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Ghost Tree
"Reunite the band..." These deathbed words set in motion a series of events no one could have predicted. Loves are found, lost roads are discovered and long-buried mysteries are solved - some of them on national television. Bill Deasy is the author of the award-winning "Ransom Seaborn." When he's not writing novels, he is busy writing and recording songs and then singing them for anyone who will listen. He lives with his wife and sons in Pennsylvania.
- GenresFiction
220 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 31, 2023
(The only "spoilers" is part of a quote from the end of the book in the second paragraph.)
This book is so simple, yet very deep and beautiful. While it had a slow start and some plot points that seemed just a bit too convenient in the middle, everything else came together really nicely.
Simply put, this book is about the stories of five individuals that grew apart and came back together through their love of music and their band Ghost Tree. With a slight mystery throughout, everything wrapped up nicely and we see what can summarize the theme of the book: "a lesson in the only that that really mattered, forgiveness."
It's more of a 3.5 for me. I really enjoyed the book overall, but not enough for a solid 4 or to even round up. It's definitely an easy, entertaining read and I'm sure could be read much quicker. I thoroughly enjoyed it and love that the author is local to Pittsburgh and brought so many things to the book from different neighborhoods to Slippery Rock University.
This book is so simple, yet very deep and beautiful. While it had a slow start and some plot points that seemed just a bit too convenient in the middle, everything else came together really nicely.
Simply put, this book is about the stories of five individuals that grew apart and came back together through their love of music and their band Ghost Tree. With a slight mystery throughout, everything wrapped up nicely and we see what can summarize the theme of the book: "a lesson in the only that that really mattered, forgiveness."
It's more of a 3.5 for me. I really enjoyed the book overall, but not enough for a solid 4 or to even round up. It's definitely an easy, entertaining read and I'm sure could be read much quicker. I thoroughly enjoyed it and love that the author is local to Pittsburgh and brought so many things to the book from different neighborhoods to Slippery Rock University.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2013
I really wanted to like this book. I was impressed by all the 5-star ratings and reviews. So when it was recommended from a list on Book Bub, I had high hopes for an interesting and entertaining read.
There were so many times during the first half of Ghost Tree I almost quit the book. I kept telling myself, 'This is just not believable.' But I pushed on; reading another chapter hoping at some point the story would click for me. But chapter after chapter I would come across another area of the book that just didn't seem real.
In this story, people were reacting to this local band that had a few gigs when they were young as if they were the second coming of The Beatles. If you've read any rock 'n roll history you'd know it usually takes years of trials and tribulations for a rock band to become hugely successful no matter how good they are. It's a lot more than playing a few local gigs in some small town and suddenly 20 years later the band can easily reunite and become superstars. It was just not believable.
On a positive note, a few of the characters I found interesting. I enjoyed the priest Mike and the sweet relationship of Jonathan and his wife and daughter. Then there were a few that annoyed me and again, were just unbelievable.
Bill Deasy must have one heck of a fan club or marketing team to provide all these 5-star reviews. I feel like I'm the first person to comment that the proverbial Emperor has no clothes.
There were so many times during the first half of Ghost Tree I almost quit the book. I kept telling myself, 'This is just not believable.' But I pushed on; reading another chapter hoping at some point the story would click for me. But chapter after chapter I would come across another area of the book that just didn't seem real.
In this story, people were reacting to this local band that had a few gigs when they were young as if they were the second coming of The Beatles. If you've read any rock 'n roll history you'd know it usually takes years of trials and tribulations for a rock band to become hugely successful no matter how good they are. It's a lot more than playing a few local gigs in some small town and suddenly 20 years later the band can easily reunite and become superstars. It was just not believable.
On a positive note, a few of the characters I found interesting. I enjoyed the priest Mike and the sweet relationship of Jonathan and his wife and daughter. Then there were a few that annoyed me and again, were just unbelievable.
Bill Deasy must have one heck of a fan club or marketing team to provide all these 5-star reviews. I feel like I'm the first person to comment that the proverbial Emperor has no clothes.
January 16, 2011
Just finished reading Bill Deasy's "Ghost Tree". I think I had put it off for so long because I was afraid it wouldn't reach me on the same level as "Ransom Seaborn" and "Traveling Clothes". Well...in a way my fears were confirmed. "Ghost Tree" didn't reach me on the same level as his other books...it went deeper.
March 23, 2013
The death of a friend reunites a group of people and makes them question the decisions they made in their lives. This book is more about the how the ghosts of the past effect their futures. This novel has an easy flow and covers a topic most people can relate to and asks the often asked question, "What if...". The author really taps into the human psyche and touches a nerve with this book.
September 30, 2010
definitely a not-able-to-put-down read. Bill is one of the best character creaters. You instantly get sucked into their lives and have to know what they are about and what is motivating them. This book has so many interesting concepts tuck inside the story line. I'll be pondering them for days!
March 11, 2014
Written by a local musician in the Pittsburgh area, this book chronicles the reunion of a high school band that broke up on the verge of greatness. This book was a slow starter but picked up momentum.
November 9, 2013
I do not see 5 stars here. It was unbelievable and disjointed.
April 16, 2014
I really enjoyed all 3 books of the Finbar Trilogy. Ghost Tree was the third book. Very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews