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You are here: Home / books / Good Books Tuesday: The Language of Trees

Good Books Tuesday: The Language of Trees

July 10, 2012 by admin

THIS JUST IN: The Foreign Language of Friends has won a gold medal in the eLit Book Awards “Women’s Issues” category. I came home from my volunteer shift at the arts center to find a nice certificate waiting for me. Very cool! I did my happy dance, and then I made dinner. There’s an irony in that, eh?

Anyway, on to this week’s book recommendation:

***

Some books entertain, some inform, some move us. Good books, though, really good books, do some of all three, and then they astonish. They remind us of why we read, and we fall in love all over again with the act of reading. Ilie Ruby’s The Language of Trees fits in to this final category.

Set in upstate New York, The Language of Trees blends Seneca folklore, a family torn apart by tragedy, and the regrets of lost love in a healthy brew of magical realism. The end result, poignant and uplifting, heartbreaking and hopeful, left me breathless and satisfied to my core. It’s the difference between eating a fine, nourishing meal vs. junk food. The calories are the same, but in the end we feel more alive and whole.

The story begins with a horrific accident on Canandaigua Lake during a sudden, intense storm that wounds an already troubled family to the core. Twelve years later, oldest sister Melanie, who has struggled with addiction since the incident, disappears. Most people assume she has abandoned her new life and young son for drugs. At about the same time, Grant Shongo has returned to Canandaigua and his roots to nurse a broken heart after the end of his marriage. Grant, of Seneca heritage, has the curious ability to heal wounds. As he connects with his roots and his destiny, his story intersects with Melanie’s in unexpected ways.

Along the way, the spirits are restless, with mysterious footprints, dimes, and paper airplanes reminding the living of the untold stories of the dead. With raw intensity, Ruby draws disparate characters together seamlessly, revealing both their greatness and their failings. Though magic threads its way throughout the story, it never cheats it or dilutes the power of the story.

It’s been hard to pick up a book after this one. I just want to savor it longer and let it settle in to my spirit. The one I’ve picked up after, though not a bad book, pales in comparison. If you love reading, read The Language of Trees. If you love writing, read it and learn.

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Filed Under: books, fiction Tagged With: best books, books, fiction, good books, novels

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Kat Ward
Kat Ward
10 years ago

Congratulations, Nadine! What wonderful news about your book, which I’m still waiting to read because of moving and not being able to find my Kindle! And I’ve heard of Ilie’s book, too. Thanks for the recommendation, and congratulations again. Enjoy!

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admin
Author
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Kat Ward

Hey, Kat! Glad you dropped by! I know all about that moving stuff, having been through it recently myself. It’s not fun, especially when you’re missing something important like the Kindle!

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henry
henry
10 years ago

Congratulations sweetie!

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admin
Author
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  henry

Thanks, my love. And thanks for reading it!

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Jodi Aman
Jodi Aman
10 years ago

Congrats on the gold metal! That is wonderful! I put the Language of Trees on my list!

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admin
Author
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Jodi Aman

Thanks, Jodi! I just found out that your comments were going to my spam folder, and I’m so sorry! I’m glad I took a look. You are now officially flagged as “not spam.” Technology is awesome…when it works.

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Tina Barbour
Tina Barbour
10 years ago

Congratulations, Nadine! I’ll do a happy dance for you, too! I am so glad you are getting recognition for your book!

You are such a good book picker, too. Sounds like another good one to put on my list.

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admin
Author
admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Tina Barbour

Thanks, Tina. It was quite the surprise!

The Language of Trees is such a wonderful, delicious book. Definitely worth adding. I know how those lists go, though. I’m wading through a big pile, both paperbacks and ebooks.

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totsymae1011
totsymae1011
10 years ago

Congrats on your award. That’s good news to come home to.

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