The Overstory - Richard Powers - 4*

[Robin P]

This book is beautifully written and I loved the first part with everyone's separate stories. I thought the rest of the book dragged out. I didn't need a day-by-day account of living in the forest. I also started to get tired of lists of trees. The author has a strong feeling about his theme and keeps stressing it. It's an important book and quite readable, though I found it overall discouraging - especially while the climate summit is going on!

[Peacejanz]

Good review. Accurate. What rating did you give it? peace, janz

[Meli]

I started this right at the beginning of the pandemic and just ran out of time so it was a DNF for me but I am anxious to pick it back up. Surprisingly quicker read than you would think given the page count and tiny font.

[Robin P]

Peacejanz wrote: "Good review. Accurate. What rating did you give it? peace, janz"

If we used half stars, I would give 4.5

[Booknblues]

I loved this book and I enjoyed the day to day in the forest, but admit that it isn't everyone's thing.

[Theresa]

I read somewhere that each tree is connected to a character/person or something like that...and it is not obvious to most readers, but when readers have realized that, the book reads better. This still lingers in my TBR so I don't know if this is true.

[Meli]

Theresa wrote: "I read somewhere that each tree is connected to a character/person or something like that...and it is not obvious to most readers, but when readers have realized that, the book reads better. This s..."

I got to the halfway point, so I am not sure but I think this is true.
A lot of great facts about trees I didn't know either which is cool.

[Robin P]

There is definitely a theme about how people are connected invisibly just like trees.

[Book Concierge]

I gave it 3 stars ... But I think that was partly because I delayed so long before writing my review and was having a hard time crystalizing my thoughts.

Here's a snipped from https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3337845329>My review :
I am having a very hard time pinpointing what it was about this book that I found so fascinating. Because I WAS interested, despite my overall rating. I tend to gravitate towards character-driven works, and this is certainly that. Nine “main” characters is a daunting task, and Powers does a pretty good job of keeping the story moving while giving each of them their due. They are complex people and even those that I did not particularly like I still found interesting. Reminds me a bit of a Richard Altman film.

I had read Jahren's Lab Girl shortly before reading this one, so my understanding of her scientific research really helped me when reading this novel.

My F2F book club with FINALLY (we hope) discuss this in February ... nearly two years after it was originally scheduled and cancelled due to the beginning of the COVID pandemic lockdown in March 2020.

[Robin P]

A few years ago a nonfiction book came out similar to what the character in this fiction book writes - The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World. I heard a presentation about it and was impressed.