A darkly magical novel about a mysterious family legacy, the bonds of sisterhood, and the strange and powerful ways we are shaped by the places we call home, from the critically acclaimed author of Shallow Graves.
For the first eight years of her life, an unusual apple orchard in Vermont is Sorrow Lovegood's whole world. The land has been passed down through generations of brave, resilient women, and while their offbeat habits may be ridiculed by other townspeople--especially their neighbors, the Abrams family--Sorrow and her family take pride in its odd history.
Then one winter night, an unthinkable tragedy changes everything. In the aftermath, Sorrow is sent to Miami to live with her father, away from the only home she's ever known.
Now sixteen, Sorrow's memories of her life in Vermont are maddeningly hazy. She returns to the orchard for the summer, determined to learn more about her troubled childhood and the family she left eight years ago. But it soon becomes clear that some of her questions have difficult--even dangerous--answers. And there may be a price to pay for asking.
- Small Town Mystery: Sorrow returns to the isolated Abrams Valley, a town simmering with gossip and a generations-old feud between her family and their powerful neighbors, the Abramses.
- Contemporary Gothic: An unusual apple orchard with an odd history holds the key to Sorrow's past, but its darkly magical influence might be as dangerous as the truth it hides.
- Sisterhood and Grief: Eight years ago, an unthinkable tragedy took Sorrow's sister, Patience. Now, to honor her memory, Sorrow must face the hazy, terrifying gaps in her own.
- Magical Realism: The women of the Lovegood family have always been resilient, but the strange power of the orchard that sustains them may demand a terrible price for its secrets.
About the Author :
Kali Wallace is the author of two novels for teens and many short stories. She studied geology for years but now devotes her time to writing. She lives in Southern California. You can find her at www.kaliwallace.com.
Review :
"From the tenderness and toxicity that can simultaneously exist in families, to the rippling effect of mental illness, to the search for a solid identity among all those jagged pieces, The Memory Trees has a lot to unpack with a hint of magical realism and mystique." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"This is a dark and brooding mystery about a matrilineal family steeped in tragedy, but a hopeful ending honors the enduring power of love and resilience."
- The Horn Book"A gorgeously crafted, sumptuously layered novel that masterfully peels back the layers of love, loss and endurance harnessed by twelve generations of brave, magical Lovegood women. The Memory Trees is a stunning powerhouse of a book. It is timeless. It is beautiful. It is a gift." - Shannon M. Parker, author of The Rattled Bones
"No one writes creepy, beautiful stories like Wallace does - she expertly weaves love, loss, compassion, and murder in a way that will both move you to tears and have you sleeping with the lights on. The Memory Trees will keep you guessing until the very end." - Adriana Mather, author of How to Hang a Witch
★ "An absorbing, lyrically drawn mystery, examination of grief, and cautionary tale." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"From the tenderness and toxicity that can simultaneously exist in families, to the rippling effect of mental illness, to history's ability to bring guilt to a faultless generation, to the search for a solid identity among all those jagged pieces, The Memory Trees has a lot to unpack with a hint of magical realism and mystique." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"Wallace has created a fascinating matriarchal backstory with touches of magical realism that will appeal to readers of Alice Hoffman." - Booklist
"This brooding tale of a strange family and its secrets may appeal to readers who enjoy lyrical stories of grief and redemption." - School Library Journal
"A fast-paced story with an interesting hook, and a thoughtful look at what it means to be human versus what it means to be a monster. The end result is a superbly crafted debut bound to entrance." - Booklist (starred review) on Shallow Graves
"Kali Wallace has created a world that's both natural and unsettling ...and reminds us with Breezy's story that true terror is not a monster, but what lurks in the dark corners of human nature." - Madeleine Roux, New York Times bestselling author of the Asylum series, on Shallow Graves
"Constantly entertaining, intriguing, and suspenseful." - Kirkus on Shallow Graves
"A fast-paced ride through a dark, imaginative world." - Mindy McGinnis, author of The Female of the Species, on Shallow Graves
