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Tree of Ages #1
Tree of Ages
"The seasons are changing. The lines are faltering, undoing the old and bringing life to the new. Trees will fall, and changed earth will be left in their place. A storm is coming."
Finn doesn't remember much about her previous life, and in a world that has been changed by the wars of the Tuatha De, where trust is hard to come by, answers are even more difficult to find. Little does she know, an unknown evil tugs on the strings of fate, and the answers she so desperately seeks may be more important than she could have ever imagined.
Finn doesn't remember much about her previous life, and in a world that has been changed by the wars of the Tuatha De, where trust is hard to come by, answers are even more difficult to find. Little does she know, an unknown evil tugs on the strings of fate, and the answers she so desperately seeks may be more important than she could have ever imagined.
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2015
7315 people are currently reading
10152 people want to read
About the author
Sara C. Roethle
126 books909 followersSara C. Roethle is a Fantasy author and part-time unicorn. She enjoys writing character driven stories in various fantasy realms with elements of Celtic and Norse myth, humor, and metaphysical ponderings.
Her series include:
Tree of Ages
The Thief's Apprentice
The Moonstone Chronicles
Xoe Meyers
Bitter Ashes
Her series include:
Tree of Ages
The Thief's Apprentice
The Moonstone Chronicles
Xoe Meyers
Bitter Ashes
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 596 reviews
March 19, 2018
I finished this one last week and was pleased to discover another YA fantasy author who didn't rely on sex, swearing, or gore to write a compelling debut novel. The premise of the story was an intriguing hook. A tree, which has been observing the world in the woods, suddenly transforms into a woman and wakes up clueless about how it happened. That created an interesting mystery and how she seeks answers to who she really is. Was she a tree all along? Or was being a tree a curse from her past? The book introduces some other characters who each have their own motivations and then things really heat up when a magical civil war begins among the Tuatha and our heroine, Finn, is in the middle of it. I'm definitely going to pick up book 2 and see where this story goes. Glad I found this author.
September 23, 2024
Okay so I just finished reading Tree of Ages ;) and I'm giving it a 3.5 because the way I feel about it is in between liking it and really liking it.
Firstly I'd just like to say that I cannot fault the writing itself... IT WAS GREAT. The author has a lot of talent. The whole book was in third person and conveyed by several perspectives, and yet still managed to create so much mystery!
So when I first started reading this book I was all like...
It was a strange yet tantalizing start to a book... The style of fantasy (not the style of writing) reminded me of Juliet Marillier's books. It's not just a book with a vampire or some magic and then labeled fantasy, it's pretty much all over fantasy... ;) the best kind right.
I thought the start was a bit slow and the future vague, Finn is off to find out about herself but truly doesn't know where to start at first. But then things start to really happen... They meet Faie, there's a kidnapping, a Daring Rescue, more kidnappings and awesome reuniting ;)
I loved the plot twists they livened everything up so much... and I didn't see them coming ;)
I found I started to like characters that I didn't think I would. And while the romance was subtle, especially at the start, it is present. Although there was a hint of a love triangle which I'm not big on.
It's well set up for a sequel. I feel like I've seen a corner of a great painting and cannot wait to see the whole thing.
Well Written Sara C. Roethle
Firstly I'd just like to say that I cannot fault the writing itself... IT WAS GREAT. The author has a lot of talent. The whole book was in third person and conveyed by several perspectives, and yet still managed to create so much mystery!
So when I first started reading this book I was all like...
It was a strange yet tantalizing start to a book... The style of fantasy (not the style of writing) reminded me of Juliet Marillier's books. It's not just a book with a vampire or some magic and then labeled fantasy, it's pretty much all over fantasy... ;) the best kind right.
I thought the start was a bit slow and the future vague, Finn is off to find out about herself but truly doesn't know where to start at first. But then things start to really happen... They meet Faie, there's a kidnapping, a Daring Rescue, more kidnappings and awesome reuniting ;)
I loved the plot twists they livened everything up so much... and I didn't see them coming ;)
I found I started to like characters that I didn't think I would. And while the romance was subtle, especially at the start, it is present. Although there was a hint of a love triangle which I'm not big on.
It's well set up for a sequel. I feel like I've seen a corner of a great painting and cannot wait to see the whole thing.
Well Written Sara C. Roethle
December 15, 2021
Tree of Ages is a fantasy novel about a tree who becomes a girl… or is it a girl who becomes a tree and then reverts back into a girl?
Finn is trying to figure out who she is and so is the rest of the world- which itself is on the verge of something big, something having to do with the magical creatures. Author Sara Roethle calls these creatures, ‘Faie,’ who disappeared years ago and now are reappearing all over the place.
The group's trip into the fairy forest was my favorite part. That whole section had me flying through the pages, I just had to know what was going to happen next!
This is only the first installment in the series and I was left with so many questions: will Finn ever figure out who she is? Will Aed come to terms with his shadowy past? Will Iseult clear his family name?
Guess I'll have to read the next novel to find out...
This book, the first in a series, reminded me of Katharine Kerr's Deverry saga. We have a wizard type person in Aed (Nevyn in Deverry), who is trying to help a young female, Finn (Jill in Deverry), come into her powers. Then there's the confused, tormented, perhaps love interest, Iseult (Rhodry in Deverry) and a whole cast of other characters who are along for the ride.
And, like Kerr's creation, the world that Roethle has crafted is very large and unexpected with, sometimes terrifying, creatures.
I'd recommend Tree of Ages for anyone who loves high fantasy.
If you like this, I'd also suggest Katharine Kerr's Deverry (start with Daggerspell) and Kage Baker's The Company series (start with In the Garden of Iden).
Baker's world is more of a steam punk/historical fiction/low fantasy type place, but I think that the relationships that she has knit together were quite like what Roethle has made in Tree of Ages.
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check! And thank you for reading.
Finn is trying to figure out who she is and so is the rest of the world- which itself is on the verge of something big, something having to do with the magical creatures. Author Sara Roethle calls these creatures, ‘Faie,’ who disappeared years ago and now are reappearing all over the place.
The group's trip into the fairy forest was my favorite part. That whole section had me flying through the pages, I just had to know what was going to happen next!
This is only the first installment in the series and I was left with so many questions: will Finn ever figure out who she is? Will Aed come to terms with his shadowy past? Will Iseult clear his family name?
Guess I'll have to read the next novel to find out...
This book, the first in a series, reminded me of Katharine Kerr's Deverry saga. We have a wizard type person in Aed (Nevyn in Deverry), who is trying to help a young female, Finn (Jill in Deverry), come into her powers. Then there's the confused, tormented, perhaps love interest, Iseult (Rhodry in Deverry) and a whole cast of other characters who are along for the ride.
And, like Kerr's creation, the world that Roethle has crafted is very large and unexpected with, sometimes terrifying, creatures.
I'd recommend Tree of Ages for anyone who loves high fantasy.
If you like this, I'd also suggest Katharine Kerr's Deverry (start with Daggerspell) and Kage Baker's The Company series (start with In the Garden of Iden).
Baker's world is more of a steam punk/historical fiction/low fantasy type place, but I think that the relationships that she has knit together were quite like what Roethle has made in Tree of Ages.
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check! And thank you for reading.
August 20, 2019
Cliffhanger much?
A great start but then it dragged a bit for me. I had to keep picking it back up forcing myself along. I must say as a warning that nothing..and I mean nothing, is resolved in book one, this book. Be prepared to purchase the others for a story arc to conclude. This was decent with world building and meh on character building. The intents of the characters are muddy and not well defined although you will NOT mix them up by midway through the book. So that means with a large cast, the character building is decent. But I didn't care about them. And I should have. I should have cried about the old man the way I cried when Grim encounters the mad builder and his aching hands in Den Of Wolves. I didn't care about the tree girl and I should have. I should have felt her evolve.
I didn't.
I should be rooting for Kai and the marks on his back make me cry for his youth.
I didn't.
All the others as well. They had stories. They had emotions. But there was simply NO substance to it. I didn't care when Finn cried because I didn't feel it..why she was crying. Or when Kai catches her crying but gives no solace. I should have understood why. And why and what these characters were intent on doing in Finn's quest. I didn't.
We aren't told stuff but we don't have emotions from these characters to guess why we should care.
And frankly I stopped caring about any of them.
I pointed out Den Of Wolves.as a comparison book. I cared about The Grim and Blackthorn books, from the first page I was deeply invested in those two. Very much. I still think about that cast of characters much much later and long to go back to that world. But in this world? Not in a million years.
I thought the book really good up until the travelers appear. It dragged for me, even while in the Blood Forest, which should have been a defining part of the story. It was muted for me. As were the grittiness I usually feel in the various towns a party encounters. I think this is a lack of observation through the character. I know they go to a tavern but what does it look like? Smell like? What do they see? What catches their eye and what do they fear? There is so much introspection going on, I know little of the world through their eyes. What I do know, the author simple tells me. That should not have to happen. If given multiple perspectives from people in the party, facts do not need to be told to me.
If Finn gives me a view of a sea, and then Kai, and then Aed, Isieult, Anna, even the tavern wench...I get it. I feel it. I MUST feel I am on this journey with them and guess what?
I didn't.
I wasn't interested enough in the abrupt ending to care to wade through future books. Facts without whys are the bane of me enjoying a book. I don't know why even the simple things happen in this book. The author just says things like "We will be taking the Sands Road" and later "No one takes the Sands Road". And obviously they do. So no reason is given for why that character feels that way or feels the emotions they do. That is the way the book meanders through a road trip finding and losing and finding partners.
And the abrupt ending forcing the story to be continued in book 2 or 7 (who knows?), to me is an insult to the time I invested in reading despite the issues I felt.
I just don't care enough.
Especially to invest more money and time.
A great start but then it dragged a bit for me. I had to keep picking it back up forcing myself along. I must say as a warning that nothing..and I mean nothing, is resolved in book one, this book. Be prepared to purchase the others for a story arc to conclude. This was decent with world building and meh on character building. The intents of the characters are muddy and not well defined although you will NOT mix them up by midway through the book. So that means with a large cast, the character building is decent. But I didn't care about them. And I should have. I should have cried about the old man the way I cried when Grim encounters the mad builder and his aching hands in Den Of Wolves. I didn't care about the tree girl and I should have. I should have felt her evolve.
I didn't.
I should be rooting for Kai and the marks on his back make me cry for his youth.
I didn't.
All the others as well. They had stories. They had emotions. But there was simply NO substance to it. I didn't care when Finn cried because I didn't feel it..why she was crying. Or when Kai catches her crying but gives no solace. I should have understood why. And why and what these characters were intent on doing in Finn's quest. I didn't.
We aren't told stuff but we don't have emotions from these characters to guess why we should care.
And frankly I stopped caring about any of them.
I pointed out Den Of Wolves.as a comparison book. I cared about The Grim and Blackthorn books, from the first page I was deeply invested in those two. Very much. I still think about that cast of characters much much later and long to go back to that world. But in this world? Not in a million years.
I thought the book really good up until the travelers appear. It dragged for me, even while in the Blood Forest, which should have been a defining part of the story. It was muted for me. As were the grittiness I usually feel in the various towns a party encounters. I think this is a lack of observation through the character. I know they go to a tavern but what does it look like? Smell like? What do they see? What catches their eye and what do they fear? There is so much introspection going on, I know little of the world through their eyes. What I do know, the author simple tells me. That should not have to happen. If given multiple perspectives from people in the party, facts do not need to be told to me.
If Finn gives me a view of a sea, and then Kai, and then Aed, Isieult, Anna, even the tavern wench...I get it. I feel it. I MUST feel I am on this journey with them and guess what?
