Mixed Review -- A Sound Among the Trees

I had never read a book by Susan Meissner and decided to give A Sound Among the Trees a try.  After finishing the book, I’m left with mixed feelings about the story.

Marielle marries Carson and moves with him and his two children to Holly Oak, the historic Virginia home of Adelaide, the grandmother of Carson’s deceased first wife.  Shortly after moving, Marielle hears stories of the ghost of Susannah Page, Adelaide’s great-grandmother, who haunts Holly Oak.  Adelaide doesn’t believe there is a ghost but is convinced that the house itself has some sort of hold over its inhabitants.  Marielle finds herself on a journey to sort out the truth about Susannah, Holly Oak, and the generations of women who have lived there.

The story has a lot of depth, and is told through the eyes of multiple generations --  particularly, Marielle, Adelaide, and Susannah (through a number of letters she wrote to a cousin during the Civil War).  Meissner’s writing is very descriptive, allowing the reader to see and feel the atmosphere the characters are in.  The plot, though, is slow-moving and is sometimes rather dark.  Although there is some light and healing at the end, I’m not entirely sure I ever found the whole story.

Find out more about this book here and more about the author here. 

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for an honest review.