Serena by Ron Rash

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Thu October 23rd, 2008, 11:07 pm

This somewhat obscure novel by an author I had never heard of turned out to be one of my favorite reads of the entire year. Serena tells the story of Serena and George Pemberton, two timber barons with ambitions and dreams of conquering the world one tree at a time. Anyone unlucky enough to be in their way is soon the focus of their vicious and determined wrath.

In the first few pages of the novel the reader sees the grandfather of George's illegitimate child sitting on a bench in a train station holding his guts in his hands while Serena wipes the blood from George's knife, hands it to the mother while calmly and coldly telling her that that is all she will ever get out of them! Yikes! That's quite the introduction to this power couple! This sets the tone for the violent and often disturbing story. However, through the skill of the author, none of it is ever gratuitous or excessive.

The secondary characters are no less interesting. We have Rachael, the brave young teenage mother who was seduced by George and now bears his child. Rachael faces Serena's fury with a bravery that just makes you cheer for her as she struggles to keep herself and her child alive against impossible odds. There is the local sheriff, one of the few with the nerve to stand up to the Pemberton's and protect Rachael. There is Snipes, a colorful amateur scientist wannabe who entertains the reader with such insightful takes on natural phenomena like explaining that dragon's "evoluted out of breathing fire", lol. Snipes was a refreshing breath of fresh air and brought some humor to what was otherwise a pretty heavy novel.

All this is set against the backdrop of Theodore Roosevelt trying to build the great National Park system we enjoy today. George and Serena are in a race to cut down every tree they can before eminent domain stops them and turns their land into what we know today and the Smokey Mountains National Park. They are just as ruthless to the land as they are to those who oppose them.

In a way it was like watching a car accident, you can't seem to stop looking in the same way I could not stop reading as character after character is cut down by this brutal couple. And as bad as George was Serena was a hundred times worse. Still, she is a complicated character with a vulnerability that keeps her from being a villain cut out of some cookie mold. Make no mistake though: Serena is one mean chick!!

I throughly enjoyed this novel and am so glad I came across it. I've never read and enjoyed such a violent and often disturbing novel. I suppose this novel would technically be classified as Historical Fiction but I think those who love intelligent well written, smart novels will enjoy this one, no matter what their preferred genre. I highly recommend this amazing story! 5/5 stars

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri October 24th, 2008, 12:21 am

Thanks lila. Your previous comments about this book peaked my interest and I've placed a hold at the library. Although from the looks of the hold list it's going to be a while....

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Fri October 24th, 2008, 3:26 am

It's worth the wait! Although if I were you I'd just buy it! It's really that good!

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri October 24th, 2008, 10:44 am

Nah, I'm economizing. Let alone not needing more books taking up space on overcrowded bookshelves.

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Fri October 24th, 2008, 4:08 pm

Huh?? Economizing? Crowded bookshelves? What is this of which you speak??

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 10:18 am

This book has been named as one of the best of the year by Publisher's Weekly

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 12:52 pm

Cool. I'm still waiting for my library hold though......must be popular.

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Thu November 6th, 2008, 4:50 pm

"This implacably grim tale of greed and corruption gone wildand of eventual, well-deserved revengefollows the dealings of a Depression-era lumber baron and his callous new wife."

I love how they make the book sound like Serena is secondary to her husband. Serena is the main character! I think someone read the book with male-tinted glasses!

Leyland · Post by **Leyland** » Mon November 14th, 2011, 3:35 pm

I finished Serena over the weekend and was blown away by this story with its elements of intense single-minded ambition for power and money accompanied by deliberate violent actions that will take your breath away in a truly visceral way, a teen mother's unsought but awakened devotion and fiercely protective love, the unwavering ability of uncorrupted local officials to take moral action even at the cost of one's own life, many clever and humorous insights into the human condition, a stark picture of the timber business in 1929 and the daily lives of loggers filled with constant casualty and fatality, and so so much more. Environmental issues are a major plot line and the history of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park plays a critical role in shaping the actions.

Ron Rash's writing style is one that is extremely descriptive while using minimal words - but not pared down to the bone. I am in borderline awe of what he has accomplised with this novel! Villians, heroes, and quirky characters abound in very believable creation by Rash.

No reader of historical fiction, or of fiction, should miss this experience. Read this one!!