I didn't.
I wasn't interested enough in the abrupt ending to care to wade through future books. Facts without whys are the bane of me enjoying a book. I don't know why even the simple things happen in this book. The author just says things like "We will be taking the Sands Road" and later "No one takes the Sands Road". And obviously they do. So no reason is given for why that character feels that way or feels the emotions they do. That is the way the book meanders through a road trip finding and losing and finding partners.
And the abrupt ending forcing the story to be continued in book 2 or 7 (who knows?), to me is an insult to the time I invested in reading despite the issues I felt.
I just don't care enough.
Especially to invest more money and time.
March 10, 2019
So when I first heard the premise of the story—a tree transforms into a girl and goes on an adventure—I thought, “Well, that sounds weird.”
But . . . it’s actually really cool. The book opens with Finn suddenly reverting from tree to human form. She has no memory of any life other than that of a tree, and her sudden humanity is a complete mystery to her. We the reader, of course, quickly surmise that she was originally human and enchanted or cursed, but Finn truly has no idea. All she wants is to become a tree again.
And that’s where the mystery begins. Finn must set out into the world on a journey of discovery. She starts out with only Aed, the wise old man who found and protected her post transformation (and who may be much more than he initially seems) as her companion. But soon she picks up others along the way . . . including a possible (?) love interest, the tormented and mysterious Iseult.
The world itself is very magical, full of terrifying creatures. The actual action of the book takes a little while to get going, but once it hits . . . WOW. It’s very hard to put down the book. And all the while, the mysteries deepen, dragging the reader in further.
The end definitely leaves the reader in cliffhanger territory . . . but I’m all right with that! I know the whole series is published, I can just pick up and binge read my way through the whole thing if I want to. (Which I definitely want to.)
But . . . it’s actually really cool. The book opens with Finn suddenly reverting from tree to human form. She has no memory of any life other than that of a tree, and her sudden humanity is a complete mystery to her. We the reader, of course, quickly surmise that she was originally human and enchanted or cursed, but Finn truly has no idea. All she wants is to become a tree again.
And that’s where the mystery begins. Finn must set out into the world on a journey of discovery. She starts out with only Aed, the wise old man who found and protected her post transformation (and who may be much more than he initially seems) as her companion. But soon she picks up others along the way . . . including a possible (?) love interest, the tormented and mysterious Iseult.
The world itself is very magical, full of terrifying creatures. The actual action of the book takes a little while to get going, but once it hits . . . WOW. It’s very hard to put down the book. And all the while, the mysteries deepen, dragging the reader in further.
The end definitely leaves the reader in cliffhanger territory . . . but I’m all right with that! I know the whole series is published, I can just pick up and binge read my way through the whole thing if I want to. (Which I definitely want to.)
December 28, 2015
I give this five stars. It would've been four because there was a few scenes that seemed to drag, but it's been a weird week for me, so I don't take that into account.
I loved loved loved this. A tree turning into a human makes for an amazing adventure, especially when you add in a grouchy but adorable old hermit and a possible love interest (or two) in fairly opposite seeming men along the way.
Finn's transition from tree to woman was a nice story, and like an epic, things were revealed along the way. All the characters were really cool save for the red-headed twins. I loved them, but a lot seemed to happen to the poor souls- they just couldn't catch a break.
Iseult- mmmmm. Kai- mmmm. Aed- you're just too cool and adorable XD I love you.
This thing is action-packed with that LOTR (movie version) flavor. I love anything fae so already I'm biased. Everything was perfect except for a few things that personally effected my reading:
- in the beginning Finn did a lot of reiterating with the subject of her tree-status and "how did I know what this was?" line of thinking. I think it could've been shortened or redone differently
- ........
Actually it was really just that lol otherwise I recommend this book for a good read :)
Happy Reading
I loved loved loved this. A tree turning into a human makes for an amazing adventure, especially when you add in a grouchy but adorable old hermit and a possible love interest (or two) in fairly opposite seeming men along the way.
Finn's transition from tree to woman was a nice story, and like an epic, things were revealed along the way. All the characters were really cool save for the red-headed twins. I loved them, but a lot seemed to happen to the poor souls- they just couldn't catch a break.
Iseult- mmmmm. Kai- mmmm. Aed- you're just too cool and adorable XD I love you.
This thing is action-packed with that LOTR (movie version) flavor. I love anything fae so already I'm biased. Everything was perfect except for a few things that personally effected my reading:
- in the beginning Finn did a lot of reiterating with the subject of her tree-status and "how did I know what this was?" line of thinking. I think it could've been shortened or redone differently
- ........
Actually it was really just that lol otherwise I recommend this book for a good read :)
Happy Reading
September 3, 2018
Finn was a tree, now she's human. This story had some potential, in theory. In reality, a bunch of random people were wandering around, then they bumped into each other and sort of stuck loosely, had some unlikely adventures, split apart again, zoomed around aimlessly, got back together. Sort of like a chemistry lesson gone bad. The characterization was awful. No character was ever developed enough for the reader to have a sense of their personality or what they might do, and just when it seemed like some development was happening, that character would zoom off in the opposite direction of what was expected. The people they didn't trust and looked askance at were suddenly their BFF. The author also changed POV randomly - not at chapter breaks or with any kind of transition - just SWITCH! It was totally bizarre.
July 9, 2018
Beautifully woven tale
She awakes falling. She was a tree now she is a girl. She wants to be a tree again. This is a tale rich in lore. I stumbled during the first twenty or so pages, wavering on whether to continue or not. I am so happy I chose to continue. I'm blown away by this tale. I definitely recommend this book. The story weaves itself from a cute story into a full blown epic tale.
She awakes falling. She was a tree now she is a girl. She wants to be a tree again. This is a tale rich in lore. I stumbled during the first twenty or so pages, wavering on whether to continue or not. I am so happy I chose to continue. I'm blown away by this tale. I definitely recommend this book. The story weaves itself from a cute story into a full blown epic tale.
