The Trees by Percival Everett

Sunday Times Fiction Book of The Year, Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction Winner and Booker Prize 2022 shortlist; Influx Press - 2021; 335 pages; Dimensions: 14.1 x 2.3 x 19.7cm

Wow! Just Wow!

What an excellent choice for one of my book clubs for our April get together. Perfect timing too as we will have our book club in the afternoon then I am off to meet Percival Everett in the evening at a bookshop.

This book is a powerful satire that touches on difficult subjects with very clever humorous parts. I found the narrative hard hitting with graphic details, strong language, there is also a racist term that pops up many times but all of this is used in context which forms part of the story telling. I feel if these were missing one would feel that it wouldn’t be so realistic and would lose its verisimilitude.

I found it a fast paced and pleasurable read but also made me think and having an impact on myself making me wanting to look up the subjects and educate myself more. I had some prior knowledge which did help, I do love a book that makes me want to know more.

In terms of sensory, I feel this paper back is standard size, shape and length. I have a 2022 cover of a beige looking exercise book page with the author’s name in handwriting, the rest of the cover is a little hard to describe. To me it looks like cherries on what appears to be a sticker or post-it note. Different - I like it.

The cover is extremely smooth, you would probably be ok to wipe it if anything was to get on it. The book reads fast - I read in one sitting over just a few hours, soft pages lots of space. Some pages are lists of names, which were quite hard-hitting, and end of chapters finish in just a few lines at the top of the next page. A very easy read that just flowed and I could well imagine the characters voices and accents.

This was my first book by Percival Everett and I can’t wait to read more, with Erasure and Dr. No sitting on my bookshelf so I can delve in again to his worlds.

I am really looking forward to discussing this at book club and meeting Mr Percival Everett himself - watch this space for a post on that.

Have you read The Trees? Do let me know what you think. If you haven’t I strongly recommend reading this one.

Thanks for reading my non spoiler review. Kindest regards, Holly