Name: The Forest
Rating: 3.2 (5 reviews)
ISBN: 9780345441782

Edward Rutherfurd

An epic, multigenerational novel of England focuses on a family living on the southern coast and spans the period from the Norman conquest to the nineteenth century. By the author of Russka and London. Reprint.

The Forest

M. Sosotris

Fans of Rutherford or Michener are aware of the format and conventions. Each section is essentially a short story or novella set in a specific time period. Some stories refer back to past events in previous sections, and some elements carry throughout multiple stories. Taken altogether, the stories paint a picture of England's New Forest and its unique character by following multiple families throughout history. 

Reading this book is a lot like studying a Victorian painting. It's pastoral, calm, and at times surprising. I love the eddies in the narrative where the text hyperfocuses on some quiet, out-of-the-way moment, like one instance where we get nearly a whole page on forest mushrooms. These digressions sound like they'd be distracting, but they're actually incredibly engaging! 

My one criticism of the book (and this is very subjective, so your mileage may vary) was that I found the descriptions of the place and character of the Forest itself more interesting than the trials and tribulations of the human characters. I frequently found myself unclear as to what was happening to the characters, and would have to keep flipping back to connect the dots to the story, realizing that I had missed an important detail a few pages back. But when the text was focused on description and exposition, I was riveted and could picture everything in my mind perfectly.

Maybe that's a fault with me, but it meant that I couldn't ever really connect with any of the characters. However, the overall experience of reading this novel was a positive one. The way the stories all connect together and build on one another is a big part of why I love Rutherfurd's books so much.

Dimitris Papastergiou

Kathy Rodger 

Sabine Delorme

Judy McClure

An epic centred on one of the most visited beauty spots in England - the New Forest. Few places are more historically resonant, more mysterious or more friendly.

The Forest

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