October 18, 2021
I really thought Iseult would be the one I fell in love with, but I was wrong. It’s Kai. It’s definetly Kai 🤷🏻♀️ Iseult is awesome but my heart went the opposite way.
I was worried that Finn was going to be a damsel since she’s constantly being kidnapped but she’s proven that she can hold her own. I’m glad about that cause besides love triangles, there isn’t nothing I hate more than a damsel in distress in my books.
I’m looking forward to The Melted Sea 🌊
I was worried that Finn was going to be a damsel since she’s constantly being kidnapped but she’s proven that she can hold her own. I’m glad about that cause besides love triangles, there isn’t nothing I hate more than a damsel in distress in my books.
I’m looking forward to The Melted Sea 🌊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2017
2.5 stars
I thought that there was a very compelling backstory here that I was more interested in than the current plot. I would have probably enjoyed this more with some flashbacks.
I thought the writing was sufficient but that there needed to be some editing, as words were left out here and there.
I really liked the very diverse group of characters and the way the narrative skipped back around from one to another. I really like knowing what each of them was thinking, but I thought there was a significant lack into what each of them was feeling. I really like emotionally charged books because I think it adds depth to the characters and I would have liked more of that here. Even when the main character was said to be seen with tears rolling down her cheeks on one or two occasions I just didn't really feel it.
I thought that there was entirely too much of characters getting snatched and then rescued, lost and then found, the group splitting and then regrouping. So much time was spent on that aspect and not enough was spent on plot progression.
I thought that there was a very compelling backstory here that I was more interested in than the current plot. I would have probably enjoyed this more with some flashbacks.
I thought the writing was sufficient but that there needed to be some editing, as words were left out here and there.
I really liked the very diverse group of characters and the way the narrative skipped back around from one to another. I really like knowing what each of them was thinking, but I thought there was a significant lack into what each of them was feeling. I really like emotionally charged books because I think it adds depth to the characters and I would have liked more of that here. Even when the main character was said to be seen with tears rolling down her cheeks on one or two occasions I just didn't really feel it.
I thought that there was entirely too much of characters getting snatched and then rescued, lost and then found, the group splitting and then regrouping. So much time was spent on that aspect and not enough was spent on plot progression.
February 3, 2016
The beginning starts a little slow but it quickly picks up and keeps your interest right to the very end.
Finn, the tree child, wakes to find herself human after spending a century as a tree. She's wakened by Àed who takes her in, cares for her and helps her acclimate to her new state of being.
Finn eventually sets out to find someone who can turn her back into a tree, Àed ostensibly goes along to keep her company. It doesn't take long for them to gain companions but who is to be trusted?
I thoroughly enjoyed this deviation from the Young Adult books I have been reading and reviewing.
There's fantasy and more subtle magic. The magic doesn't slap you in the face: it's more of an innate magic, something that is a part of the person as a whole, than it is black magic vs white magic which is quite refreshing.
Finn, the tree child, wakes to find herself human after spending a century as a tree. She's wakened by Àed who takes her in, cares for her and helps her acclimate to her new state of being.
Finn eventually sets out to find someone who can turn her back into a tree, Àed ostensibly goes along to keep her company. It doesn't take long for them to gain companions but who is to be trusted?
I thoroughly enjoyed this deviation from the Young Adult books I have been reading and reviewing.
There's fantasy and more subtle magic. The magic doesn't slap you in the face: it's more of an innate magic, something that is a part of the person as a whole, than it is black magic vs white magic which is quite refreshing.
January 25, 2025
This was billed to me as “Lord of the Rings for girls” so naturally I ordered a copy of this book immediately. I can see why the comparison was used for the ad because they are both adventure novels following a group of unlikely companions. However, let’s not kid ourselves. This isn’t LOTR quality. And that’s ok. I still found myself reading this in 2 days. It’s not great quality in writing or POV switches, but it’s building a unique story. Finn was a tree and now she’s a girl. But was she always a tree or something else before? On a quest to find answers, Finn finds a group of her own as they encounter monsters and faie that try to harm them. She finds support, betrayal, and much more about herself than she asked for. It was an entertaining tale, and I will continue the series.
January 22, 2025
The author had me at the very start with a tree becoming a woman, having no idea how or why, and also being very upset about this change. Which like, considering taxes, daily concerns, social obligations—I too would be upset.
The story has a somewhat slow start, but the pacing works well overall. The fantasy elements were beautifully (and often spookily) incorporated, and the character work was careful and lovely. I don’t usually read Celtic-inspired fantasy, but this one was a great time and I can’t wait to explore the world further in the sequel. Also, I just really enjoyed the MC.
The story has a somewhat slow start, but the pacing works well overall. The fantasy elements were beautifully (and often spookily) incorporated, and the character work was careful and lovely. I don’t usually read Celtic-inspired fantasy, but this one was a great time and I can’t wait to explore the world further in the sequel. Also, I just really enjoyed the MC.
January 8, 2018
Every now and then, I stray away from the mainstream and make my way into that little online aisle with the tag “self-published” upon it. This is how I stumbled across “Tree of ages” by Sara C. Roethle. A happy coincidence after typing “self-publish” on Amazon’s search box.
The first thing that caught me was the cover (tho, after reading the book I consider it false advertisement), the second thing was the synopsis, afterwards, the e-book price (budget books!) and just like that, I was hooked!
I had my doubts, of course, but the promise of an interesting story with powerful magic and a girl that was once a tree (?!) were too incredible to resist. And, to be honest, I am glad I took the chance.
The book is well written, well edited and nicely paced. The story feels consistent and the world-building is on point -giving you enough information to form an image, but not too much that you feel overwhelmed.
