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The Crying Tree
Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he’s been offered a job as a deputy sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon’s high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death. Shep’s murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. Irene’s approach is to live, week after week, waiting for Daniel Robbin’s execution and the justice she feels she and her family deserve. Those weeks turn into months and then years. Ultimately, faced with a growing sense that Robbin’s death will not stop her pain, Irene takes the extraordinary and clandestine step of reaching out to her son’s killer. The two forge an unlikely connection that remains a secret from her family and friends. Years later, Irene receives the notice that she had craved for so long—Daniel Robbin has stopped his appeals and will be executed within a month. This announcement shakes the very core of the Stanley family. Irene, it turns out, isn’t the only one with a shocking secret to hide. As the execution date nears, the Stanleys must face difficult truths and find a way to come to terms with the past. Dramatic, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting, The Crying Tree is an unforgettable story of love and redemption, the unbreakable bonds of family, and the transformative power of forgiveness.
353 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2009
106 people are currently reading
4,538 people want to read
About the author
Naseem Rakha
1Ìýbook115ÌýfollowersNaseem is an award winning author and journalist whose stories have been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Her best selling novel The Crying Tree is a winner of the 2010 PNBA Book Award and recent Richard and Judy Book Club pick.
Naseem is interested in stories that have spur discussion and interest in critical social issues.
Naseem is represented by Markson Thoma Literary Agency in NYC
"Beautifully written, expertly crafted, forcefully rendered. The Crying Tree is a story of redemption, but at its core it is a love story as well, and that is the most powerful story of all." Garth Stein, Author The Art of Racing in the Rain
"Spellbinding storytelling." Publishers Weekly
"A beautiful and passionate novel that never becomes maudlin or unbelievable. Highly recommended." Library Journal, June 1, 2009
Naseem is interested in stories that have spur discussion and interest in critical social issues.
Naseem is represented by Markson Thoma Literary Agency in NYC
"Beautifully written, expertly crafted, forcefully rendered. The Crying Tree is a story of redemption, but at its core it is a love story as well, and that is the most powerful story of all." Garth Stein, Author The Art of Racing in the Rain
"Spellbinding storytelling." Publishers Weekly
"A beautiful and passionate novel that never becomes maudlin or unbelievable. Highly recommended." Library Journal, June 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 707 reviews
January 13, 2012
Any book that I stay up reading until 2 a.m. deserves five stars. I hadn't done that since Harry Potter 7 came out...and I had jet lag then because we were in Hawaii.
I heard Rakha being interviewed on NPR and knew I had to read her book. A broadcast journalist for "All Things Considered" and an Oregonian, she covered the first execution in Oregon for 30 years, and the seed of this book was planted.
I'm fascinated by the themes of deep forgiveness and grace, perhaps because I wonder whether I would have the capacity to do such a thing myself if one of my loved ones were brutally hurt or worse yet, murdered.
Irene Stanley is an old-fashioned wife in rural Indiana when her sheriff's deputy husband comes home one day and announces that they are moving to eastern Oregon. No discussion, no argument, she is advised by her pastor to accept her husband's decision, even though she feels in her soul that is a very bad move.
A year after the family has settled into Blaine, Oregon, her son, Shep, is found brutally murdered. Each family member--mother, father, and sister--react to his death in different ways. Irene becomes an alcoholic and severely depressed. Bliss, only 12 when her brother was killed, grows up feeling completely neglected by her parents.
The killer is prosecuted and put on death row. Years after Shep's death, Irene finally begins to come out of her cocoon and feels compelled to write to Daniel, her son's killer. And gradually, she finds a way to forgive him. Rakha's characters find that just like hate, forgiveness fills you up. And forgiveness is like "pain and grace all tied up in one."
As Irene's life and world view changes, the secrets begin to leak out.
The book's format is to alternate chapters between the 1980s (when the murder occurred) and 2004, and to alternate perspectives among the family members (mostly Irene), Daniel (on death row), and a deeply damaged but compassionate-at-heart Oregon prison superintendent, Tab Mason. (Usually these shifting times and character viewpoints bother me, but it didn't in this book.) Other reviewers have criticized the book for including one-dimensional characters, but we all know for a fact that there are people like Irene's sister, pastor, or husband out in the world among us. People can have very simple, even hateful views of anything that conflicts with their way of thinking and being.
A few people commented that they would have liked the book to be longer, so they could have learned more about Irene's relationship with her son, or what was going on in Nate's mind. But I believe that Rakha kept that deliberately fuzzy for the purposes of the story.
I saw a few of the plot elements coming, but Rakha might have wanted this. It didn't matter anyway. I loved this story of pain and grace, and I especially enjoyed reading this fictional story of forgiveness after reading the memoir Picking Cotton earlier this year...a story of a woman who was raped and forgave her rapist, only to discover that he wasn't really her rapist after all and she had accused the wrong man. Not only did she forgive him, but he forgave her and they actually became friends. Do you have such a capacity to forgive in you?
I heard Rakha being interviewed on NPR and knew I had to read her book. A broadcast journalist for "All Things Considered" and an Oregonian, she covered the first execution in Oregon for 30 years, and the seed of this book was planted.
I'm fascinated by the themes of deep forgiveness and grace, perhaps because I wonder whether I would have the capacity to do such a thing myself if one of my loved ones were brutally hurt or worse yet, murdered.
Irene Stanley is an old-fashioned wife in rural Indiana when her sheriff's deputy husband comes home one day and announces that they are moving to eastern Oregon. No discussion, no argument, she is advised by her pastor to accept her husband's decision, even though she feels in her soul that is a very bad move.
A year after the family has settled into Blaine, Oregon, her son, Shep, is found brutally murdered. Each family member--mother, father, and sister--react to his death in different ways. Irene becomes an alcoholic and severely depressed. Bliss, only 12 when her brother was killed, grows up feeling completely neglected by her parents.
The killer is prosecuted and put on death row. Years after Shep's death, Irene finally begins to come out of her cocoon and feels compelled to write to Daniel, her son's killer. And gradually, she finds a way to forgive him. Rakha's characters find that just like hate, forgiveness fills you up. And forgiveness is like "pain and grace all tied up in one."
As Irene's life and world view changes, the secrets begin to leak out.
The book's format is to alternate chapters between the 1980s (when the murder occurred) and 2004, and to alternate perspectives among the family members (mostly Irene), Daniel (on death row), and a deeply damaged but compassionate-at-heart Oregon prison superintendent, Tab Mason. (Usually these shifting times and character viewpoints bother me, but it didn't in this book.) Other reviewers have criticized the book for including one-dimensional characters, but we all know for a fact that there are people like Irene's sister, pastor, or husband out in the world among us. People can have very simple, even hateful views of anything that conflicts with their way of thinking and being.
A few people commented that they would have liked the book to be longer, so they could have learned more about Irene's relationship with her son, or what was going on in Nate's mind. But I believe that Rakha kept that deliberately fuzzy for the purposes of the story.
I saw a few of the plot elements coming, but Rakha might have wanted this. It didn't matter anyway. I loved this story of pain and grace, and I especially enjoyed reading this fictional story of forgiveness after reading the memoir Picking Cotton earlier this year...a story of a woman who was raped and forgave her rapist, only to discover that he wasn't really her rapist after all and she had accused the wrong man. Not only did she forgive him, but he forgave her and they actually became friends. Do you have such a capacity to forgive in you?
April 4, 2015
A novel about a mother's journey from hatred to forgiveness of her son's murderer is a good idea. However, if that novel is weighed down by stereotypes and one-note characters, it becomes really hard to get through. For example, Rakha paints all her conservative characters as uneducated bigots. In case the reader cannot figure that out on her own, the author makes sure any character that likes President Bush or is for the war uses broken English and calls his or her parents "ma" and "pa". On the other hand, as soon as one character gets out of her small town (with it's small-mindedness), she becomes a vegetarian and dates a Jewish law student from Manhattan. This is supposed to show her freedom from those redneck hypocrites back home. Every character is treated this way, from the only-in-novels mechanic who probably can't spell his own name, but will "thank-ya-kindly" fix yer truck in a snowstorm for free to the motel manager who talks about her son in "Ee-rak" who is "really" talking to the mother about her dilemma and guides her to "the truth". (You can see that any day of the week on "Grey's Anatomy". Those patients only serve to show the main characters how to solve their own problems.) In this book, police officers and prison guards are power-hungry and rigid and criminals are unfairly treated and misunderstood. Of course, this is a book about a man's execution, so you can imagine how heavy-handed the author is there. Again, only in novels is the murderer at peace and, on his deathbed, shares pearls of wisdom to everyone around him. And don't get me started on the "romance" thrown in at the end. There's just no way that would have happened. There is a homosexual sub-plot where no one is the least bit bothered by the fact that an older man is committing statutory rape. (There is also a sub-plot where an adult man remembers being raped by his own brother.) This is not the novel I thought it would be. Don't waste your time on this book.
August 18, 2009
This book was written by a journalist after she covered the first execution in Oregon in 30 years. It was the result of her interviews with death-row inmates, their victims and those hired to carry out their sentences. The theme of the book is forgiveness, which is no small thing for any author, or any human being for that matter, to tackle. The story is well written and thought out. The character development is excellent, and there is a sub-story that weaves smoothly into the thread of the main story to the end. I recommend this book to everyone, as it's even bigger than the topic of the death penalty. This thought-provoking book is a page-turner, you'll get through it fast. I read it in less than 48 hours, during a time when I had many other things going on.
August 10, 2009
"You ever done that? Forgiven someone even thought they don't deserve it?"
"No," Mason said. "No, I've never done that."
"Well, I got to say, it fills you. Whether you want it to or not, that kind of thing, it just fills you. It's like pain and grace all tied up in one."
