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There are currently 42 member reviews
for Serena
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Vivian Q. (Greer, SC)
Compelling Page Turner
Ron Rash is a master storyteller. This book is even better than the last book of his that I read - Saints at the River. Serena grabs you from the first page and never lets go. The characters are vivid and very well written. Serena just leaps off the page. The story, set in 1929, is about greed. lust, the destruction of natural resources, wealth, and the sometimes destructive power that comes with it .
Quite compelling and beautifully written, I can't wait to see what Mr. Rash does next. Recommended for book clubs and all readers of gorgeous prose.
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Ray P. (Selden, NY)
Serena depicts a mix of beauty and violence.
George and Serena Pemberton are newly married and have made the huge decision to relocate from Boston to North Carolina during the uncertain times of 1929. In an effort to make their mark in the world they dream of building their own timber empire. This is not as easy as it sounds as a couple of "Yankees" are not necessarily accepted in the mountains of the south.
However, George and Serena have a serious mean streak. George's philandering has spawned an illegitimate child and Serena has turned herself into a real "mountain woman" - making them a formidable pair. When Serena learns that she is unable to bear a child - she takes out her pain and frustration on the illegitimate child George fathered. What follows is a battle of blood-lust that turns surprisingly violent.
Ron Rash has penned a classic American saga against the rugged landscape of the N. Carolina Appalachia region that reads like an epic soap opera where each character has much to gain or lose.
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Cecile G. (Mansfield, TX)
Serena
Rash picked a fascinating industry around which to set his novel and he is a brilliant storyteller. Having said that, I would have liked more history of the development of the national parks system and especially the past histories of the characters. I suppose I am drawn to historical fiction and with a little more development this novel could make s a real presence for the logging industry and the parks development. thanks for the opportunity to share this fine work.
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Molinda C. (APO, AE)
Serena
This book was difficult for me to read at first. I knew that something bad was going to happen and I wanted it to happen right then so that the pervasive sense of foreboding could go away. Well, bad things started happening all right. This is a Greek Tragedy set in a logging camp during the Depression. Ron Rash cleverly incorporates the Greek chorus in the body of a logging gang--such an insightful, observant and ultimately impotent group of men have never been more skillfully written.
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Mary J. (Scottsdale, AZ)
Not for the Faint of Heart
This is a interesting story but can be violent at times. It describes murders and hunting of animals. That aside, the story is quite engrossing and will keep you wondering what will happen next.
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Fred S. (san diego, CA)
Serena
I enjoyed this book,and I'm looking forward to getting another of Mr.Rash's books.
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Rebecca J. (Knoxville, TN)
Serena by Ron Rash
I was interested in the setting and subject of this book being North Carolina and part of the Great Smoky Mountains where I live. I learned a bunch about logging and the problems that came with the development of national parks. That said, the characterization part of the book could have been much better. The story lines were interesting (perfect power couple, poor illegitimate mother, etc.) but there was never much of an explanation of why the people were the way they were. Serena and her husband were 2 of the most evil characters I have ever read about, but I never got a glimpse of what made them that way. As a result, I found them somewhat unbelievable. The book was interesting but could have been great with maybe less history and more character development.
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