Official Review: The Trees Are Dying by Ed Surma

[Bertha Jackson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Trees Are Dying" by Ed Surma.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Twelve (He and She of Black, He and She of Brown, He and She of Red, He and She of Yellow, He and She of White, and He and She of Beyond Color) must find a solution as to why all of the trees are dying. They go to The Oracle, located in a cave, a portal to the Underworld, for advice and to gain knowledge of the present and the future. The Oracle asks them if they think they are responsible for deciding the fate of all and if their way is the only way for survival. For them to be successful, they must do what needs to be done without judgment against others. They must surrender. What does the Oracle mean? Will The Twelve be able to save the trees? Is there more at stake than just the trees? You will need to read The Trees Are Dying by Ed Surma to find out.

There are several positive aspects to this book. The book consists of four chapters that revolve around the four seasons (Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring). Each chapter begins with a picture of what the trees look like during that particular season. These pictures helped me visualize the trees. Mr. Surma did a fantastic job with character development. I could picture each of the characters in my mind, regardless if they were mortal, immortal, or faery. Before reading this book, I never realized that there was a difference between faeries and fairies.

In my opinion, this book has only one negative aspect. Although the characters are described and fully developed, many of them do not have names. They go by "He" or "She," and I had to reread sections multiple times to ensure I knew which character I was reading about. The book would have been easier to read if the characters had names.

This book only has two small errors that a professional editor could have easily missed. Overall, this professionally-edited and well-written book warrants 4 out of 4 stars because the narrative flowed smoothly. The one flaw with the lack of character names was not distracting enough to remove a star.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy fictional tales involving faeries and other immortal characters. I will caution readers that the book contains borderline profanity and mild sexual content. However, I do not believe this content will be offensive to most readers.

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The Trees Are Dying
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[Mercy119]

Judging by the cover, the book looks like a crime/horror novel. I'm intrigued by the story's plotline and would like to know the trees' ailment. The nameless characters, however, might pause a challenge.

[Vishnu Priya B]

Twelve characters without names? That must be a challenge to read. Nonetheless, the plot sounds interesting.

[Tulika Padmane]

The book is quite engaging with a different plotline. Gives you a new perspective to think about. I would love to read it. Great review.

[Jydel]

Trees are Dying sounds interesting. I also did not know that there is a difference between fairies and faeries. Am more curious why books on trees has mild sexual content and profanity. Nice review.

[Pallavi Lakra]

The portrayal of changing seasons with trees gives me the visual from twilight movie! Would love to read the book! Thanks for the review!

[onyii_review]

This sounds like a unique concept. Thanks for the review.