps foot outside of short-temperedness. Luke is always the jokester and Tina never moves beyond this troubled, “bad-girl” stereotype. Needless to say: did I feel surprised to discover that no character growth happens? No, but it didn’t stop me from wishing otherwise.
I could say that Simon disappointed me, yet it’s Moynihan’s craft—or lack thereof—that fails to thrive. In terms of characters with quality, Simon has little going for him. What irked me the most, aside from his nearly-absent determination, is how Stephen—or reveries of Stephen—consume large chunks of Simon’s days. At some point or another, I couldn’t help but groan, because he doesn’t seem capable of being in charge of his own self.
Losing Stephen made being stuck in Waynesboro even more of a nightmare. There was nobody I could talk to, much less fool around with. It was just me and my hard-on. But more than that, it felt like someone had ripped me into two pieces and hid the other half. I didn’t know how to be me without Stephen. I’d never had to try.
The feeling I get when I meet people who aren’t self-aware can’t compare to too many things. It’s a trait I seek not only in fictional characters, but in people I meet in real life. It’s simply easier to enjoy another’s company if that person doesn’t need guidance to explore his or her own likes and dislikes. Granted, Stephen was Simon’s guide. However, if Simon could stop thinking of him—or Jude—for five seconds, I would like Simon to discuss getting his GED, applying for college, and moving out on his own. Above all, I wanted to see Simon form a legitimate plan that would help him move on in life. I wanted his situation to improve. But of course, there is Jude to care for.
No one handles the “Jude issue,” least of all Moynihan. What should have been considered is Jude's well-being, and the well-being of those who care for him. The manner in which Moynihan takes care of Jude and gives Simon his freedom is a cop-out. I can't think of a better word to describe it, and the circumstance surrounding Jude's removal feels wrong. Is it fair to sacrifice the weaker person so that the caregiver can go back to his or her life? Is it fair to anyone, even if the dependent individual says it's okay? These are questions I've asked myself before, and I found myself asking them again. It's not fair and it's not okay, and things don't always work out justly in the real world. There is, however, a huge difference between finding another caregiver versus the vulnerable person landing a jail booking.
By writing this book, the author had a good opportunity to explore family dynamics and deal with problems any breathing person can bump into. Unfortunately, Lindsay Moynihan doesn’t grapple with any of the book’s conflicts, because the way issues are handled feels like evasion. It’s the act of skirting around the problems that disappoint me the most. Dry text and fizzed-out characters fail to entertain, but an unresolved and eventless plot nose-dives straight down toward unwelcome depths of disappointment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Children's Publishing for providing a free copy of The Waiting Tree in exchange for my honest review.
This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.
May 21, 2013
Simon is gay in a small town where being different is enough to have you shunned from society. When he's caught with Stephen by Stephen's dad, Simon's life changes in the worst way. Even his brother Paul has a hard time accepting him.
Let's be real: Simon's life sucks. It actually depressed me a little because I couldn't see very much of a bright side to the story. Simon has an awful job, didn't finish high school, his parents are dead, his brother is an idiot, his twin brother needs extra help and attention that Simon's unable to completely provide and his best friend has been sent away. The whole situation was uninspiring because it just seems to get worse every day.
I couldn't connect with Simon because our lives are so different. So much of the racist and homophobic crap he has to deal with doesn't exist where I live, at least so blatantly. I have no doubt that there are garbage people who say garbage things but living in possibly one of the most multicultural communities in the world where there are so many religions, ethnicities, and cultures, I couldn't believe the way they treated Simon. If anyone has to experience that I feel for them but there's a better world out there; they just need to find it.
Simon himself was meant to be someone I sympathized and I did, but I didn't connect with him. I have never experienced the influence of a church or felt ostracized for any reason. I also couldn't get a grip on Simon's character. The one trait that defined him was that he cared more about others than himself and that trait was a little bit forcefully fed to the reader as the supporting characters kept saying it. I didn't feel like Simon had much of a personality. Those little details that make people real— maybe they listen to a certain type of music, watch TV or have an online life— just weren't there.
That's something I wondered a lot when reading The Waiting Tree. Where was the technology? This book was written with the intention of being gritty and realistic so does it take place a while ago? The reason I ask is that technology is integrated to the life of every teen. Even if you can't afford internet there is WiFi. Libraries offer free internet access and through the internet there are communities and resources that could have been beneficial to Simon. If there isn't a group you feel you relate with in reality, you can hang out with one online. So that bugged me just because I wanted this story to be realistic not just in the bad ways but the good ways too and I don't feel like that happened.
The other thing to consider is this is not my usual type of book so I wasn't very into it. It never drew me in and that's because I don't usually read these types of books for a reason. I rarely read contemporary that isn't intensely tragic; life lessons aren't my thing. Life in jeopardy is. That's just the type of reader I am. I didn't enjoy reading The Waiting Tree and I felt like the ending was abrupt and not as enlightening as it was meant to be.
So, this book gets 1 star. It just wasn't my type of read because I couldn't relate to it. I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying The Waiting Tree if it seems like the type of book you'd enjoy.
Let's be real: Simon's life sucks. It actually depressed me a little because I couldn't see very much of a bright side to the story. Simon has an awful job, didn't finish high school, his parents are dead, his brother is an idiot, his twin brother needs extra help and attention that Simon's unable to completely provide and his best friend has been sent away. The whole situation was uninspiring because it just seems to get worse every day.
I couldn't connect with Simon because our lives are so different. So much of the racist and homophobic crap he has to deal with doesn't exist where I live, at least so blatantly. I have no doubt that there are garbage people who say garbage things but living in possibly one of the most multicultural communities in the world where there are so many religions, ethnicities, and cultures, I couldn't believe the way they treated Simon. If anyone has to experience that I feel for them but there's a better world out there; they just need to find it.
Simon himself was meant to be someone I sympathized and I did, but I didn't connect with him. I have never experienced the influence of a church or felt ostracized for any reason. I also couldn't get a grip on Simon's character. The one trait that defined him was that he cared more about others than himself and that trait was a little bit forcefully fed to the reader as the supporting characters kept saying it. I didn't feel like Simon had much of a personality. Those little details that make people real— maybe they listen to a certain type of music, watch TV or have an online life— just weren't there.
That's something I wondered a lot when reading The Waiting Tree. Where was the technology? This book was written with the intention of being gritty and realistic so does it take place a while ago? The reason I ask is that technology is integrated to the life of every teen. Even if you can't afford internet there is WiFi. Libraries offer free internet access and through the internet there are communities and resources that could have been beneficial to Simon. If there isn't a group you feel you relate with in reality, you can hang out with one online. So that bugged me just because I wanted this story to be realistic not just in the bad ways but the good ways too and I don't feel like that happened.
The other thing to consider is this is not my usual type of book so I wasn't very into it. It never drew me in and that's because I don't usually read these types of books for a reason. I rarely read contemporary that isn't intensely tragic; life lessons aren't my thing. Life in jeopardy is. That's just the type of reader I am. I didn't enjoy reading The Waiting Tree and I felt like the ending was abrupt and not as enlightening as it was meant to be.
So, this book gets 1 star. It just wasn't my type of read because I couldn't relate to it. I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying The Waiting Tree if it seems like the type of book you'd enjoy.
November 1, 2024
Read 2:
This one is still hard to get into at first, but then, after a while, it grows on you. You begin feeling deeply about Simon and Jude, and you become angry as the world seems to be working against them. I stand by my 4 star rating
Read 1:
Trigger warnings for: bullying- more specifically bullying due to being part of the lbgtqia+ community, being outcasted, this book does contain the n word once, but is told through a characters words not the narrators words in which could be triggering to many.
I would like to say that I rate books based on enjoyment because I read for enjoyment, and this book made me want to flip the pages and want to know what is going to happen. When a book makes me feel things, it makes me love the book even more, in which case I tend to rate higher. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, which is exactly what i wanted. I loved the family dynamic as to how real it is and how everyone is flawed and everyone has wants and needs.