The characters’ personalities and traits where what I enjoyed the most, despite some cliches here and there. They worked well together as they all have a unique thing to offer. I think this is pretty hard to accomplish and totally applaud Roethle for managing to succeed. Something that surprised me was the multiple relationships that the character’s formed between them, making it hard -if not impossible- to predict love interests and betrayals.
Regarding the world-building, I enjoyed the slow introduction that Sara C. Roethle provides. While some people like to get the facts of the world beforehand, I actually prefer to discover them one by one along the plot. It just feels more natural to me. Roethle makes excelent use of her main character (tree-girl) to guide the reader into this magical land -with its own magical creatures!
One last thing I would like to highlight about “Tree of ages” is the attention to detail that Sara C. Roethle put into it. There were many little hints, here and there, that helped to show character traits or position the reader in a certain space/atmosphere. One example that’s pretty obvious is Aed’s way of speaking, which differs from everyone else’s and offers and idea of who he might truly be.
Perhaps the only downfall I found in “A tree of ages” were the characters’ interactions between them. Most of these felt plain, weak or too plot convenient at times making me feel a bit annoyed. I blame it on the book being an early work and the certainty that it could just be my personal taste -I prefer more engaging conversations. I will add that I didn’t feel this way about all characters, just with a few main ones.
In general, “Tree of ages” is a good book. I was surprised that it only took me 3 days to finish it, but I think that just proves there’s good pacing along the pages. I never felt the plot was being rushed or things were left out in order to finish the story -as it has happened with other books. I also enjoyed the narration, which is built with the perspectives and experiences of all characters intertwined in such a way that it’s doesn’t feel repetitive or mismatched. It was like hearing one big story told in parts by different people (near the end, the narratives do start to split in order to build up for the next book).
I’ve given “Tree of ages” three well-deserved stars. I would have given it five starts, but I did find the dull conversations/interactions a constant annoyance during my reading (sometimes I just wanted to skip them). I would recommend this book for those who like magical adventures, imminent war and a less YA-oriented plot (the main character is supposed to be over 20 years old).
The first thing that caught me was the cover (tho, after reading the book I consider it false advertisement), the second thing was the synopsis, afterwards, the e-book price (budget books!) and just like that, I was hooked!
I had my doubts, of course, but the promise of an interesting story with powerful magic and a girl that was once a tree (?!) were too incredible to resist. And, to be honest, I am glad I took the chance.
The book is well written, well edited and nicely paced. The story feels consistent and the world-building is on point -giving you enough information to form an image, but not too much that you feel overwhelmed.
The characters’ personalities and traits where what I enjoyed the most, despite some cliches here and there. They worked well together as they all have a unique thing to offer. I think this is pretty hard to accomplish and totally applaud Roethle for managing to succeed. Something that surprised me was the multiple relationships that the character’s formed between them, making it hard -if not impossible- to predict love interests and betrayals.
Regarding the world-building, I enjoyed the slow introduction that Sara C. Roethle provides. While some people like to get the facts of the world beforehand, I actually prefer to discover them one by one along the plot. It just feels more natural to me. Roethle makes excelent use of her main character (tree-girl) to guide the reader into this magical land -with its own magical creatures!
One last thing I would like to highlight about “Tree of ages” is the attention to detail that Sara C. Roethle put into it. There were many little hints, here and there, that helped to show character traits or position the reader in a certain space/atmosphere. One example that’s pretty obvious is Aed’s way of speaking, which differs from everyone else’s and offers and idea of who he might truly be.
Perhaps the only downfall I found in “A tree of ages” were the characters’ interactions between them. Most of these felt plain, weak or too plot convenient at times making me feel a bit annoyed. I blame it on the book being an early work and the certainty that it could just be my personal taste -I prefer more engaging conversations. I will add that I didn’t feel this way about all characters, just with a few main ones.
In general, “Tree of ages” is a good book. I was surprised that it only took me 3 days to finish it, but I think that just proves there’s good pacing along the pages. I never felt the plot was being rushed or things were left out in order to finish the story -as it has happened with other books. I also enjoyed the narration, which is built with the perspectives and experiences of all characters intertwined in such a way that it’s doesn’t feel repetitive or mismatched. It was like hearing one big story told in parts by different people (near the end, the narratives do start to split in order to build up for the next book).
I’ve given “Tree of ages” three well-deserved stars. I would have given it five starts, but I did find the dull conversations/interactions a constant annoyance during my reading (sometimes I just wanted to skip them). I would recommend this book for those who like magical adventures, imminent war and a less YA-oriented plot (the main character is supposed to be over 20 years old).
September 12, 2018
Storyline not bad, writing style lacks depth
I kept reading the story because the storyline and plot were not bad. I was intrigued at first by the fact she had been a tree for 100 years, and wish they had explored that a bit more. I feel that the characters needed more development. The writing style - I didn’t particularly care for it. It made me wonder if it had been written in another language and translated roughly. I had a hard time feeling an emotional bond with these characters or feeling emotionally invested in them. I will not be reading the rest of the series.
I kept reading the story because the storyline and plot were not bad. I was intrigued at first by the fact she had been a tree for 100 years, and wish they had explored that a bit more. I feel that the characters needed more development. The writing style - I didn’t particularly care for it. It made me wonder if it had been written in another language and translated roughly. I had a hard time feeling an emotional bond with these characters or feeling emotionally invested in them. I will not be reading the rest of the series.
March 22, 2023
I enjoyed the travel/adventure aspect of this story. It gave me real nostalgia for my early forays into the fantasy genre.
Finn is a likeable main character. She wants to find answers about her past and so she goes on a quest for answers. As she travels with her companions they learn that the Faie are rising again and they encoubter all sorts of creatures and magics along their path.
I liked how the Faie are depicted more traditionally here. They are not just the tall, deadly and handsome variety lol. Magic and prophecy, adventure and humour, all are a part of the story.
I did find some aspects toward the end just a little ridiculous for me personally. This impacted my overall enjoyment. However I do like Finn and the world the author has created so I'm interested to see where it will go in the next book.
Finn is a likeable main character. She wants to find answers about her past and so she goes on a quest for answers. As she travels with her companions they learn that the Faie are rising again and they encoubter all sorts of creatures and magics along their path.
I liked how the Faie are depicted more traditionally here. They are not just the tall, deadly and handsome variety lol. Magic and prophecy, adventure and humour, all are a part of the story.
I did find some aspects toward the end just a little ridiculous for me personally. This impacted my overall enjoyment. However I do like Finn and the world the author has created so I'm interested to see where it will go in the next book.
June 20, 2024
I devoured this book in little more than two days. The author wove together a unique fantasy tale of secrets and intrigue, magic and power, Faie and tree-humans, and much more.
I love the synopsis; it was modestly, quietly intriguing, if you know what I mean. From the moment I read the prophecy in quotes, the book gave me Robin McKinley vibes (ahem, Chalice). In Tree of Ages (like in Chalice), the power of the earth has its place, sometimes breaking out in characters, and that comes out in the book description.
Roethle placed quite the intriguing cast of characters on her stage. We have Finn, our protagonist, who was once a tree and is now seeking answers about her past, hoping they will lead to her future. We have Àed, a kind yet gruff man able to see things only the wise can. There’s Iseult, his mysterious background piquing my curiosity while his seeming tenderness has me trusting him. There’s Kai, a flirtatious young man with a past of betrayal, and Liaden, a secretive, sometimes sniffy young woman. We have Branwen and Anders, twins with a dangerous innocence. And last, but certainly not least, are the numerous kinds of Faie. All of these characters are much more than they seem to be, and they band together to create an interesting plot.
Roethle’s writing, while good, is not extraordinary, and there are several instances where the book could have used more editing for better flow. For example, in chapter 8, “Almost immediately after Branwen retired, Àed and Anders excused themselves shortly thereafter.” The author also often uses the word “of” where it isn’t necessary. However, none of those errors threatened to stop the show, and she had me laughing in several places.
The world building was fascinating, and the many versions of Faie in particular sparked my interest. While with their own unique characteristics, they are much like other fae in the ugliness of their culture—not a detailed ugly, but readers get the picture. I was also able to connect the dots between seemingly Irish names and words, and I enjoyed the base of Celtic mythology.
The story is not dark, and it has no gore (although it has its fair share of violence) or spice, or even swearing. Sara Roethle’s plot has a lot of nuance, and certain of her twists and turns left me quite mad at her… yet unable to put the book down nonetheless. I enjoyed following the storyline and learning more about each character’s personality and motives. However, despite all this, the story somehow did not feel safe, and I’m not sure I want to continue the series.
I love the synopsis; it was modestly, quietly intriguing, if you know what I mean. From the moment I read the prophecy in quotes, the book gave me Robin McKinley vibes (ahem, Chalice). In Tree of Ages (like in Chalice), the power of the earth has its place, sometimes breaking out in characters, and that comes out in the book description.
Roethle placed quite the intriguing cast of characters on her stage. We have Finn, our protagonist, who was once a tree and is now seeking answers about her past, hoping they will lead to her future. We have Àed, a kind yet gruff man able to see things only the wise can. There’s Iseult, his mysterious background piquing my curiosity while his seeming tenderness has me trusting him. There’s Kai, a flirtatious young man with a past of betrayal, and Liaden, a secretive, sometimes sniffy young woman. We have Branwen and Anders, twins with a dangerous innocence. And last, but certainly not least, are the numerous kinds of Faie. All of these characters are much more than they seem to be, and they band together to create an interesting plot.
Roethle’s writing, while good, is not extraordinary, and there are several instances where the book could have used more editing for better flow. For example, in chapter 8, “Almost immediately after Branwen retired, Àed and Anders excused themselves shortly thereafter.” The author also often uses the word “of” where it isn’t necessary. However, none of those errors threatened to stop the show, and she had me laughing in several places.
The world building was fascinating, and the many versions of Faie in particular sparked my interest. While with their own unique characteristics, they are much like other fae in the ugliness of their culture—not a detailed ugly, but readers get the picture. I was also able to connect the dots between seemingly Irish names and words, and I enjoyed the base of Celtic mythology.
The story is not dark, and it has no gore (although it has its fair share of violence) or spice, or even swearing. Sara Roethle’s plot has a lot of nuance, and certain of her twists and turns left me quite mad at her… yet unable to put the book down nonetheless. I enjoyed following the storyline and learning more about each character’s personality and motives. However, despite all this, the story somehow did not feel safe, and I’m not sure I want to continue the series.
May 19, 2021
Meh
Edit: I typed up more elaborate thoughts at some point so figured I'd dump them here.
One of the interesting things about reading digital media is you don’t have that inherent ability to tell how far you are in a book like you do with physical media. In this case that almost meant I didn’t finish the book as I ended up kind of wandering away from the book and only finished it because I noticed I was actually on the last chapter. Not that finishing it really changed my opinion of the book.
First thing to mention would be this is not a complete story. This is VERY much a part 1. Most series will start you out with a complete book for the first one, have a beginning middle and end. As they go on though that ‘end’ can become more and more vague until the second to last book will rarely have one at all as it’s setting up so hard for the final book. This series apparently skipped that and just ended the first book without any kind of conclusion. It’s basically just- ‘They make camp and go to sleep. To be continued.’
My second complaint would be how often Finn finds herself accosted, kidnapped, and led astray. To be fair the first time she almost gets herself out of it… maybe. I was a lot more charitable about before it was a recurring theme. I like to have main characters with a bit of agency and honestly Finn doesn’t have much. She sort of has a goal but has very little direction for how to get there and keeps getting massively sidetracked, mostly by the aforementioned accosting.
