Far From the Tree

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read!
Review: Far From the Tree turns out to be an excellent title for this book. The old addage 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' fits this family of women perfectly. Mother and both daughters all have secrets that have been hidden for years.

Della, strong African American mother believes in living in the here and now and gives no hint of her past. She believes in leaving well enough alone. But Della has a tale to tell and web to unweave.

Celeste, Della's oldest daughter, is strong willed and believes she knows what is best for everyone...except when it comes to her marriage...her daughter...and herself...her web is so tangled she seeks desparatly for that one loose knot.

Finally there is Ronnie, Della's baby girl. Ronnie is a aspiring actress in New York seeking that big break, 'cept the only break she knows is broke.

Destiny brings them together as their southern ancestrial house calls them home where all the secrets are shared one by one to bring a distant family closer.

Rating:
Summary: Warm, enjoyable reading
Review: First off, if you don't like "chick books" as my husband calls them (i.e. lots of emotion, relationship problems, love and family issues, etc.) you may not care for this book. I wasn't sure I would like it, but did--despite myself.

The authors have a gift for dialogue that is witty and entertaining, yet believable. The pacing at the beginning might seem slow to some readers, yet I thought it worked perfectly with the book. With the theme of long-kept secrets and the unintentional harm they can do, the revelations would have seemed more contrived had they come too quickly. If anything, the pacing towards the end was a little too abrupt. I felt that things were tied up a little too neatly after all the secrets came pouring out in one rush.

The characters did seem a bit one-dimensional and stereotyped at times: Celeste--proper and rigid, overly concerned with status; Ronnie--trying to appear successful and carefree while masking her increasing sense of failure; Della--hiding her past and any indication of herself as a woman in her own right in order to remain "the mother." It seemed at times as if every central character was boiled down to one flaw that she needed to overcome, and that the flaw was essentially the same in each--the keeping of a secret that would have been less devastating had she been able to share it with her family.

On the other hand, the sense of a common shortcoming strengthened the sense that they were, indeed, family. And despite the somewhat shallow characterizations, I found myself caring about what happened to each one--and hoping they'd all learn what they needed in order to make their lives work in the future.

This was not complex reading, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable exploration of the relations of a mother and her daughters--the love they have for each other as well as the damage they do to that love in the name of maintaining their own images.

Rating:
Summary: Great Sophmore Effort
Review: I also enjoyed this book. Celeste and Ronnie Fraiser, two sisters different as night and day, their beloved father has died and neither one can understand their mother, Della. Good storyline, and great characters make this story worthwhile and enjoyable reading. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about family misunderstandings, legacies, joy and pains and forgiveness. I hope someone can pick this book up and decide to make a movie. Read and Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Slow Start; Excellent Finish
Review: I bought this book almost two years ago and just recently finished it.

When I began reading it on vacation in May of 2001, I found it very difficult to get into because I felt the characters lacked depth. I tried for several weeks after my vacation to finish this book since I remembered having a similar feeling about this pair's debut novel, Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made (which ended splendidly).

I finally decided while I was on break for Christmas 2002 that I would finish this book and donate it to my local library when I was done. I am very happy that I picked the book up again.

I guess because of the two authors very different/distinct writing styles, the initial writing sets the foundation of the story and the second writing adds embellishment and clarity. By the time I passed midpoint of the book, I was drawn in and couldn't read the pages quick enough.

Della's secrets of her former life emerge in a painfully slow manner, but I had to ask myself how long would it take me to not only grow enough to accept the things that she endured as a child, but then to share those secrets with my children. I decided that it would be a painfully slow process and thus could appreciate this novel on a whole.

Be patient in your reading (I know that can be difficult; I usually finish books this size within a few days), it will pay off in the end! It took me my whole Christmas vacation (10 days) but I finished it and was pleasantly surprised at the ending.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Reading!
Review: I enjoyed this book so much! The relationship between mother and daughters reminds me of my own personal interactions with my own daughters at times! It all seemed so real.
The sisters behaved just like some sisters do.....the way everything was eventually brought out in the open and the mother's coming to terms with her past was beautifully written.
This is a Great read! I recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Lacks emotion
Review: I think this book started off good and ended even better. I loved these characters. I loved how the daughters Ronnie and Celeste discovered the real side of their mother Della. I'll say the book was written well and the image that popped into your head of Prosper,North Carolina really proved that these two writers are truly gifted. As soon as I finished the book I couldn't wait to pass it on to another avid book reader like myself. This book actually made me put down the remote control for a day.

Rating:
Summary: More of A Mystery
Review: I would say that this book sort of had you guessing, "What is Della trying to hide from her daughters?" It was very slow to start and I had to force myself to read it, but as I read on it got a little more interesting as they would go back and forth between the past and present.

Rating:
Summary: As good as the first
Review: This was an excellent book. It started out slow but DEFINITELY became more interesting as the story began to unfold.

Rating:
Summary: Reflections
Review: Why do we choose to keep the truth from the ones we love? When you keep secrets from family members, those secrets will eventually turn up when you least expect it. "Far From the Tree" by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant takes you on a soul-searching journey of one family who's forced to come to turns in facing their family secrets and relationships.

The storyline revolves around Odella, and her daughters, Celeste and Ronnie. The book takes you on an individual tour of each person's life, different personalities, and the way they view life itself after they have buried their father. Odella has secrets that she wants to stay hidden which involves her past and upbringing. Celeste is the controlling daughter who knows what is best for her mother, sister, and her family, only her way is not always accepted. Ronnie is a wannabe actress trying to reach that one big break only to find brick walls at every turn.

When they are brought together in North Carolina because of land owned by the family, they soon realize another chapter in their lives is about to be written. Harsh realities are soon revealed and they must now face their secrets and each other to begin the healing process.

I applaud Ms. Deberry and Ms. Grant on a very well thought out storyline and strong character development that allows you to relate to each person's reality on living and surviving. Towards the end, reading each page was heart warming and they grabbed you and made you realize how important family is, and further emphasized that patience, support, and trust are the ingredients in establishing a strong family unit.

Far from the Tree is a unique book, which is presented with great taste and a detailed precision from the beginning to the end. This is a book that will not disappoint you, but leave you with much food for thought and a better understanding on building family trust and relationships.

Reviewed by Kalaani
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers