Kiernan received the shattering diagnosis of cancer, she was obviously concerned about her health. This has to be one of the most defensive books i have ever read. The voice of the journal was my chief complaint with the novel i suppose its possible that authors keep journals like this, but the prose vacillated. Kiernan is the author of many science fiction and dark fantasy works, including eleven novels, many comic books, more than two hundred and fifty published short stories, novellas, and vignettes. Her awardwinning short fiction has been collected in six volumes, including tales of pain and more about caitlin r. Its a damn shame the book is saddled with some of the worst, and most misleading, cover art ive seen in some time. But better a little too much mystery than a glut of unrealistic explanation, and this only fault isnt enough to detract from an incredible book. This series is comprised of 2 books in total, which were released between the years 1998 and 2004.
The red tree by caitlin r kiernan fantastic fiction. Taking the form of a journal kept by sarah crow, an author grieving the suicide of her partner, the red tree is a sumptuously written examination of grief, anger, loneliness and the effects these can have on a persons sanity. This is a disturbing novel, ultimately very scary at times with a brooding, melancholy undercurrent to it. Book of dreams, and the mammoth book of vampire romance, and more on. The red tree is a little more accessible i think though, and very very cool. Kiernan news, author interviews, critics picks and more. The tree itself does not seem that frightening to me. Martin, holly black published by prime books 2011 isbn 10. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most. Jul 10, 2009 i have admired caitlin kiernan s short stories for some time now, so i was excited about finally getting to one of her novels. Caitlin rebekah kiernan born 26 may 1964 is an irishborn american author of science fiction and dark fantasy works, including ten novels, many comic books, and more than two hundred and fifty published short stories, novellas, and vignettes. Apr 16, 2012 discover book depositorys huge selection of caitlin r kiernan books online. She has also published two volumes of erotica, frog toes and tentacles and. I want to like horror novels, but its difficult to maintain that sort of atmosphere and tension for the length of a novel.
One of the book series written by author caitlin r. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Her awardwinning short fiction has been collected in six volumes, including tales of pain and wonder. Some years ago a friend gave me a lend of her debut novel silk. Even later, constance delves into the dank basement herself and somehow disappears despite sarahs traversing the basement until she eventually reaches the roots of the red. Kiernan is masterful at her deployment of the unreliable narrator. Dec 28, 2009 part of what kiernan points out early in the book comes back to the fore as the novel progresses. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. The red tree 2009 read online free book by caitlin r. Kiernan is the author of nine novels, including silk, threshold, low red moon, murder of angels, daughter of hounds, and the red tree. What other book might you compare the red tree to and why.
Femaleauthor, femalefronted while there are few answers and even fewer conclusions to be drawn from the red tree, it is still a damned fine read, one distinguished as much by the voices as the embedded narratives. The table was for years joannes writing table she was a. However, that basement is genuinely disturbing, and the two scenes set there were the two creepiest parts of the book. Kiernan somewhere in the vastness of her internet musings, or perhaps in an preface to short story collection i cannot now find the find passage, though i have tried, caitlin kiernan remonstrates with a reader who complained that he.
The red tree by caitlin r kiernan book cover, description, publication history. Its haunting, beautiful, terrifying, and absolutely superb. Kiernan sarah crowe left atlantaand the remnants of a tumultuous relationshipto live in an old house in rural rhode island. The novel itself is crowes own legacy, her book of days told in journal form, starting with her arrival at the farmhouse and ending with an undated. Kiernan is a master storyteller with a unique voice and a superb handle on the balance between atmosphere, horror, and psychological underpinning.
And as theres a red oak outside my window, i took a picture of it looking appropriately old, red, and potentially. The red tree sarah crowe left atlantaand the remnants of a tumultuous relationshipto live in an old house in rural rhode island. I have admired caitlin kiernans short stories for some time now, so i was excited about finally getting to one of her novels. Kiernan and they are known collectively as the drowning girl. Lansdale, tanith lee, tim powers, john shirley, george r. Sarah crowe left atlantaand the remnants of a tumultuous relationshipto live in an old house in rural rhode island. There she finds a rather spooky manuscript, written by the houses former tenant, a professor who was driven mad by his obsession with a foottall red oak on the property. Apr 30, 2010 the unreliable narrator is a pretty common concept, one that lends itself to telling scary stories, but rarely do i see it employed as wonderfully as caitlin kiernan does in the red tree. Before this novel id read two of kiernans short stories and was very impressed by both.