I recommend this book to people who like sad books who want to feel something when they read and wants to watch someone go through life struggling, but manages to work through day by day- someone who wants a raw story
This one is still hard to get into at first, but then, after a while, it grows on you. You begin feeling deeply about Simon and Jude, and you become angry as the world seems to be working against them. I stand by my 4 star rating
Read 1:
Trigger warnings for: bullying- more specifically bullying due to being part of the lbgtqia+ community, being outcasted, this book does contain the n word once, but is told through a characters words not the narrators words in which could be triggering to many.
I would like to say that I rate books based on enjoyment because I read for enjoyment, and this book made me want to flip the pages and want to know what is going to happen. When a book makes me feel things, it makes me love the book even more, in which case I tend to rate higher. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, which is exactly what i wanted. I loved the family dynamic as to how real it is and how everyone is flawed and everyone has wants and needs.
I recommend this book to people who like sad books who want to feel something when they read and wants to watch someone go through life struggling, but manages to work through day by day- someone who wants a raw story
August 2, 2018
02/08/18
Oh boy, I vaguely remember what happened in this book! Hella short review I wrote waaaay back is here!
Oh boy, I vaguely remember what happened in this book! Hella short review I wrote waaaay back is here!
June 21, 2019
Though the ending wasnt as concrete and satisfying as I would've liked it to be. The entire plot line and contents of the book had me crying for more. The author has a way of writing a book that tugs at your heart strings and draws out the right emotions.
A lot of people did comment on how depressing the novel seemed to be. But it had just the touch of reality needed for particular readers to relate to it. Not all stories are like " Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda". We cant always get what we want in the end, and ignoring that in a lot of stories won't fix it either. Everyone loves a happy ending, and to be honest, the ending for The Waiting Tree wasnt terrible either. It carried the message that despite whatever simon suffered through, he wasnt willing to just let go yet.
Most stories are about dystopian worlds with the main character being special in some sort of way. Tris being a divergent, Clary being a shadow hunter, or Ally Carter being a princess. Sometimes, we have to face the truth that maybe not all of us are as destined as most characters are. Maybe we are just some normal people who have come up to a road full of bumps and trenches and were struggling our way through. Our ending may not be as satisfying as we though it would be but thats okay, because maybe, just maybe theres a lot more waiting for us out there. And reading this story is just a step away.
A lot of people did comment on how depressing the novel seemed to be. But it had just the touch of reality needed for particular readers to relate to it. Not all stories are like " Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda". We cant always get what we want in the end, and ignoring that in a lot of stories won't fix it either. Everyone loves a happy ending, and to be honest, the ending for The Waiting Tree wasnt terrible either. It carried the message that despite whatever simon suffered through, he wasnt willing to just let go yet.
Most stories are about dystopian worlds with the main character being special in some sort of way. Tris being a divergent, Clary being a shadow hunter, or Ally Carter being a princess. Sometimes, we have to face the truth that maybe not all of us are as destined as most characters are. Maybe we are just some normal people who have come up to a road full of bumps and trenches and were struggling our way through. Our ending may not be as satisfying as we though it would be but thats okay, because maybe, just maybe theres a lot more waiting for us out there. And reading this story is just a step away.
August 10, 2017
I'll cut straight to the chase. "The Waiting Tree" is one of the worst novels ever written. When I picked it up for a school assignment, I thought it would be a compelling and interesting drama, but I hated it. The terrible cover art should have warned me, but of course, I didn't listen to my gut instincts and I ended up reading The Waiting Tree. It is the coming of age story of a homosexual young man, who must find his place in the world. After the first fourth of the book, it lost focus completely. A major plot point is forgotten, the already unintelligent dialogue turned even worse, and an immensely irritating character is introduced into this mess of a story. I won't bother to talk about all the reasons why I hated the Waiting Tree, but long story short, do not waste your time with this novel.
March 29, 2018
The Waiting Tree was my first LGBTQ book that I have read, and I loved it. The plot and central message of the story was heartwarming and bittersweet. One can feel the love and connection between Stephen and Simion and the battles that they are prepared to face in hopes of being together. This book not only captures the essence of not feeling welcomed but also captures the moment of self-acceptance. The ending, in my opinion, was very symbolic and happy, but that is up to you to decide. Nevertheless, would for sure recommend this book for everyone to read.
December 22, 2017
The overall story was good, however the ending left a lot of things unanswered. Didn't touch too much on the outcome of the romantic relationship, more on the main characters relationship with his brother.
June 12, 2018
Heartbreaking but worth the read
October 10, 2013
Lindsay Moynihan’s THE WAITING TREE is ostensibly the story of a gay teenager struggling with intolerant friends and family. Seventeen-year-old Simon Peters is in love with his best friend, Stephen, but when Stephen’s father catches them having sex both of their worlds fall apart. Stephen is shipped off to a Christian “rehabilitation” facility, and Simon becomes the pariah of small-minded Waynesboro, Louisiana. But the novel really focuses less on Simon’s relationship with Stephen than it does on a plethora of other social issues, including autism, being orphaned as a teenager, economic struggles, religious intolerance, and relationships with judgmental relatives. Simon’s parents were killed in a car accident, leaving him and his autistic twin Jude in the care of their two older brothers, Luke and Paul. Paul is hostile, judgmental, and difficult to get along with; Luke is more understanding, but he wants a life of his own. Simon feels responsible for Jude, who refuses to speak and depends on Simon to prepare his meals, get him dressed and undressed, and help him work in the garden. So Simon has lost his parents, he’s lost his lover, his older brother is always angry with him, his twin depends on him, and he loses his job at the Stop ‘n Save. It’s pretty much a “life sucks and then you die” sort of situation.
Basically, there’s too much going on in this story. And add to that a ton of heavy-handed symbolism (including the characters’ names, most of which have biblical significance, and the titular “tree,” which is actually a fig tree planted by autistic Jude). The symbolism seemed odd in what would otherwise be a very realistic story about a teenager going through traumatic events. While I liked Simon and identified with some of his struggles, he seemed so overwhelmed with the weight of responsibility, feelings of inadequacy and guilt, and confusion over his future that none of the many storylines seemed fully developed. Simon’s homosexuality, which seems of primary importance at the beginning of THE WAITING TREE, gets lost in the other storylines, any of which could have been the focus of a novel on their own.
The most problematic part of THE WAITING TREE is the ending, which comes completely out of left field and is never full explained. Without giving anything away, I’ll say only that characters behave in ways that make little or no sense, and Simon’s interpretation of what happens (and the decisions he makes as a result) leads to an ending that is both abrupt and unsatisfying. Something about this novel feels unfinished, as if Moynihan wasn’t quite sure how to wrap up her story and figured an enigmatic ending with heavy symbolic overtones (the fig tree comes into play big time) would do the trick. It didn’t.
THE WAITING TREE does have merit, and I was engaged in Simon’s story. But I have to admit that I wanted more about Simon and Stephen. There’s so little in the novel about them, aside from some of Simon’s memories. I didn’t understand why Stephen, who was eighteen at the time he was discovered with Simon, would allow himself to be shipped off to a Christian hell-hole. I also didn’t understand why Simon was so hesitant to contact Stephen. Aside from a brief prologue (in which Simon and Stephen are caught having sex) and one even briefer scene in the second half of the novel, Simon and Stephen are never actually together. Instead, we get Simon’s relationship with friends Tina and Tobey, Simon’s frustration with his brothers, Simon’s lousy and disappointing job, and Simon’s overwhelming love for Jude. With all that, there’s little room for Simon and Stephen.
THE WAITING TREE could have been a poignant and courageous look at a young gay man living in the rural South. It could also have been a meaningful examination of personal responsibility, or maybe an insightful story about living with autism, or even a stark and honest novel about trying to overcome poverty after traumatic events. But it’s hard for any novel – especially one as brief as this one – to be all of this. THE WAITING TREE doesn’t succeed in all it sets out to do, and it does leave the reader frustrated in its final pages. But Simon is an identifiable and interesting protagonist. Read the book for Simon. But be prepared for a story that tries to do too much and never quite makes it.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
Basically, there’s too much going on in this story. And add to that a ton of heavy-handed symbolism (including the characters’ names, most of which have biblical significance, and the titular “tree,” which is actually a fig tree planted by autistic Jude). The symbolism seemed odd in what would otherwise be a very realistic story about a teenager going through traumatic events. While I liked Simon and identified with some of his struggles, he seemed so overwhelmed with the weight of responsibility, feelings of inadequacy and guilt, and confusion over his future that none of the many storylines seemed fully developed. Simon’s homosexuality, which seems of primary importance at the beginning of THE WAITING TREE, gets lost in the other storylines, any of which could have been the focus of a novel on their own.
The most problematic part of THE WAITING TREE is the ending, which comes completely out of left field and is never full explained. Without giving anything away, I’ll say only that characters behave in ways that make little or no sense, and Simon’s interpretation of what happens (and the decisions he makes as a result) leads to an ending that is both abrupt and unsatisfying. Something about this novel feels unfinished, as if Moynihan wasn’t quite sure how to wrap up her story and figured an enigmatic ending with heavy symbolic overtones (the fig tree comes into play big time) would do the trick. It didn’t.
THE WAITING TREE does have merit, and I was engaged in Simon’s story. But I have to admit that I wanted more about Simon and Stephen. There’s so little in the novel about them, aside from some of Simon’s memories. I didn’t understand why Stephen, who was eighteen at the time he was discovered with Simon, would allow himself to be shipped off to a Christian hell-hole. I also didn’t understand why Simon was so hesitant to contact Stephen. Aside from a brief prologue (in which Simon and Stephen are caught having sex) and one even briefer scene in the second half of the novel, Simon and Stephen are never actually together. Instead, we get Simon’s relationship with friends Tina and Tobey, Simon’s frustration with his brothers, Simon’s lousy and disappointing job, and Simon’s overwhelming love for Jude. With all that, there’s little room for Simon and Stephen.
THE WAITING TREE could have been a poignant and courageous look at a young gay man living in the rural South. It could also have been a meaningful examination of personal responsibility, or maybe an insightful story about living with autism, or even a stark and honest novel about trying to overcome poverty after traumatic events. But it’s hard for any novel – especially one as brief as this one – to be all of this. THE WAITING TREE doesn’t succeed in all it sets out to do, and it does leave the reader frustrated in its final pages. But Simon is an identifiable and interesting protagonist. Read the book for Simon. But be prepared for a story that tries to do too much and never quite makes it.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
August 20, 2013
Originally posted at The Cozy Armchair.
I made the mistake of glancing through the Goodreads reviews before starting this title, and I saw an overwhelming number of negative reviews, which is always disheartening right before you’re about to start a book. But I still tried my best to approach The Waiting Tree with an open mind, and I want to say that I succeeded. I think I enjoyed The Waiting Tree marginally more than those that gave it negative reviews, but it’s also definitely not a book that you “enjoy” perse because it deals with really heavy topics, and it is not a happy book at all.
It is a realistic book, though, that tackles issues such as homophobia, dysfunctional families, etc., in an honest way. It doesn’t shy away from presenting a harder way of life, but I don’t think it it did so in an excessive way. I went in expecting to see Simon facing a barrage of emotional, verbal, and physical abuse because of his sexuality, but it’s not so blatant. Or, basically, the book was not all about Simon’s sexuality. In many ways, it is; Simon is shunned by most of the town/church and his older brother, but he also has allies.
There were so many other elements to this book beyond Simon’s sexuality, which really caught me by surprise and redeemed this story for me. Simon’s brother, Jude, was such a great character and a definite (heartbreaking) highlight of the story. Simon’s relationships with his family and friends are a focal point of the story too, more than Simon’s relationship with Stephen. Speaking of, I like how Stephen was brought into the story later and, although his situation was terrible, it wasn’t hopeless. I was afraid the book would go down the route where Stephen would deny his relationship with Simon, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it did deal with their relationship.
Don’t get me wrong, though, this book is incredibly sad at points, especially toward the end. Everything gets worse for Simon and his family, and we never really see it get better. It can be argued that there is no real resolution for these characters’ problems. In that way, I do have to say that it was not satisfying. I was especially disappointed in the rage-inducing route it took in the last section because it felt like everything had to literally fall apart before the book could end. It was such an unfair turn of events, particularly for Simon’s brother Jude, and I was incredibly frustrated. The ending did try to present a somewhat hopeful outlook where Simon looks toward the future rather than wallow in the problems his family has, but I didn’t like how Jude got the short end of the stick in general.
This could be seen as an issues book, and it’s definitely a gritty contemporary story, so I know it won’t appeal to everyone. If this isn’t the kind of book you would normally pick up, then don’t because it won’t be a good reading experience. If you’re intrigued by the premise, then do give it a try! I found the characters and their relationships really interesting, and you may too.
I made the mistake of glancing through the Goodreads reviews before starting this title, and I saw an overwhelming number of negative reviews, which is always disheartening right before you’re about to start a book. But I still tried my best to approach The Waiting Tree with an open mind, and I want to say that I succeeded. I think I enjoyed The Waiting Tree marginally more than those that gave it negative reviews, but it’s also definitely not a book that you “enjoy” perse because it deals with really heavy topics, and it is not a happy book at all.
It is a realistic book, though, that tackles issues such as homophobia, dysfunctional families, etc., in an honest way. It doesn’t shy away from presenting a harder way of life, but I don’t think it it did so in an excessive way. I went in expecting to see Simon facing a barrage of emotional, verbal, and physical abuse because of his sexuality, but it’s not so blatant. Or, basically, the book was not all about Simon’s sexuality. In many ways, it is; Simon is shunned by most of the town/church and his older brother, but he also has allies.
There were so many other elements to this book beyond Simon’s sexuality, which really caught me by surprise and redeemed this story for me. Simon’s brother, Jude, was such a great character and a definite (heartbreaking) highlight of the story. Simon’s relationships with his family and friends are a focal point of the story too, more than Simon’s relationship with Stephen. Speaking of, I like how Stephen was brought into the story later and, although his situation was terrible, it wasn’t hopeless. I was afraid the book would go down the route where Stephen would deny his relationship with Simon, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it did deal with their relationship.
Don’t get me wrong, though, this book is incredibly sad at points, especially toward the end. Everything gets worse for Simon and his family, and we never really see it get better. It can be argued that there is no real resolution for these characters’ problems. In that way, I do have to say that it was not satisfying. I was especially disappointed in the rage-inducing route it took in the last section because it felt like everything had to literally fall apart before the book could end. It was such an unfair turn of events, particularly for Simon’s brother Jude, and I was incredibly frustrated. The ending did try to present a somewhat hopeful outlook where Simon looks toward the future rather than wallow in the problems his family has, but I didn’t like how Jude got the short end of the stick in general.
This could be seen as an issues book, and it’s definitely a gritty contemporary story, so I know it won’t appeal to everyone. If this isn’t the kind of book you would normally pick up, then don’t because it won’t be a good reading experience. If you’re intrigued by the premise, then do give it a try! I found the characters and their relationships really interesting, and you may too.
May 25, 2013
This review originally appeared on my blog, www.leeanna.me
When I read the summary for THE WAITING TREE, I thought the book would be about Simon’s difficulty in being gay in a community where Being Gay Is Not Acceptable. In part, that’s some of the story, but Simon also has a lot of other problems. THE WAITING TREE is his journey of self-discovery.
Simon and his three brothers were orphaned after their parents died in a car accident. Simon didn’t even get to finish high school. Instead, to help out financially, he had to get a job at a place that’s very reminiscent of a certain big blue retailer. Simon works nights because during the day he watches his twin brother, Jude. Jude has never spoken a word in his life and can’t take care of himself. On top of everything else, Simon lives in an economically dead and conservative town, so there aren’t a lot of options. And the very worst part? His boyfriend, Stephen, was sent to a “de-gay” center after Stephen’s dad found the two having sex.
THE WAITING TREE is not a cheerful book. It is realistic and gritty, but also hopeful. I think a lot of teens will empathize with all the burdens Simon has. Times are tough for teens and young adults (and everyone else), and I think readers will understand what Simon is going through. They might even feel like they’re going through the same sort of thing themselves -- overwhelmed by everything, and just getting through day by day.
And that’s exactly what Simon’s doing -- living day by day. His main concern is Jude. Second is his love for Stephen. As I read THE WAITING TREE, I was both sad and hopeful, and I enjoyed seeing Simon eventually realize he couldn’t just sit back and shuffle through life, that he had to take steps if he wanted to change things.
I would have liked to see what happened when Simon went to get Stephen. The ending was my least favorite part because it was open ended; I’m the type of reader who likes closure. But otherwise, I enjoyed the book, and I don’t think I put it down while reading. It’s not a very long book (the ARC is 218 pages) so it’s easy to finish it in one or two sessions.
Simon and Jude stole my heart, and when Jude made a very painful decision, I actually said, “No, don’t do it!” As for what that decision was, you’ll have to read THE WAITING TREE to find out, which I recommend you do. Although it’s a Young Adult book, I think adults would enjoy it too. As I said, it’s not a cheerful book -- there’s a lot of bad stuff going on I didn’t mention -- but I think the message behind the book is a good one.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
When I read the summary for THE WAITING TREE, I thought the book would be about Simon’s difficulty in being gay in a community where Being Gay Is Not Acceptable. In part, that’s some of the story, but Simon also has a lot of other problems. THE WAITING TREE is his journey of self-discovery.
Simon and his three brothers were orphaned after their parents died in a car accident. Simon didn’t even get to finish high school. Instead, to help out financially, he had to get a job at a place that’s very reminiscent of a certain big blue retailer. Simon works nights because during the day he watches his twin brother, Jude. Jude has never spoken a word in his life and can’t take care of himself. On top of everything else, Simon lives in an economically dead and conservative town, so there aren’t a lot of options. And the very worst part? His boyfriend, Stephen, was sent to a “de-gay” center after Stephen’s dad found the two having sex.
THE WAITING TREE is not a cheerful book. It is realistic and gritty, but also hopeful. I think a lot of teens will empathize with all the burdens Simon has. Times are tough for teens and young adults (and everyone else), and I think readers will understand what Simon is going through. They might even feel like they’re going through the same sort of thing themselves -- overwhelmed by everything, and just getting through day by day.
And that’s exactly what Simon’s doing -- living day by day. His main concern is Jude. Second is his love for Stephen. As I read THE WAITING TREE, I was both sad and hopeful, and I enjoyed seeing Simon eventually realize he couldn’t just sit back and shuffle through life, that he had to take steps if he wanted to change things.
I would have liked to see what happened when Simon went to get Stephen. The ending was my least favorite part because it was open ended; I’m the type of reader who likes closure. But otherwise, I enjoyed the book, and I don’t think I put it down while reading. It’s not a very long book (the ARC is 218 pages) so it’s easy to finish it in one or two sessions.
Simon and Jude stole my heart, and when Jude made a very painful decision, I actually said, “No, don’t do it!” As for what that decision was, you’ll have to read THE WAITING TREE to find out, which I recommend you do. Although it’s a Young Adult book, I think adults would enjoy it too. As I said, it’s not a cheerful book -- there’s a lot of bad stuff going on I didn’t mention -- but I think the message behind the book is a good one.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
May 30, 2013
Simon lives with his three brothers in a small rural town. Nothing ever happens there and everybody knows everybody as well as their business. So when Simon was caught with Stephen in a compromising situation his life takes another turn for the worst.
A few years ago his parents died and the boys were left to fend for themselves. Though they did stick together times were hard and Simon had to drop out of school to get a job to help take care of the house and his twin brother Jude. Jude is different, he is a mute, but super intelligent. The twins have a close bond that no one quiet understands and Simon takes it upon himself to care for Jude during the day and works at the local Stop 'n Save at night. Though hating his job, having Stephen taken away from him and put into a Christian center to help get rid of the evil inside of him is unbearable.
Stephen and Simon were best friends since they were little and lived next door to each other. When Simon's parents died the two became even closer and a love started to grow between the two of them. Simon unsure of himself did not know how to go about this new feeling inside of himself. He was a devout Christian and new that his forbidden love was wrong and would send him to hell, at least that is what the church drilled into him. Stephen showed him the way and how their love could grow, but too soon Stephen was taken away and Simon was left to figure out himself and his faith alone.
Simon travels through life, learning about sex, relationships, family and faith. He starts to figure out what is important to him and where is fits into this life and how Stephen will come to fit in as well. He confides in his best friend Tina, who also shows him many different aspects of life and sees how important and in love Stephen and Simon are. But just when Simon thinks he has everything under control and he knows what he has to do, things once again take a turn for the worst and this time he doesn't understand why or what is going on. He has no idea how he is going to fix things this time. He feels alone with no where to turn. But starting over again is not always so bad, or is it?
I loved this book. So very well written and captivating. The story of Simon and his journey into finding himself was interesting. The reader was able to see the struggles that Simon when through daily. His love for Stephen was so profound as was his for his brother Jude. Tina's undying friendship helped Simon through it all and kept him on track, she was his voice of reason. The pain that there was between Simon and his brothers was painful but true, the reader could feel the anger and tension between them all at all times. I honestly did not want this book to end it was so good. Very real and true to life, that is the relationship between siblings and growing to find oneself.
I would like to thank the author Lindsay Moynihan and NetGalley.com for my advanced e-book copy of this book.
A few years ago his parents died and the boys were left to fend for themselves. Though they did stick together times were hard and Simon had to drop out of school to get a job to help take care of the house and his twin brother Jude. Jude is different, he is a mute, but super intelligent. The twins have a close bond that no one quiet understands and Simon takes it upon himself to care for Jude during the day and works at the local Stop 'n Save at night. Though hating his job, having Stephen taken away from him and put into a Christian center to help get rid of the evil inside of him is unbearable.
Stephen and Simon were best friends since they were little and lived next door to each other. When Simon's parents died the two became even closer and a love started to grow between the two of them. Simon unsure of himself did not know how to go about this new feeling inside of himself. He was a devout Christian and new that his forbidden love was wrong and would send him to hell, at least that is what the church drilled into him. Stephen showed him the way and how their love could grow, but too soon Stephen was taken away and Simon was left to figure out himself and his faith alone.
Simon travels through life, learning about sex, relationships, family and faith. He starts to figure out what is important to him and where is fits into this life and how Stephen will come to fit in as well. He confides in his best friend Tina, who also shows him many different aspects of life and sees how important and in love Stephen and Simon are. But just when Simon thinks he has everything under control and he knows what he has to do, things once again take a turn for the worst and this time he doesn't understand why or what is going on. He has no idea how he is going to fix things this time. He feels alone with no where to turn. But starting over again is not always so bad, or is it?
I loved this book. So very well written and captivating. The story of Simon and his journey into finding himself was interesting. The reader was able to see the struggles that Simon when through daily. His love for Stephen was so profound as was his for his brother Jude. Tina's undying friendship helped Simon through it all and kept him on track, she was his voice of reason. The pain that there was between Simon and his brothers was painful but true, the reader could feel the anger and tension between them all at all times. I honestly did not want this book to end it was so good. Very real and true to life, that is the relationship between siblings and growing to find oneself.
