Serena: A Novel
by Ron Rash
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Book Reviews of Serena: A Novel
Book Review: Well-written, empty tale
Summary: 1 Stars
While I agreed with many of the reviewers that this book is well-written, turning a poetic phrase does not a good novel make. With a host of characters in which one can't possible be invested (due to their deplorable character), a plot that appears a little too convenient, and an ending that one can see coming from the very beginning of the story, I do not see how anyone could enjoy this book. Historically accurate for sure, but the advent and popularity of the post-modern, historical novel often misses the point that you gotta actually like the story, be invested in the story, to want to continue reading it to the end. While clever in spots, I did not enjoy this poor adaption of MacBeth in depression era North Carolina and found it a painful, distasteful book to read to the end.Book Review: A Modern Lady Macbeth
Summary: 4 Stars
Serena by Ron Rash begins with chaos and it never seems to end. Serena, the title character, is well, quite a character. She makes Lady Macbeth look like June Cleaver. I enjoyed reading the novel and found that I could not put it down because I wanted, no needed to know, what would happen next. The one down side to the novel is that it becomes quite predictable as the novel moves forward and your only staying power is to see who is brave or quick-witted enough to outsmart Serena. I believe that was my main interest as the novel progressed--who would knock Serena off her high horse. Overall, I liked the novel and the descriptions of the land--it suggests so much about human interaction with the land and how to balance those two forces of nature.Book Review: Well Written Escape, But Forgettable
Summary: 4 Stars
I confess that initially I rolled my eyes at the level of evil, but there are modern day equals with "personal agendas" in the business world like the Pemberton's who ran a logging company. Rash builds a great story using the Pemberton's complementary criminal values fueled by ambtion and attraction. The disregard for the environment, their employees, human life, etc. became the seasoning to this plot that unfolds well until the very end. The dialogue is rich and at times humorous. Rash's descriptive style touched all of my senses keeping me up late last night to finish it. I won't reread this novel, but I recommend it as a well written escape and think it would make a great movie.Book Review: My least favorite of his novels
Summary: 3 Stars
Up to this point, I have been an enthusiastic reader of Ron Rash's novels and poetry. But, this one remains about halfway unfinished because I just can't seem to get into it.
As usual with Ron Rash, the cadence of the written word is very good. And it's hard to call these characters cardboard cutouts because of the amount of words dedicated to them... but I think that's what they are. There is depth in the language but not really in the characters themselves.
I will finish it at some point. And it's still a better book than a lot of other fiction out there. But, I've read all of his previous novels and this one is my least favorite so far.
Book Review: Good start, overall disappointing
Summary: 3 Stars
This book opened in an interesting and promising way. I enjoyed the logging camp setting, and the play of the characters. The way the main character, Serena, was written made me think a lot of the title character of Daphne DuMaurier's "Rebecca", and if that character was in fact a homage, it was a well done one. However, there were several factual errors, which lessened my enjoyment as the story wore on and unfortunately became predictable and tedious. Jodphurs are a pair of pants for horseback riding, not a pair of boots, as the author described more than once. A horse that is a gelding is not also a stallion, as the "huge white Arabian" was once described.