Then there is the Faie, which I’m assuming are a variant on the Sidhe, fair folk, fairies, etc. In most instances I see these sorts of creatures they are powerful and mischievious or chaotic, but bound by certain rules that they must abide by and if you follow the rules you can often come out of confrontations with them whole if not better. Personally I am a fan of this kind of thing- matching one’s wits against supernatural forces and coming out on top. I think that happens all of once in this book. The rest of the time it’s just bumbling about into faie traps whenever they’re involved. It got annoying very quickly.
So, final thoughts? This book spent so much time setting up the series it forgot to have much of a story. It just feels like a chain of events more than any coherent plot. I didn't even find it a particularly interesting chain of events.
Edit: I typed up more elaborate thoughts at some point so figured I'd dump them here.
One of the interesting things about reading digital media is you don’t have that inherent ability to tell how far you are in a book like you do with physical media. In this case that almost meant I didn’t finish the book as I ended up kind of wandering away from the book and only finished it because I noticed I was actually on the last chapter. Not that finishing it really changed my opinion of the book.
First thing to mention would be this is not a complete story. This is VERY much a part 1. Most series will start you out with a complete book for the first one, have a beginning middle and end. As they go on though that ‘end’ can become more and more vague until the second to last book will rarely have one at all as it’s setting up so hard for the final book. This series apparently skipped that and just ended the first book without any kind of conclusion. It’s basically just- ‘They make camp and go to sleep. To be continued.’
My second complaint would be how often Finn finds herself accosted, kidnapped, and led astray. To be fair the first time she almost gets herself out of it… maybe. I was a lot more charitable about before it was a recurring theme. I like to have main characters with a bit of agency and honestly Finn doesn’t have much. She sort of has a goal but has very little direction for how to get there and keeps getting massively sidetracked, mostly by the aforementioned accosting.
Then there is the Faie, which I’m assuming are a variant on the Sidhe, fair folk, fairies, etc. In most instances I see these sorts of creatures they are powerful and mischievious or chaotic, but bound by certain rules that they must abide by and if you follow the rules you can often come out of confrontations with them whole if not better. Personally I am a fan of this kind of thing- matching one’s wits against supernatural forces and coming out on top. I think that happens all of once in this book. The rest of the time it’s just bumbling about into faie traps whenever they’re involved. It got annoying very quickly.
So, final thoughts? This book spent so much time setting up the series it forgot to have much of a story. It just feels like a chain of events more than any coherent plot. I didn't even find it a particularly interesting chain of events.
April 2, 2019
I'm not kidding, this was an amazing read! I finished it quickly despite being busy the past few days. I don't know if the book is shorter, or if it was simply due to the fact I was lost in the story and the flowy writing. Speaking of which, did I mention I LOVE her writing style? Ha! I do. I became a bit obsessed with it. :D
The story itself was great fun. I was amazed Sara could make me fall in love with so many characters at once, but fall in love I did. I adored Aed. He was my favorite character out of the entire series with his old-man, grumpy, and powerful presence. The chemistry between him and Finn was spot on, perfect and adorable.
Finn, the MC, was pretty awesome too. I love her innocent but brave self. I'm worried about what she will become as the series progresses. I'm thinking with a war on the horizon and memories returning by the minute, she will change much. I hate to see it happen, and I'm excited to see it happen.
I definitely plan to continue this series.
The story itself was great fun. I was amazed Sara could make me fall in love with so many characters at once, but fall in love I did. I adored Aed. He was my favorite character out of the entire series with his old-man, grumpy, and powerful presence. The chemistry between him and Finn was spot on, perfect and adorable.
Finn, the MC, was pretty awesome too. I love her innocent but brave self. I'm worried about what she will become as the series progresses. I'm thinking with a war on the horizon and memories returning by the minute, she will change much. I hate to see it happen, and I'm excited to see it happen.
I definitely plan to continue this series.
May 1, 2019
I really wanted to love this. It starts out with a girl who was a tree who turns into a girl and I was like YES PLEASE!! This is like totally new and fresh. But, shortly after that this book started going downhill. I could get behind her going to where she was being pulled to and I really loved all the characters but the story/plot itself just wasn't working for me. At one point they have to put their trip on hold because all of a sudden there is a plot twist that really just made this one fall apart.
This is the issue that I have with indie books some are really good and then you get the ones that failed to really work. I think that if the author went back and did some major edits and just cleaned up the pacing etc. That this could be an amazing title. But as it sits for at least me it just failed to give me what I was looking for.
This is the issue that I have with indie books some are really good and then you get the ones that failed to really work. I think that if the author went back and did some major edits and just cleaned up the pacing etc. That this could be an amazing title. But as it sits for at least me it just failed to give me what I was looking for.
September 6, 2020
After trying to force myself to continue with this book I’ve decided to dnf. I loved the opening sequence but it started to fall flat after reaching the quarter way mark. Didn’t really like the characters in the company apart from two. The parts of the journey where they were getting into trouble felt forced, like it was sprinkled in to create conflict. It just felt like i was watching some episodic show but forced into one book.
I understand that this is the beginning of the series and that we are just getting to know the characters and the world, but the pacing of the book after the half way mark was just too tedious for me.
I understand that this is the beginning of the series and that we are just getting to know the characters and the world, but the pacing of the book after the half way mark was just too tedious for me.
March 22, 2018
It was a very good book! I was sucked in very quickly! All of the intertwining characters and stories felt very reminiscent of A Midsummer Nights Dream. It kept me interested the whole way through. There was so much that happened- so so much, it was difficult to keep track of everyone’s separate stories. It was hard to have so many words that I had to look up in the glossary though, there could have been more included though. Finn was interesting...likable and irritating in a good mixture. Too trusting though! Ugh!!
October 20, 2022
I chose this book quickly late at night as I need to read to actually go to sleep.
It sounded promising, tree turns into girl and all that!
It wasn't a book I'd go raving about but it was actually a really enjoyable read, nice and easy, not a lot of depth to it in the sense of world building etc...
