By Therese Anne Fowler
This book is compelling. I was hesitant initially, with its Romeo and Juliet overtones and biracial love scandal, but the story has many more facets than that.
At its core is a neighborly dispute over a vast oak tree that has centered the neighborhood for generations. On one side of the newly-erected fence, it begins wasting away, and the ecology professor who lives there raises the alarm. On the other side, the nouveau-riche, entitled, white man who cuts corners whenever possible to stay ahead can’t see the harm. Can you guess with which side I aligned?
Lawsuits ensue. Love, inappropriate or not is explored in all its forms and motivations. Prejudice is examined from many point of views. Entitlement rears its ugly head. I think the most telling part for me however, was the poison that the media injects into the situation. As we see often in every situation now, the media’s take on it is often regurgitated without research or further thought. We also neglect to listen for a slant or point of view and make judgements for ourselves. The media creates the crisis in this story, and steals the humanity and kindness from each character.
It’s great! It’s tragic, relevant, modern, uncomfortable, and infuriating. All the things we want great books to be!
Soundtrack
- Runaway by P!nk
- Crush by Jennifer Paige
- Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
- Dance in the Dark by Lady Gaga
- Young Girl by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap