Rated of 5
by Anna R. (Oak Ridge, TN) Quite a Read
Don't you love a book that grabs you from page one and doesn't let go until the very end? Wow, that is the type of book Ron Rash has written..
Serena is a ruthless woman who goes to any lengths to get what she wants. If something or someone gets in her way, watch out.
The book was especially interesting to me because I live about an hours drive from the Great Smoky Mountains. To read about the lumber company stripping the land and the steps taken to claim the land for the park was fascinating. I haven't read any books by Ron Rash before but I will now. This is an amazing read. I read it in two afternoons.
Rated of 5
by Teresa R. (Evansville, IN) Ruthless People
The first 100 pages of the book were very slow for me. I learned about the lumber business in 1929 which was educational, though not necessarily entertaining. After that, though, the action quickly picks up. Ron Rash is a great writer and a master of storytelling. This book is a tribute to greed, ruthlessness, and betrayal. It is beautifully written with incredible characters. I loved this story! Would have given it a 5 had it not been for the slow beginning. Read it- it is well worth the effort!
Rated of 5
by Elsbeth R. (Medford, WI) Undecided
I didn't particularly like this book. On the other hand, I didn't really dislike it. The first half of the the novel seemed slow-moving. The second half picked up steam and became a real page-turner.
When Serena was introduced, she was portrayed as an absolute wonder woman, being not only beautiful, but smart. She was portrayed as a woman who loved her husband and was determined to be his partner in love as well as the logging business. She was almost too unique to be believed. And then, as the story progressed, her true character came to light.
Rated of 5
by Loretta F. (Fountain Inn, SC) Mountain-high Drama
After reading the first few sentences, I was drawn into the story and could not put it down. Now, the memory of it lingers, and I still find myself shaking my head in wonder at the sheer ruthlessness of the characters. They are larger than life and seem even more powerful than the mountains around them.
Besides being memorable, I enjoy reading fiction that can teach me something new. Set in the mountains of North Carolina, the author often relates native wisdom about plants and animals with tidbits such as salamanders in a spring help keep the water pure. The writing is sometimes homely and poetic as when the author describes the fall colors as "bright and various as a button jar." Sadly, I also learned much about the history of the timber business and its brutal impact on the environment.
This is a powerful novel and one of the best I have read in a long time. I would highly recommend it to individuals and book clubs.
Rated of 5
by Jane N. (Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey) Unforgettable
One of the main characters in this story realizes that a person can be starving for words as well as food. Ron Rash has written a story that will fill the reader with both words as well as food for thought. This story is set in the early days of the Great Depression in South Carolina lumber country, a time of great innocence and greed in this country. The descriptions of both the land and the characters are beautifully written and the reader will soon find themselves caught up in a story that is hard to put down. Serena is a character that is hard to fathom or forget, but it is well worth the readers time to try to understand her. I hope that Ron Rash has a sequel planned for this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading more of his work.
Rated of 5
by Vivian Q. (Greer, SC) Compelling Page Turner
Ron Rash is a master storyteller. This book is even better than the last book of his that I read - Saints at the River. Serena grabs you from the first page and never lets go. The characters are vivid and very well written. Serena just leaps off the page. The story, set in 1929, is about greed. lust, the destruction of natural resources, wealth, and the sometimes destructive power that comes with it .
Quite compelling and beautifully written, I can't wait to see what Mr. Rash does next. Recommended for book clubs and all readers of gorgeous prose.
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of 5
by Anna R. (Oak Ridge, TN) 
of 5
by Teresa R. (Evansville, IN) 