Ended with no real conclusion and i want to know why Finn was a tree as much as she does so I kinda have to pick up the next one don't I . ;)
It sounded promising, tree turns into girl and all that!
It wasn't a book I'd go raving about but it was actually a really enjoyable read, nice and easy, not a lot of depth to it in the sense of world building etc...
Ended with no real conclusion and i want to know why Finn was a tree as much as she does so I kinda have to pick up the next one don't I . ;)
February 14, 2019
Aimless dialogue and lots of padding with extra characters and plot twists to get more books . Another sad case of inflating one passable novel into 3, 4,5 failing books.
May 17, 2019
“Tree of Ages” by Sara C Roethle flaunts highly readable sentences and a well crafted plot that held my attention the entire way through - it’s definitely a page turner. Yet, with too little character and world development and an over reliance on tropes, this story lacks originality and feels more like a bare outline than a fully-fledged novel. The pacing is too fast and the characters’ relationships are so insular that it reminded me of watching a 1990s soap opera. That being said, I do love how Roethle captures the spirit of adventure. The main character enjoys the turbulence and excitement of the journey, and I did as well. But due to underdeveloped world building and the author’s tendency to differentiate the various towns and peoples based only on superficial physical characteristics without exploring cultural depth, it feels like it was written from someone's living room. This artificial quality manifests in the author’s magical world, too. She draws heavily on Celtic mythology but then throws in a few elements from Greek mythology and her own imagination in a way that feels like a slapdash brainstorming session. I would have been more impressed had she either shown more depth of research in Celtic mythology only, or had she instead engaged in more original world building in a way which could set her work further apart from the overdone aspects of the fantasy genre. Still, the story’s central concept - girl turns tree turns girl - is interesting, and the author scatters some insight throughout her book. Roethle’s observation that “people [can] have roots too, only they [are] attached to other people instead of the soil” is quite sweet, but I wish she had exemplified this gem a bit better throughout the story. The book’s characters are well built but underdeveloped. To really bring them to life, Roethle needs to allow the reader to spend more time with them and she needs to better “show” their experiences rather than simply “telling” us about these. Perhaps the one thing that impressed me most while reading this book is Roethle’s ability to switch seamlessly between the different characters’ points of view at exactly the right times - this is extremely well done.
Overall, while the novel is somewhat unoriginal in terms of setting and characters, it still caught my interest enough that I plan to purchase the second installment of the series. I am intrigued to see how Roethle will continue to craft her plot and, from the perspective of someone who is attempting to write a novel, I really do appreciate her skill. The things that Roethle does well, she does very well.
Overall, while the novel is somewhat unoriginal in terms of setting and characters, it still caught my interest enough that I plan to purchase the second installment of the series. I am intrigued to see how Roethle will continue to craft her plot and, from the perspective of someone who is attempting to write a novel, I really do appreciate her skill. The things that Roethle does well, she does very well.
November 27, 2019
This has to be the best fantasy novel I have read this year.
The premise is about a woman who for unknown reasons (so far) turns into a tree, then unexpectedly turns back into a woman. Finn as our heroine is called, decides to set out on a mission to become a tree again as she preferred that state. Along the way she teams up with other travelers and an old man who is surprisingly agile and fit for his age.
Tree of ages is definitely worth checking out if you like fantasy books, or just want to read something different.
It's worth adding though that there is a brilliant cliffhanger at the end. This however is immediately offset by a preview of book two which in the first paragraph let's you know things work out OK for Finn!!
The premise is about a woman who for unknown reasons (so far) turns into a tree, then unexpectedly turns back into a woman. Finn as our heroine is called, decides to set out on a mission to become a tree again as she preferred that state. Along the way she teams up with other travelers and an old man who is surprisingly agile and fit for his age.
Tree of ages is definitely worth checking out if you like fantasy books, or just want to read something different.
It's worth adding though that there is a brilliant cliffhanger at the end. This however is immediately offset by a preview of book two which in the first paragraph let's you know things work out OK for Finn!!
February 4, 2021
I soldiered on to finish this book. I found it quite hard going at times. I did consider abandoning it but read it through. The story revolves around a young girl who is a tree at the start of the book... this is a story of where she comes from and what she needs to do.... I am assuming this will come to light in subsequent books. This book has been about the start of her journey as she gathers companions and enemies. Right now I don’t feel I want to carry on the story. Not enough depth of character or action for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2019
Off to a good start
The story of how a young woman begins her travels is a good read and flows well. The build up of characters and plot is well rounded and fleshed out. Enough intrigue and just a touch of malicious with an old world feel makes for a great read. I look forward to the remaining books in the series.
The story of how a young woman begins her travels is a good read and flows well. The build up of characters and plot is well rounded and fleshed out. Enough intrigue and just a touch of malicious with an old world feel makes for a great read. I look forward to the remaining books in the series.
dnf
May 18, 2018DNF
This book writing is too low grade. There really isn’t a lot happening but when it does it isn’t really planned out well imo. It’s like the author had an idea and then another idea and then another. It’s like jumping from one stone to another, not the flow of a river. I didn’t like the writing style, I could care less about the characters, and after 100 pages I just couldn’t force it anymore. Hate I wasted money on this. On to the next I guess.
This book writing is too low grade. There really isn’t a lot happening but when it does it isn’t really planned out well imo. It’s like the author had an idea and then another idea and then another. It’s like jumping from one stone to another, not the flow of a river. I didn’t like the writing style, I could care less about the characters, and after 100 pages I just couldn’t force it anymore. Hate I wasted money on this. On to the next I guess.
July 31, 2021
3.5⭐️This was quite an enjoyable read. The characters, prophecy and lost family troupe were good. I did find writing about the world building a little muffled but still a decent backdrop. I am on the fence about reading the next one. But this wasn’t a waste a time. Quite enjoyable.
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