I would like to thank the author Lindsay Moynihan and NetGalley.com for my advanced e-book copy of this book.
January 10, 2016
Sometimes, the book you pick up to read leaves you with mixed feelings when you are finished reading it. The Waiting Tree is one of those books for me. While I enjoyed certain aspects of this story, there were other aspects that hindered the likeability of this story.
We meet Simon at a very hard time in his life; he has recently lost his parents in a car crash, he and his brothers are struggling to make ends meet financially, and he was just caught making out with his best guy friend (which is a big no-no in small-town Lousiana). Now, his friend Stephen has been sent away to a rehabilitation center, and Simon is working a low-end convenient store job to help support his brothers. The Waiting Tree is a surprising twist on a coming of age story, about how to deal with extreme family dynamics and how to be a minority in a very righteous town.
As a main character and narrator, I really like Simon’s character development throughout this novel. When we meet him, he is overwhelmed with tremendous responsibility, a lot of pressure for an 18-year old. He has dropped out of high school to be a full-time care-giver to his mute twin brother Jude by day and a part-time convenient store clerk by night. Along with dealing with the dynamics of his family, he also has to deal with bullying and discrimination for being gay in a small southern town. While he does struggle, he also begins to accept his realities and become the person he wants to be, rather than the person everyone else wants him to be. This is the story of Simon coming to terms with who he is, but it is also about the sacrificial love you give for your family.
But there were aspects of this novel that hindered me from fully enjoying this story. For one thing, I feel like this was a bad family circumstance DUMP. Dead parents, dead-beat older brother, disabled younger brother…..I just feel like it was TOO much to try and deal with in one story. The dysfunctional family dynamics in this book felt very over the top, and I HATE feeling that way, because families are complicated and real and should not feel like a trope. But that is the feeling I got while reading this story, that this book was overloaded with dysfunctional dynamic tropes. And that honestly took away from the overall likeability factor for this novel.
By the end of this novel, the story had taken a turn that was both unexpected and kind of out of nowhere. And this turn was a bit unrealistic, too, which only added to the meeeeeh feeling. I just found that the combination of all of the plot angles and twists took away from the overall message this book was trying to convey. Yes, there are tender moments, and yes, there is some good character development, but unfortunately that is not enough to pull this story up from everything that is holding it back. And that makes me sad. But what can I do?
We meet Simon at a very hard time in his life; he has recently lost his parents in a car crash, he and his brothers are struggling to make ends meet financially, and he was just caught making out with his best guy friend (which is a big no-no in small-town Lousiana). Now, his friend Stephen has been sent away to a rehabilitation center, and Simon is working a low-end convenient store job to help support his brothers. The Waiting Tree is a surprising twist on a coming of age story, about how to deal with extreme family dynamics and how to be a minority in a very righteous town.
As a main character and narrator, I really like Simon’s character development throughout this novel. When we meet him, he is overwhelmed with tremendous responsibility, a lot of pressure for an 18-year old. He has dropped out of high school to be a full-time care-giver to his mute twin brother Jude by day and a part-time convenient store clerk by night. Along with dealing with the dynamics of his family, he also has to deal with bullying and discrimination for being gay in a small southern town. While he does struggle, he also begins to accept his realities and become the person he wants to be, rather than the person everyone else wants him to be. This is the story of Simon coming to terms with who he is, but it is also about the sacrificial love you give for your family.
But there were aspects of this novel that hindered me from fully enjoying this story. For one thing, I feel like this was a bad family circumstance DUMP. Dead parents, dead-beat older brother, disabled younger brother…..I just feel like it was TOO much to try and deal with in one story. The dysfunctional family dynamics in this book felt very over the top, and I HATE feeling that way, because families are complicated and real and should not feel like a trope. But that is the feeling I got while reading this story, that this book was overloaded with dysfunctional dynamic tropes. And that honestly took away from the overall likeability factor for this novel.
By the end of this novel, the story had taken a turn that was both unexpected and kind of out of nowhere. And this turn was a bit unrealistic, too, which only added to the meeeeeh feeling. I just found that the combination of all of the plot angles and twists took away from the overall message this book was trying to convey. Yes, there are tender moments, and yes, there is some good character development, but unfortunately that is not enough to pull this story up from everything that is holding it back. And that makes me sad. But what can I do?
May 11, 2013
First, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
After having finished this book, I'm still a little unsure as to how exactly I feel about it. It was touching, yes, and a bit gritty, but there was just something about it that keeps nagging at me. I don't know if I could really name it.
I really enjoyed how sadly realistic Simon's life was, and the fact that this wasn't a book that just focused on his sexual preference. We know that Simon is gay, but that isn't the only primary focus. Instead the story focuses on the lives of four struggling brothers who are learning how to deal with adulthood and the many obstacles that block their paths. One is stuck in a bind that he feels he must deal with right away and with no nonsense. Another is being held back from his dream. The third is persecuted for being homosexual and the last is mute. If this weren't already dreadful enough, the four of them were recently orphaned by the death of their parents. This is the story of how they went about picking up the pieces of their lives after this tragedy.
It was a beautiful story, very gritty and full of character, and extremely emotionally driven. Seriously, there are emotions all about, which was something that I truly enjoyed with this book. Most people talk about how depressing it was, but to me that wasn't what defined it. To me, it was very honest and telling, especially the "depressing" parts. The author did a wonderful job in weaving a story that made me feel for the characters. My heart really went out to them, especially Simon.
He was so brave, especially when so many people were against him. He was also very generous and caring, as is shown in his relationship with his twin brother Jude. Ah. Simon was a wonderful main character, and I would just seriously love to give the author props for writing him so. It's not too often when the main character ends up being my favorite, which was the case here.
Overall, The Waiting Tree was a wonderfully touching book that really warmed my heart. It was a quick read, but always kept me wondering what was going to happen to whom. It really knows how to draw you in and make you sympathize with the characters and their gritty and realistic lives. Truly, if you're looking for a beautiful read that isn't just another "gay" or "depressing" book, then I suggest that you pick this one up.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want something quick and touching to read.
After having finished this book, I'm still a little unsure as to how exactly I feel about it. It was touching, yes, and a bit gritty, but there was just something about it that keeps nagging at me. I don't know if I could really name it.
I really enjoyed how sadly realistic Simon's life was, and the fact that this wasn't a book that just focused on his sexual preference. We know that Simon is gay, but that isn't the only primary focus. Instead the story focuses on the lives of four struggling brothers who are learning how to deal with adulthood and the many obstacles that block their paths. One is stuck in a bind that he feels he must deal with right away and with no nonsense. Another is being held back from his dream. The third is persecuted for being homosexual and the last is mute. If this weren't already dreadful enough, the four of them were recently orphaned by the death of their parents. This is the story of how they went about picking up the pieces of their lives after this tragedy.
It was a beautiful story, very gritty and full of character, and extremely emotionally driven. Seriously, there are emotions all about, which was something that I truly enjoyed with this book. Most people talk about how depressing it was, but to me that wasn't what defined it. To me, it was very honest and telling, especially the "depressing" parts. The author did a wonderful job in weaving a story that made me feel for the characters. My heart really went out to them, especially Simon.
He was so brave, especially when so many people were against him. He was also very generous and caring, as is shown in his relationship with his twin brother Jude. Ah. Simon was a wonderful main character, and I would just seriously love to give the author props for writing him so. It's not too often when the main character ends up being my favorite, which was the case here.
Overall, The Waiting Tree was a wonderfully touching book that really warmed my heart. It was a quick read, but always kept me wondering what was going to happen to whom. It really knows how to draw you in and make you sympathize with the characters and their gritty and realistic lives. Truly, if you're looking for a beautiful read that isn't just another "gay" or "depressing" book, then I suggest that you pick this one up.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want something quick and touching to read.