The first book of this series is entitled silk it was released by the roc trade publication. Within its walls she discovers an unfinished manuscript written by the houses former tenantan anthropologist obsessed with the ancient oak growing on a desolate corner of the property. This was one of the best horror novels ive ever read. The way kiernan balances the supernatural ghost stories of the red tree and its grisly supposed past against the reality of a woman with slipping sanity is masterful. Lovecraft was a writer who managed to overcome his faults frequently racist overtones and often stiff language and evoke an atmosphere of dread and despair that turns even the hottest summer day into something dark and chilling. Kiernan, audiobook narrated by eileen stevens, katherine kellgren, christian rummel. As sarahs own obsession with the red tree grows, she records her experiences in a journal, published posthumously by her former book editor. I took the book from her, and the pen, and opened silent riots to the title page. The red tree is a very ambitious effort, an accomplished metafiction that is certainly horrific, but also stands as a piece of literature. I am usually not fond of the whole found manuscript storywithinastory trope, but i think it rather worked here, although it was sometimes hard to keep track of which. Using firstperson narration for the first time insofar as i know, shes created whats apparently a semiautobiographical novel, and she distances it from herself by tagging it as a novel by sarah crowe and charles l. But the editor told me of sarahs obsessive red tree enormous red oak and what was found today legendtripping at its roots. Its a damn shame the book is saddled with some of the.
The photograph to the right is the latest image of my own obsessive tree, obsessive for a few years now. She is also the author of scientific papers in the field of paleontology. Within its walls, she discovers an unfinished manuscript written by the houses former tenantan anthropologist obsessed with the ancient oak growing on a desolate corner of the property. She has also published two volumes of erotica, frog toes and tentacles.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. The only adequate words to describe this story have already been written by caitlin r. During a planned picnic to the red tree, constance and sarah become lost. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Whats depicted seeming to indicate the novel is a faceless drop in the contemporary fount of ya slush, in fact, it is anything but. Discover book depositorys huge selection of caitlin r kiernan books online. Kiernan volume one this book is part of the top rated caitlin r. It has a falling down the rabbit hole surreal feel to it.
Part of what kiernan points out early in the book comes back to the fore as the novel progresses. Today we had to drive out to leeds to pick up three pieces of furniture from my late aunt joannes house, two chairs and a table. Kiernan writes though and ill be filling up my tbr pile with more of her books. Caitlin rebekah kiernan born 26 may 1964 is an irishborn american published paleontologist and author of science fiction and dark fantasy works, including ten novels, series of comic books, and more than two hundred and fifty published short stories, novellas, and vignettes. Kiernan somewhere in the vastness of her internet musings, or perhaps in an preface to short story collection i cannot now find the find passage, though i have tried, caitlin kiernan remonstrates with a reader who complained that he could not find the story in her stories. Using firstperson narration for the first time insofar as i know, shes created whats apparently a semiautobiographical novel, and she distances it from herself by tagging it as a novel by sarah crowe. The unreliable narrator is a pretty common concept, one that lends itself to telling scary stories, but rarely do i see it employed as wonderfully as caitlin kiernan does in the red tree. Sarah crowe left atlantaand the remnants of a tumultuous relationsh. Within its walls she discovers an unfinished manuscript written by the houses former tenantan anthropologist obsessed with the ancient oak growing on.
If ever there is a novel to ignore the cover, one would most certainly be caitlin r. The red tree npr coverage of the red tree by caitlin r. The red tree and millions of other books are available for instant access. I signed my name, trying to remember the last time id signed one of my books, trying hard to recall how long it had been. Kiernan if ever there is a novel to ignore the cover, one would most certainly be caitlin r. Kiernan, dark fantasy, house of leaves, metafiction, the blair witch project, the red tree 4 comments. I cannot be more sincere in saying that this book is a unique experience that haunts the reader who dares to open the cover. The tree is apparently full of dark magic and is somehow connected to various deaths throughout the towns history. A densely multilayered narrative rich with dream imagery, the red tree may be her best book yet.