I found this book intriguing but too drawn out.

It took forever for things to really get moving. I was past the halfway point before I felt truly engaged with the characters and their situation. I appreciated the detailed look at logging early on, but it quickly started feeling excessive. The story is mostly told through Rich and Colleen’s perspectives (husband and wife MCs), and I found myself dreading Rich’s sections. They read more like a logging seminar than a narrative. Even some of Colleen’s thoughts became a bit repetitive. That said, I appreciated the last 40%. Once the environmental impacts started coming to light, the tension and stakes really picked up.

This story tackles serious and important themes like deforestation, herbicide use, families fighting to survive, the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages, economic instability, and the sad reality that change, even when necessary, comes at a personal cost. Knowing these events are based on a real-life situation makes the book even more compelling.

My company specializes in environmental remediation, working to clean up contamination caused by the unintended consequences of chemical use and mismanagement. People simply didn’t realize how dangerous some of these chemicals were, especially when mishandled. We’re talking about water contamination, soil degradation, disrupted ecosystems, food contamination, neurological disorders, and reproductive issues, which are all devastating consequences that can take years, sometimes even decades, to fully remediate.

Given my profession, I appreciated this book, but I would have preferred a deeper focus on personal tragedies and environmental issues rather than extended descriptions of logging practices. That shift would have easily made it a 5-star read for me.

Thank you @netgalley and Scribner for the eARC, which I have read & reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I unfortunately did not connect with this story so after about 25% i decided to put it down. There was a slight disconnect between the writing, the characters and the plot and for that it just did not work for me.

I love a big family novel, especially one that exists in the context of a different time period. 70s in the trees was an atmospheric dream.

I loved the story that Ash Davidson told in Damnation Spring. The setting was so picturesque and I found myself dreaming about the redwoods in Northern California for weeks after finishing this book.

Ash Davidson’s debut is one of a growing pool of climate fiction novels. Damnation Spring is set in a small logging town in Northern California. It follows a family as they struggle between environmental destruction and survival. I found the characters engrossing and the conflicts they faced both troubling and thought provoking. His writing is vivid and haunting. I look forward to reading more from Ash Davidson. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A dense tome weighed down by jargon-heavy passages. While ambitious in scope, its technical complexity often clouds the narrative flow. Not for casual readers​​​​​​​​.

Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson is a haunting and deeply affecting novel that explores the intersection of family, community, and environmental crisis in 1970s logging country. The story centers on Rich Gundersen, a logger, and his wife, Colleen, a midwife, as they navigate the harsh realities of their rural life while grappling with the devastating consequences of industrial practices on their land and loved ones. Davidson’s writing is rich and evocative, vividly portraying the beauty and brutality of the natural world and the complexities of the characters’ struggles. The novel is both an intimate family drama and a powerful commentary on environmental degradation and corporate greed. With its slow-burn tension, emotional depth, and moral complexity, Damnation Spring is a thought-provoking and unforgettable read.

Review to come, I accidentally got this one and didn’t download before archive. Will read and update

Damnation Spring is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the fight for what is right in the face of overwhelming odds. Davidson’s debut is both a heartfelt family saga and a cautionary tale about the consequences of our actions on the earth. It's a compelling read that lingers long after the last page.

Damnation Spring is a well done novel that gets a little bogged down in technical jargon, but recovers by the end. Colleen and Rich both want to protect their family, they just have different visions of doing so. Set in the seventies in California, it's a time of turmoil, both for the couple and the town they live in. The setting was lovely and atmospheric and the writing was very good.

A lovely story of love and struggle that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. We follow Rich and Colleen as they navigate life as part of a logging community. The story is a little slow moving but it suits the mood and flow of this long arching story of the difficulties of building a life and raising a family. The story focuses on the 1970 during a time when chemicals were still commonly used to control growth of unwanted plants. I knew very little about the way this affected pregnancies and the growth of children so while the story was entertaining and captivating it was also educational to learn more about this time and how women in particular were influenced by the poor behavior of the logging industry.

I was really excited to receive the arc. Having family living in Del Norte County and a nephew who is a logger brought a personal touch to the story. However, I started and stopped this book 3 different times. It was very well researched and the first 200 pages felt like a research paper. Big corporations against environmentalists, family traditions, deception and sickness. I really could not connect with any of the characters. And, I had never heard any of my family members refer to the beautiful giant redwood trees as pumpkins. The writing was very good. It’s just not the story for me.

