Tree Magic

This novel captured my attention much more deeply than I had anticipated due to a picturesque writing and intelligent plot. The settings were vividly detailed and at times you can almost feel the trees under your fingertips as if Rainbow is guiding your hand.

I thought the author created some beautiful characters that were complex and magical in this wonderfully imaginative story. There was something graceful and poetic about Rainbow’s connection to the trees; in some ways it reminded me a bit of the Lorax. The plot surprises and penetrating details swirl together for a mesmerizing novel.

The story moves very slowly in some ways as if mimicking the growth of the trees while trying to tell the story of Rainbow’s foundational years. Eventually it’ll pick up but there are no action, rollercoaster like moments that will glue you to the pages. Instead what keeps you reading are the character portrayals mixed into the journey of self-discovery which let your mind relax so you can feel some true moments of peace and beauty.

It’s a good book for middle school kids and teens to read as they’re dealing with similar challenges of growing up on their way to adulthood. Along with some of the prototypical stuff you’d find in a coming of age story the magical element that whisks you towards the conclusion will take you on one last emotional push as Harriet Springbett does her best to bring everything together in this unique exploration of life as we forget to live it.

Tree Magic by Harriett Springbett is a wonderfully different book. The main character is Rainbow, a 13 year old girl who has a special connection with trees. I found book a little bit slow to begin with, but it did pick up, and when it did the pace was steady and enjoyable throughout. That said, the start did pull me in. It was truly the title, and the image it automatically conjures up, that had me requesting the book straight away. Tree Magic is the perfect title for the book, given what it's about.

The book shows us Rainbow's coming to terms with her gift and her challenges in learning to accept who she is despite all that life throws at her. She has a complex relationship with her inner self and her family which is vividly explored in the book.

Her powers, despite being what gives the book its incredibly unique title and therefore an interesting slant on the story, are not the entire focus of the book, an aspect I found refreshingly intriguing and welcome given that many other books with a paranormal plot do tend to be exclusively or mainly focused on the magic power a person has and how this affects them and others in their daily life However, in Tree Magic, it is the relationships Rainbow has with herself and others that make the story such a success in my mind.

The gift Rainbow has gives her character a uniqueness which I haven't found in many other books and the way the author tells the story of each and every character is through incredibly vivid and powerful writing. I felt as though I were there with Rainbow and the other characters living and experiencing what they did. The character portrayal was unique to each character. I found myself sympathising with, and feeling for, Rainbow and could see parts of myself at age 13 in her. I felt a dislkike for her stepdad Bob and felt Rainbow's mum was an interesting character. I liked how she supported Rainbow in life.

Life's ups and downs are shown from a different perspective for each character, yet the characters are all intertwined in some way and very thoughtfiully and artfully developed for the age group and genre the book is written for.
There are many twists and turns within the book and moments of happiness tragedy and excitement, just like in real life.

Thank you to Harriett Springbett and the publisher for sending me an advance review copy via NetGalley. After reading Tree Magic, I can honestly say that I'm glad to have found a new favourite YA author. Tree Magic is unforgettable. I'd recommend it to younger, as well as older, adults.

Excellently done. It is written for a certain age group but appeals to anyone who picks it up! A charming, intriguing book that I think may have become a favorite in this house. :)

This book started off great. There was Rainbow who was left to her own devices, her discovering her powers, a tree house, lots of tree discussions and a cat. But after the “incident”, that I won’t go into much because I don’t want to spoil it, Rainbow was split into two, literally.

She was now divided into Mary and Rainbow. While Rainbow continued on with using her powers, Mary had abandoned the gift. And as the story progressed it was apparent that Rainbow was more childish and spiritual, while the incident had made Mary more mature, realistic and also stubborn, I suppose.

I loved the fantasy that was woven in the book at the beginning and the end, but in the middle, the book read very much like a contemporary with subtle fantasy. The love I had felt for the book as I started it was lost in the middle, and back again at the end.

But I genuinely enjoyed parts of Tree Magic and for a debut novel, it was a job well done. All the characters were written well and as a polyglot (someone who loves languages), I felt the struggles Mary went through trying to learn a new language and realizing that that is not enough to speak it. A language is nothing without the culture, after all.

And that’s it! I don’t have a lot to say about this book but if Harriet Springbett does write another novel I would be interested in reading it too because this was really original.

Have you guys read this book? If yes, tell me what you thought of it and if not, then let me know of any other books similar to this that I should try out down in the comments!

Lots of love,

Raven