The Condemned Oak Tree by Ada Rossi - Book Review

The Condemned Oak Tree by Ada Rossi

Genre: Literary Fiction 

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: Slow but fantastic 

*****

Maureen buries her husband on her allotment in April 1972. She pretends that he ran away and left her to care for their 10yo twins, Lucy and Carol. However, life puts many obstacles in her path. She has decisions to make that alter her and the children’s futures. 

Twenty-Seven years later, Maureen begins to tell her story- the story of her life, her growth, her mistakes, choices, love, family, acceptance, and resilience. But what is the truth? Who is listening to her story and why? What does Maureen want by revealing the secrets after so many years have passed? 

The story comes in the first-person narration by Maureen and is addressed to an unknown ‘you’ (revealed later). 

My Observations: 

I knew the book would be slow and was prepared for it, but this one takes its own sweet time to progress. But the writing is beautiful, and I couldn’t make myself speed-read. 

The book has nature interwoven into the narration with such love and reverence that I took my time to savor the descriptions and the emotions aligned with each month. 

The writing is undoubtedly clever. The twists come at the least expected time and are not highlighted. On the contrary, the revelations are toned down, which amplifies the impact on the reader. Very smart and artful. 

The title suits the book so well. It wasn't there for the sake of it but means a lot more to the story.

The narration is non-linear, which makes it even more interesting. It helps fill up the blanks and sketch Maureen’s character arc. And she is such a well-crafted character too. Her dark humor is a treat to read. 

I like how the book starts in April. It is our month of New Year (the Hindu calendar) and the arrival of Spring. It suits the story perfectly. 

The ending is yet another highlight of the book. It ties up the loose ends but leaves enough room for the reader to imagine another scenario. The revelation aligns with the character arcs developed throughout. 

To sum up, The Condemned Oak Tree is a slow but fantastic read for those who love to read about nature and human emotions without drama. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Butterdragons Publishing, for the eARC. 

#TheCondemnedOakTree #NetGalley

*****

PS: It saddens me that such a beautiful book has single-digit reviews. There are many below-average indie books with more traction. This one deserves to be read.