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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Roots of the Olive Tree
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Bonnie D. (Brecksville, OH)
Roots of the Olive Tree
Meet five generations of intriguing women who live together in the old family home in an olive grove in northern California. I was immediately drawn into the world and history of these women, especially 112-year-old Anna and her 90-year-old daughter, Bets. As their stories unfolded, I needed to keep reading to discover more about their past and family history. The writing is strong and nicely flows from one woman’s story to another. The Kellers are far from perfect. They have long kept secrets and strained relationships, but they are deeply connected by their DNA. Anna tells her great, great granddaughter Erin that “roots” are important whether they belong to a tree or to a family. Book discussion groups will have plenty to talk about.
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Jacqueline S. (Gladstone, MO)
A Good Read
I enjoyed this book, it had the important ingredients: strong characters that I cared about and was interested in and a good story that moved along. The author had me involved from the beginning, and I was curious to know what the outcome of the different situations with each character would be. I was disappointed with the ending: the trip to Austrailia was never described or really discussed-and it was a big, important piece of Anna's story. The last chapter felt tacked on as a quick ending for the book. After investing in these women's lives, I wanted to know what happened to them in more detail. I also was disappointed that Bets died-I realize the symobolism of that-the end of secrets, etc. BUT, it was not the end of secrets and the break in that amazing line of women was a let down. This book was still a good read and it will be fun to see what the author comes up with in her next novel.
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Joy N. (Gilbert, AZ)
The Roots of the Olive Tree
I did enjoy this book. The story told from various viewpoints kept me engaged. There were several twists and turns that I didn't expect. A very entertaining summer read.
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Kay K. (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
The Roots of the Olive Tree (or secret lives among the olives)
The secrets in this book are what lured me in and kept me reading. The Keller women were real people and they all have secrets, bigger secrets than most of us. Anna becomes the oldest living person alive and her secret may be part of the answer of why these women seem not to age. The drama of life surrounded Calliope and her daughter, Deb, and Deb's daughter. But the real drama was with Bets. I didn't like Bets in the beginning but she became my favorite character. So you are really getting the story of five women which are separate from the others but still entangled with them. The olives and family bring them all together in the place of their origin.
This book is rich in ideas for discussion and would be a superb book for a book club, more so for women and those with some life experience.
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Vy A. (Munds Park, AZ)
The Roots of the Olive Tree
Roots of the Olive Tree would make an excellent book club choice. With five generations of women in the Keller family there are characters women of every age can relate to. My favorite is the 112-year old matriach Anna, who strives to be the oldest living person in the world. When a geneticist comes to study Anna , hoping to uncover the genetic DNA secret that runs through this family of healthy women, he sets in motion a story that uncovers lifelong secrets of each of the women. This is a story of love that binds families through their frailties and misfortunes and caused this reader to reflect on that precious link with those women who came before me and those who follow. Set in a family olive grove in central California, foodies will enjoy the setting and references to this delicious ointment.
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Mary Ellen L. (Canfield, OH)
Roots of the Olive Tree
This is an engaging novel of five generations of women, each with amazing longevity, hidden strength and an intriguing story. Their many secrets unfold, although somewhat slowly, throughout the novel as the women question revealing them. The novel's setting on an olive tree farm in Northern California was also interesting to this Midwestern reader.
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Brenda D. (Lincoln, CA)
The Roots of the Olive Tree
A well written, imaginative story about a family of five generations of women. As with all families, there are secrets and those secrets, like the roots of trees, tend to spread out and tangle and have an effect on everyone. I was especially drawn to this book because I live in the general area of its locale and setting is an important part of the story. The characters also come alive, with all of their faults. As you read, you begin to find out how each woman has come to where she is in her life. The only real criticism I have is that the story does a lot of switching back and forth in time, and sometimes a reference to "grandmother" is not very clear, as there are several grandmothers in the story.
This will definitely be a book that I recommend to my book group, as there are many discussable issues.