Thank you #NetGalley, #Scribner, #AshDavidson and #DamnationSpring for the ebook for my honest review.

What a read!! I am so glad I finally got to read this book, I am always looking for more compelling eco-fiction to sink my teeth into and this hit the spot! This is a novel about logging and all the environmental degradation that comes along with that, but it’s also about the logging families who have been doing this work for generations and can’t imagine doing anything else. This story follows one families journey through a year of loss - loss of all shapes and sizes- and puts into perspective the complicated relationship between the tress and the men who cut them down, and the way the fate of those trees ripples outwards. Terrific read, looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Scribner, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!

Damnation Spring is a deep dive into the lives of a logging family in 1970s California, exploring environmental and personal dilemmas. Readers explore a vivid setting and an intriguing premise involving the hardships of logging and the heartbreak of repeated miscarriages possibly linked to environmental toxins. However, the novel's pacing is slow, and the heavy use of logging terminology can make it a challenging read. The narrative, rich with character development and historical context, might be cumbersome but ultimately rewards those interested in complex family sagas and environmental drama.

"Damnation Spring" by Ash Davidson is a beautifully crafted and deeply moving novel that explores the complexities of family, community, and the environment. Set in the redwood forests of Northern California in the 1970s, the story follows the lives of Rich Gunderson, a logger struggling to make ends meet, and his wife Colleen, who dreams of a better life for their son, Chub.

Davidson's writing is richly evocative, painting a vivid picture of the rugged landscape and the people who call it home. The novel delves into the challenges faced by the logging community, from the backbreaking work in the forests to the environmental regulations that threaten their way of life. At the heart of the story is the conflict between the desire for economic prosperity and the need to protect the natural world.

The characters are compelling and multifaceted, each grappling with their own hopes, fears, and desires. Rich and Colleen's love for each other and their son shines through even in the darkest of times, as they navigate the complexities of their relationship and the challenges of living in a small, close-knit community.

As tensions rise between the loggers and environmental activists, "Damnation Spring" explores themes of identity, belonging, and the pursuit of justice. Davidson deftly weaves together multiple narrative threads, from Rich's struggles to provide for his family to Colleen's determination to protect the land she loves.

Overall, "Damnation Spring" is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page. With its lyrical prose, richly drawn characters, and timely themes, it's a must-read for anyone who enjoys literary fiction that grapples with pressing social and environmental issues. Ash Davidson has crafted a powerful and unforgettable debut that heralds the arrival of a talented new voice in contemporary literature.

This is one of those books that are hit or miss for me and unfortunately this was a miss for me. The characters were interesting but the plot for me was lacking. I think that this is one of nature fiction books that will work for a lot of people it just wasn't the kind that worked for me

This book really touched me and left me thinking about it long after I finished. I felt very attached to the family and it felt like I was reading about a real family. Beautiful writing. Taking away one star just for some slow pacing in certain areas.

I really enjoyed Damnation Spring and found it very well written and compelling. The logging jargon is a bit much in the beginning, but the story gels together. I'm definitely looking forward to any future books by the author.

👋 Hey, Hey, Hey - Mini Reviews 👋

Hey! Zoe and I are still here, but it’s taking longer than anticipated for me to get back to regular posting. 😜 Having kids out of school makes unpacking harder and I knew we had a ton of stuff, but phew! 🫣 It’s ridiculous even with the excessive purging. 📦📦📦

Here are the books I’ve read since I’ve been absent/moving…I’m still reading! OK, so audiobooks mostly, but I’m getting them checked off! ✅✅✅

Damnation Spring - I really liked the writing on this one and the story had such a good pull. The ending wasn’t my favorite, so I took a star away. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A clear picture of an era when the public consumers were becoming more aware of the dangers and long term consequences of the timber industries management of resources. One family's journey into conflict with th eindustry that will expose their conflicting actions to reach a common goal. Damnation Spring will pull together the town and it's residents to save their way of life. But what will be the cost to an industry already facing severe dangers? A great read that will leave you with many questions that have no clear answers.