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Woodsburner (2009)

by John Pipkin(Favorite Author)

3.49 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0385528655 (ISBN13: 9780385528658)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Nan A. Talese

review 1: I had been waiting to read this novel for a few years, and my anticipation was disappointed. The plot, which was inspired by a real-historical incident, revolves around the loosely interconnecting stories of three fictional characters and Henry David Thoreau, following the historical fire that Thoreau accidentally set in the Concord woods. At times Pipkin's writing is beautifully evocative, but mostly I found the novel contrived and not compelling. Other than a brief passage of sympathy with "Emma," I had a hard time connecting to the characters, or becoming invested in their narratives. Much of the book was bawdy or shallow, never breaking the surface into the depth of substance that was glimpsed in the strongest passages. The novel has much unrealized promise and pur... morepose.
review 2: Fascinating story behind this book -- apparently Henry David Thoreau set a forest fire in his youth and burned a significant portion of the Concord woods. This is a fictionalized version of that account, with stories being told by five characters. We hear the lives of each, and what brought them to Concord at this point in their lives. The fire causes character development of one kind or another...in all but Thoreau himself. He was pompously introspective the whole book. It didn't turn out to be as interesting as I expected it to be, but once the fire was being fought, it moved quickly. less

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