December 28, 2014
If I was going to describe this book in one word, it would be gritty. From the small, Louisiana town that’s rotting away, to the four brothers trying to make it on their own, and the struggling cast of characters, this is not a pleasant slice of life to immerse yourself in, even if for a few hours. That being said, I did need to know what happened that I ended up reading this book in one sitting and completely lost track of time. I got entirely sucked in to Simon’s story.
From the impression I got reading the summary for this story, I thought the majority of this book would be about how Simon dealt with being ostracized in his town due to his relationship with Stephen. While that certainly plays a part in the story, there’s a lot more than just that. Simon, in short, has a pretty crappy life. Paul, the oldest brother, is one of the most frustrating characters I’ve ever read. He’s abusive, controlling, and hypocritical. Luke, Simon’s other older brother, might agree with Simon but refuses to speak up. Simon’s job is awful, he’s the only one who seems to make any real effort to make their household run, his boyfriend was sent away by his parents, and he’s constantly having to pick up other people’s pieces. Basically, I would not want his life.
Simon is probably the only reason I was able to continue reading this book–I think otherwise it might have been just too depressing for me, but I felt for Simon as a character. His struggles really shine through the page and he just can’t seem to fit in anywhere. It’s not until he really has the opportunity to care for himself first that he makes any real progress, and by that time I was rooting for him for so long that any little improvement in his life seemed like a huge accomplishment worth celebration.
Final Impression: This isn’t an easy or fun book by any means, but it’s a good one. It’s gritty and very dark at times, but is also intelligent and has a few really great characters. It’s not really as much about Simon being as outcast as it is his life in general, and I think this focus makes for a really well-done, if depressing, book. 4/5 stars.
January 8, 2015
The Waiting Tree is a story about four brothers in small town Louisiana who are trying to cope with holding their family together in the aftermath of their parents' death and their own personal crises. The story is told from the point of view of Simon, who is one of the younger brothers along with his twin brother Jude. Jude is mute and care for him takes up much of Simon's energies.
Simon is the perfect narrator for this story. He is justifiably biased toward Jude and is scornful of his oldest brother Paul and even at times their other brother Luke. Simon has been dealt a pretty bad hand after his parents death when the boy he loves has been sent off by his religious parents to obtain 'treatment' for being gay.
This book has all the makings of being potentially very depressing. And in some lights, perhaps it is. I never felt depressed reading it. I admired Simon for being able to pick himself up everyday and deal with everything that's been thrown at him. I don't think this is a depressing story, I think it's a heavy narrative of the connections we have to the people we love and the lengths that we're willing to go to for those people.
The Waiting Tree isn't a story about gay teenagers facing persecution in the south so much as it's a story about overcoming obstacles life throws at you. Its about learning that life will kick you while your still down, but that it's possible to pick yourself up again. The book ended just in the right place to exemplify this.
I think other people reading from varying genres are going to enjoy this book. It's a quick, emotionally driven work that I had a hard time putting down. It has characters that are realistic a story that's honest. I think my singular complaint would be the halfhearted attempt at southern dialogue. Scattered throughout are frequent uses of 'yer' but no other emphasis on dialogue, so this story could have taken place anywhere. But I don't feel like this took anything away from the story overall, it was merely my observation as a southerner.
Simon is the perfect narrator for this story. He is justifiably biased toward Jude and is scornful of his oldest brother Paul and even at times their other brother Luke. Simon has been dealt a pretty bad hand after his parents death when the boy he loves has been sent off by his religious parents to obtain 'treatment' for being gay.
This book has all the makings of being potentially very depressing. And in some lights, perhaps it is. I never felt depressed reading it. I admired Simon for being able to pick himself up everyday and deal with everything that's been thrown at him. I don't think this is a depressing story, I think it's a heavy narrative of the connections we have to the people we love and the lengths that we're willing to go to for those people.
The Waiting Tree isn't a story about gay teenagers facing persecution in the south so much as it's a story about overcoming obstacles life throws at you. Its about learning that life will kick you while your still down, but that it's possible to pick yourself up again. The book ended just in the right place to exemplify this.
I think other people reading from varying genres are going to enjoy this book. It's a quick, emotionally driven work that I had a hard time putting down. It has characters that are realistic a story that's honest. I think my singular complaint would be the halfhearted attempt at southern dialogue. Scattered throughout are frequent uses of 'yer' but no other emphasis on dialogue, so this story could have taken place anywhere. But I don't feel like this took anything away from the story overall, it was merely my observation as a southerner.
May 19, 2014
The Waiting Tree is so full of true, honest emotion that I couldn't help but feel bad for the main character, Simon, and his situation. Simon is such a wonderful and selfless person in taking care of his brother and enjoying the pure love & innocence of his brother. The book portrayed the main character as many teens would likely feel in a similar situation being raised by an older brother Paul who was a hot head at times, an older one who was sacrificing his own college career to stay and be peace keeper, & a brother that depended on them all for survival because of his inability to live alone. The Paul feels trapped, the 2nd in line needs to be in college, Simon feels like a gay screw up, and the innocence of his mute twin he cares for seems to be destroying some while giving another what seems to be their only purpose in life at this point.
Simon is also struggling with the fact he is gay, & the prejudice of being found out. His best friend that he loves is also sent away to a Christian home to fix him by his family. What is there to do but feel small and self conscious when people you have known your whole life suddenly want nothing to do with you?
This was a very heart touching story about a family if parent less brothers trying to live together to care for one brother who is nothing but good, but will never be able to live alone. They are all trapped either by love or by "duty" and there are some emotional scenes. I received the book free to provide an honest review but there is so much that can be said about it that it takes a minute to think through a review without spoilers.
The waiting tree demonstrates so many acts of love and acceptance from disability to lifestyle. Brothers torn between helping each other or doing what is best for their own life. It is hard to imagine a happy ending, but I was satisfied with how the book ended, & realized one that you think needs taken care of can be just as set on taking care if you out of love.
Simon is also struggling with the fact he is gay, & the prejudice of being found out. His best friend that he loves is also sent away to a Christian home to fix him by his family. What is there to do but feel small and self conscious when people you have known your whole life suddenly want nothing to do with you?
This was a very heart touching story about a family if parent less brothers trying to live together to care for one brother who is nothing but good, but will never be able to live alone. They are all trapped either by love or by "duty" and there are some emotional scenes. I received the book free to provide an honest review but there is so much that can be said about it that it takes a minute to think through a review without spoilers.
The waiting tree demonstrates so many acts of love and acceptance from disability to lifestyle. Brothers torn between helping each other or doing what is best for their own life. It is hard to imagine a happy ending, but I was satisfied with how the book ended, & realized one that you think needs taken care of can be just as set on taking care if you out of love.
June 14, 2013
I received as an e-galley of this title via NetGalley. Review originally appeared at http://witlesswitticisms.wordpress.co...
The Waiting Tree follows Simon, a gay teen whose life has recently been dashed to pieces and is dealing with more than anyone his age (or anyone ever, for that matter) should have to.
The Waiting Tree is stunning and raw and I couldn’t stop reading. The easy adjective to use would be “depressing,” but that isn’t quite right. There is so much darkness, doubt and uncertainty in Simon’s life and Moynnihan does not tie everything up in a neat little bow at the end. I can’t call it uplifting, but there are glimmers of hope and in that I think maybe The Waiting Tree, though it is a work of fiction, is a guide to salvation for those going through similar struggles. Perhaps I’ve been watching too many spoken word performances tied to the It Gets Better campaign on YouTube, but that’s what I’m choosing to take away from this. As Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
The Waiting Tree will not be for everyone. There are funny moments and moments of beauty sprinkled throughout, but many readers might not be able to get beyond the grittiness of the story. If you can stomach going through the day-to-day life of a teen ostracized not only in his community, but in his own house, then I certainly recommend it.
The Waiting Tree came out in May, so I expect that we’ll be hearing a lot about it in the coming months. Clearly you should read it now so that you’ll be ahead of the pack when everyone starts buzzing about it.
The Waiting Tree follows Simon, a gay teen whose life has recently been dashed to pieces and is dealing with more than anyone his age (or anyone ever, for that matter) should have to.
The Waiting Tree is stunning and raw and I couldn’t stop reading. The easy adjective to use would be “depressing,” but that isn’t quite right. There is so much darkness, doubt and uncertainty in Simon’s life and Moynnihan does not tie everything up in a neat little bow at the end. I can’t call it uplifting, but there are glimmers of hope and in that I think maybe The Waiting Tree, though it is a work of fiction, is a guide to salvation for those going through similar struggles. Perhaps I’ve been watching too many spoken word performances tied to the It Gets Better campaign on YouTube, but that’s what I’m choosing to take away from this. As Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
The Waiting Tree will not be for everyone. There are funny moments and moments of beauty sprinkled throughout, but many readers might not be able to get beyond the grittiness of the story. If you can stomach going through the day-to-day life of a teen ostracized not only in his community, but in his own house, then I certainly recommend it.
The Waiting Tree came out in May, so I expect that we’ll be hearing a lot about it in the coming months. Clearly you should read it now so that you’ll be ahead of the pack when everyone starts buzzing about it.
May 22, 2013
Review Originally Posted at The Society's Bookshelf
What a book. And this was a book with a lot going on. The synopsis is a bit misleading as I thought it was going to have a lot more regarding his relationship with Stephen and the consequences from his church community. The Waiting Tree is the story of a boy struggling in what seems like every sense of it. He truly was dealt a crappy set of cards. His parents are dead, his twin brother has special needs, he's gay, his boyfriend was sent away to get fixed and he's struggling to fit in. Phew. That is a lot.
On one hand I thought this was a fantastic coming of age book that in parts reminded me a bit of The Outsiders. On the other hand, it was jumbled. I was reminded of that quote "Before you leave the house, take one thing off". This story line had a lot going on, and I feel there was too much for everything to be truly developed. Simon is being pulled in seven different directions, which would work if the story was developed a bit better.
Despite this, I still felt that the Waiting Tree was a great read. The Waiting Tree deals with a lot of real world issues that brought up a lot of emotions in me while reading it. I kept reading to find out what was going to happen to this hodge podge mess of characters, and was sad that the book ended too soon.
What a book. And this was a book with a lot going on. The synopsis is a bit misleading as I thought it was going to have a lot more regarding his relationship with Stephen and the consequences from his church community. The Waiting Tree is the story of a boy struggling in what seems like every sense of it. He truly was dealt a crappy set of cards. His parents are dead, his twin brother has special needs, he's gay, his boyfriend was sent away to get fixed and he's struggling to fit in. Phew. That is a lot.
On one hand I thought this was a fantastic coming of age book that in parts reminded me a bit of The Outsiders. On the other hand, it was jumbled. I was reminded of that quote "Before you leave the house, take one thing off". This story line had a lot going on, and I feel there was too much for everything to be truly developed. Simon is being pulled in seven different directions, which would work if the story was developed a bit better.
Despite this, I still felt that the Waiting Tree was a great read. The Waiting Tree deals with a lot of real world issues that brought up a lot of emotions in me while reading it. I kept reading to find out what was going to happen to this hodge podge mess of characters, and was sad that the book ended too soon.
September 5, 2013
Simon Peters and his twin brother, Jude, and two other brothers, Luke and Paul, are left to themselves after the tragic death of their parents. Paul, being the oldest, made "himself" the head of the household and what he says goes.
Simon is more or less responsible for his twin, Jude, who is a mute and has trouble with his daily living, but for the most part is pretty smart. He signs he wants; doesn't like loud noises; likes his meals at the same time each day and loves to garden.
Simon is 18 years old and has discovered that he has a love for his friend Stephen. They were found making out in an old clubhouse by Stephen's father and the roof all but caved in. Simon was ostracized by his church and, of course, Paul. Stephen's parents had him sent away for "his own good" and the hopes he would discover he wasn't that "type" of boy. Simon is devastated and it takes him a very long time to find the place that Stephen is in. With the help of his friend, Tina, he makes the trip to see Stephen and promises to help him escape from this awful place and they will be together once again. They will find a way to be together and make it work.
An act of self-sacrifice on Jude's part will change everyone's life forever. Simon and Stephen may be together after all.
I won this book through the Goodreads Giveaway. I really enjoyed the book and was brought to tears by Jude's sacrifice for his brother and family. You will also enjoy the book.
Simon is more or less responsible for his twin, Jude, who is a mute and has trouble with his daily living, but for the most part is pretty smart. He signs he wants; doesn't like loud noises; likes his meals at the same time each day and loves to garden.
Simon is 18 years old and has discovered that he has a love for his friend Stephen. They were found making out in an old clubhouse by Stephen's father and the roof all but caved in. Simon was ostracized by his church and, of course, Paul. Stephen's parents had him sent away for "his own good" and the hopes he would discover he wasn't that "type" of boy. Simon is devastated and it takes him a very long time to find the place that Stephen is in. With the help of his friend, Tina, he makes the trip to see Stephen and promises to help him escape from this awful place and they will be together once again. They will find a way to be together and make it work.
An act of self-sacrifice on Jude's part will change everyone's life forever. Simon and Stephen may be together after all.
I won this book through the Goodreads Giveaway. I really enjoyed the book and was brought to tears by Jude's sacrifice for his brother and family. You will also enjoy the book.
September 4, 2013
The travails of gay teenagers turn out to be much like those of straight ones, only with the added burden of hostility directed by others about their sexual orientation. Simon is one of that beleaguered group.
Caught in flagrante delicto with his lover, he then grapples with loneliness, fear and the burdens of responsibilities he was never meant to carry. True, Simon is whiny, quick tempered and self involved. So are most adolescents. What’s not so typical is that his temper and his self involvement erupt mainly out of his great need to help others. He knows that his problems aren’t the only ones in the world and he frets with dealing with other people’s traumas. As one character points out, he needs to take time to take care of himself. Simon may be an average teenager but he’s also a socially conscious young man, qualities which save him from being either a bore or a martyr.
This novel takes off with a bang and maintains its edgy pace, a task the author makes look easy. I found myself gripped by the story from the very first page with the protagonist’s all-too-pressing needs and desires. The narrative never flags because the characters are fully fleshed out with believable dialogue that emanates from their inner psyches. Even when these printed personae display surprising turns of speech or behavior, these moments are rooted in the natures scripted by the author. There are no cheap tricks or easily attained happy endings here, only life starkly penned.
Caught in flagrante delicto with his lover, he then grapples with loneliness, fear and the burdens of responsibilities he was never meant to carry. True, Simon is whiny, quick tempered and self involved. So are most adolescents. What’s not so typical is that his temper and his self involvement erupt mainly out of his great need to help others. He knows that his problems aren’t the only ones in the world and he frets with dealing with other people’s traumas. As one character points out, he needs to take time to take care of himself. Simon may be an average teenager but he’s also a socially conscious young man, qualities which save him from being either a bore or a martyr.
This novel takes off with a bang and maintains its edgy pace, a task the author makes look easy. I found myself gripped by the story from the very first page with the protagonist’s all-too-pressing needs and desires. The narrative never flags because the characters are fully fleshed out with believable dialogue that emanates from their inner psyches. Even when these printed personae display surprising turns of speech or behavior, these moments are rooted in the natures scripted by the author. There are no cheap tricks or easily attained happy endings here, only life starkly penned.
March 24, 2013
The Waiting Tree tells the story of a young man named Simon who has been caught in the act with his boyfriend Stephen. Stephen is sent away by his parents to a Christian center to be cured. Simon is left behind and has to deal with life without Stephen, and with all the people in town who are disgusted with his sexual orientation.
Simon goes through a lot in this book. He is taking care of his twin brother who is mute, dealing with an emotionally abusive older brother, and has been outed and shunned by the people in his town. When you think things can't get worse for him, they do. Although it was painful to read about some of the things that happened to Simon, I appreciated the mature and thoughtful way he dealt with things.
The ending of the book is a bit open ended when it comes to Simon and Stephen. Part of me wished that that the author had gone into it a bit further, but another part of me liked imagining the happy future that these two deserved together. I admired Simon for being positive after everything that had happened to him, and thought perhaps a bit of luck was finally coming his way.
What struck me the most about Simon's story is how realistic it felt. The whole book seemed like someone's personal story, and I really enjoyed it. It was a great read, and I recommend it.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. Thank you!
Simon goes through a lot in this book. He is taking care of his twin brother who is mute, dealing with an emotionally abusive older brother, and has been outed and shunned by the people in his town. When you think things can't get worse for him, they do. Although it was painful to read about some of the things that happened to Simon, I appreciated the mature and thoughtful way he dealt with things.
The ending of the book is a bit open ended when it comes to Simon and Stephen. Part of me wished that that the author had gone into it a bit further, but another part of me liked imagining the happy future that these two deserved together. I admired Simon for being positive after everything that had happened to him, and thought perhaps a bit of luck was finally coming his way.
What struck me the most about Simon's story is how realistic it felt. The whole book seemed like someone's personal story, and I really enjoyed it. It was a great read, and I recommend it.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. Thank you!
May 19, 2013
I’m never sure whether I should research an author or book too much before I start reading, especially if it is an advanced copy. On one hand I wouldn’t mind knowing where this novel fits within their repertoire (is it a first, a tenth, a hundredth?) or are they a writer by training? And on the other hand do I really want to have those pre conceived notions? Sometimes that really works well for an author.
If I’m reading a novel that I’m not sure is a first novel or not and I read it with no pre-conceived notions and then I go back and find out that it is a first novel it often makes me reflect on it differently and that is the case with The Waiting Tree. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and received no compensation for my honest response.
This is Moynihan’s first novel and it was a good novel; it wasn’t great, but it bordered on great which is all you can really ask for in a first novel. I vaguely remember it saying this was her first novel, but there were times where the maturity of her writing made me think this couldn’t be her first novel, but there were a few occasions which made me think it could be her first novel.
Click here to continue reading on my blog The Oddness of Moving Things.
If I’m reading a novel that I’m not sure is a first novel or not and I read it with no pre-conceived notions and then I go back and find out that it is a first novel it often makes me reflect on it differently and that is the case with The Waiting Tree. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and received no compensation for my honest response.
This is Moynihan’s first novel and it was a good novel; it wasn’t great, but it bordered on great which is all you can really ask for in a first novel. I vaguely remember it saying this was her first novel, but there were times where the maturity of her writing made me think this couldn’t be her first novel, but there were a few occasions which made me think it could be her first novel.
Click here to continue reading on my blog The Oddness of Moving Things.
September 15, 2013
Simon has a twin brother who is mute, two older brothers, one of whom is ridiculously self-centered, and no parents. His oldest brother is in charge until the boys are all old enough to move out on their own, but Simon feels trapped because he can't leave his twin, Jude, to struggle alone. Also, Simon had a brief relationship with Stephen, but Stephen's parents have shipped him off to a Christian "counseling" center to cure him of being gay. And one of Simon's older brothers is selling drugs.
This book had a lot going on, to the point where I wondered what Simon had ever done to the author to deserve all of this. No one in this book goes to school. No social services people ever come by to check on Jude or Simon, both of whom are minors. Stephen, who is no longer a minor, is choosing to stay at the center, because he knew his parents would hate his guts if he came home. So when Simon's brother gets caught dealing drugs, Jude confesses and turns himself in, knowing that this will allow Simon to escape this crazy life he's dealing with. I spent most of this book wanting to scream at all the characters and wondering where the real adults were. This one is not worth your time, folks.
Recommended for: recycling
Red flags: language, drug use, violence
Overall Rating: 1/5 stars
This book had a lot going on, to the point where I wondered what Simon had ever done to the author to deserve all of this. No one in this book goes to school. No social services people ever come by to check on Jude or Simon, both of whom are minors. Stephen, who is no longer a minor, is choosing to stay at the center, because he knew his parents would hate his guts if he came home. So when Simon's brother gets caught dealing drugs, Jude confesses and turns himself in, knowing that this will allow Simon to escape this crazy life he's dealing with. I spent most of this book wanting to scream at all the characters and wondering where the real adults were. This one is not worth your time, folks.
Recommended for: recycling
Red flags: language, drug use, violence
Overall Rating: 1/5 stars
January 2, 2014
I thought/ hoped there’d be a happier ending. All of these things might happen: offstage; which is unusual in a YA novel.
Last year Simon and his wealthy boyfriend were caught having sex. Stephen is shipped off to be reeducated at a prison- like Christian pray the gay away place. Simon, who was a good student, drops out of high school, to take care of his mute twin Jude and work at a mom and pop- like Walmart, that he hates. Paul, his oldest brother is an abusive bully. Luke, his other brother is a mechanic, because he turned down his medical school scholarship to take care of the family. To Simon, living in a small town in Louisiana, where he thinks everybody knows about him and Stephen, it’s all about what other people need, not what he needs.
Now that I think of it, a happier ending wouldn't have fit at all... Thanks Lindsay Moynihan for being true to the spirit of your novel.
I received this book in return for an honest review from Amazon Vine.
Last year Simon and his wealthy boyfriend were caught having sex. Stephen is shipped off to be reeducated at a prison- like Christian pray the gay away place. Simon, who was a good student, drops out of high school, to take care of his mute twin Jude and work at a mom and pop- like Walmart, that he hates. Paul, his oldest brother is an abusive bully. Luke, his other brother is a mechanic, because he turned down his medical school scholarship to take care of the family. To Simon, living in a small town in Louisiana, where he thinks everybody knows about him and Stephen, it’s all about what other people need, not what he needs.
Now that I think of it, a happier ending wouldn't have fit at all... Thanks Lindsay Moynihan for being true to the spirit of your novel.
I received this book in return for an honest review from Amazon Vine.
May 15, 2013
"The Waiting Tree" hooks you from the beginning, with two young lovers getting caught by one of their Dads. The fact that they are gay lovers in a conservative town and that one of them is immediately shipped off to be "reformed" at Waverly Christian Center, only adds to the drama.
The story focuses on Simon Peters, 18. Simon wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for his boyfriend Stephen is unwavering, even as they spend months apart. But finding the courage to fight for the love of his life when his entire church community, and his oldest brother Paul, have ostracized him will require him to dig deep.
I enjoyed this book, but I really hope that the attitudes of intolerance and discrimination are exaggerated. If not, then I extend my condolences to anyone living in a community that’s this close-minded. Simon puts up with workplace discrimination; witnesses racism at work; and is shamed by his oldest brother.
"The Waiting Tree" introduced a lot of interesting concepts -- including a brother to Simon who was mute and somehow different in an undefinable way -- but I felt like some of these themes were not entirely fleshed out. The book ends without tying up all the loose threads.
The story focuses on Simon Peters, 18. Simon wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for his boyfriend Stephen is unwavering, even as they spend months apart. But finding the courage to fight for the love of his life when his entire church community, and his oldest brother Paul, have ostracized him will require him to dig deep.
I enjoyed this book, but I really hope that the attitudes of intolerance and discrimination are exaggerated. If not, then I extend my condolences to anyone living in a community that’s this close-minded. Simon puts up with workplace discrimination; witnesses racism at work; and is shamed by his oldest brother.
"The Waiting Tree" introduced a lot of interesting concepts -- including a brother to Simon who was mute and somehow different in an undefinable way -- but I felt like some of these themes were not entirely fleshed out. The book ends without tying up all the loose threads.
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