That's what this book was to me, pain and grace all tied up in one. Putting aside all of the political aspects it touched on (the war in Iraq, homosexuality, the death penalty) it pretty much transcended above these things and spoke, most importantly, of the difficulty it is to forgive, the pain, and the relief at the same time, the grace.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. I was immediately drawn in by the story, and the pace was set well - alternating between bits of what happened throughout the years and the present day when Robbins was set to be executed. I could understand the need to release the hate, mostly because I understand what it is like to feel as if that's all that defines you after a while. And I can understand the fear that comes from releasing that hate.
The author captured the emotions well. She described well the fracturing of a family, the secrets, the denials and the forgiveness. A story well worth reading - and one I'll be sure to be thinking on I'm sure in the coming days.
"No," Mason said. "No, I've never done that."
"Well, I got to say, it fills you. Whether you want it to or not, that kind of thing, it just fills you. It's like pain and grace all tied up in one."
That's what this book was to me, pain and grace all tied up in one. Putting aside all of the political aspects it touched on (the war in Iraq, homosexuality, the death penalty) it pretty much transcended above these things and spoke, most importantly, of the difficulty it is to forgive, the pain, and the relief at the same time, the grace.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. I was immediately drawn in by the story, and the pace was set well - alternating between bits of what happened throughout the years and the present day when Robbins was set to be executed. I could understand the need to release the hate, mostly because I understand what it is like to feel as if that's all that defines you after a while. And I can understand the fear that comes from releasing that hate.
The author captured the emotions well. She described well the fracturing of a family, the secrets, the denials and the forgiveness. A story well worth reading - and one I'll be sure to be thinking on I'm sure in the coming days.
July 17, 2009
I absolutely loved this book. I didn't predict the plot correctly - always a plus - and there was so much to think about. I liked the characters and the writing was phenomenal; you could feel the various emotions each character endured and empathize with everyone's position. The Crying Tree reminded me of the Green Mile, but expanded further on the topic of capital punishment, as well as addressing homosexuality, abuse, prejudice... excellent read!
August 18, 2010
Obnoxious. I guess I liked the overall concept of this book, but I thought the dialog and characters were terrible, stereotyped and just not believable. The other thing that really bothered me was how the author's main objective seemed to be to hit you over the head with her world view, in particular:
- Christians are hypocritical and ignorant
- Conservatives are stupid and evil
It didn't surprise me that this author works for NPR. I also thought it was strange how often the characters "wiped their mouth with the back of their hand" or their shirt. What a weird thing to write, especially when she barely ever mentioned any other body language.
This topic and story could have been done so much better.
- Christians are hypocritical and ignorant
- Conservatives are stupid and evil
It didn't surprise me that this author works for NPR. I also thought it was strange how often the characters "wiped their mouth with the back of their hand" or their shirt. What a weird thing to write, especially when she barely ever mentioned any other body language.
This topic and story could have been done so much better.
August 15, 2017
A valiant effort, but didn't engage me.
And the dialogue... oh, dear... not plausible.
I can see how some people would love this story, it just wasn't for me.
And the dialogue... oh, dear... not plausible.
I can see how some people would love this story, it just wasn't for me.
December 27, 2009
Even though I have alredy sent this, I am updating for my Best of 2009 list:
Unbeknownst to her family, Irene starts corresponding with her son’s murderer waiting on death row and is devastated when notified of an execution date even though the rest of the family is ecstatic. This is an amazing first novel by a Silverton, Oregon author and perfect for book groups.
More from previous review:
After a move from Illinois to central Oregon, Irene and Nate’s teen son, Shep, is killed by what appears to be a random burglar. Devastated by the loss, they feel some redemption when the killer is found and housed on Oregon State Penitentiary’s death row. Years later they have returned to Illinois, but unbeknownst to her family, Irene begins corresponding with Shep’s killer and they become friends. Then the news arrives that he has finally received an execution date...
This was an amazing book and will definitely be on my list of the best books of 2009. Even though this read at a breakneck pace, I never felt that any content was sacrificed for character development and the resolution of the many conflicts. Definitely one for book groups as this novel has it all: love, forgiveness, family bonds, redemption, and the highly discussable subject of capital punishment. The author is from Silverton, Oregon, and the Salem settings are very well done and accurate (I hate skewed geography!).
Unbeknownst to her family, Irene starts corresponding with her son’s murderer waiting on death row and is devastated when notified of an execution date even though the rest of the family is ecstatic. This is an amazing first novel by a Silverton, Oregon author and perfect for book groups.
More from previous review:
After a move from Illinois to central Oregon, Irene and Nate’s teen son, Shep, is killed by what appears to be a random burglar. Devastated by the loss, they feel some redemption when the killer is found and housed on Oregon State Penitentiary’s death row. Years later they have returned to Illinois, but unbeknownst to her family, Irene begins corresponding with Shep’s killer and they become friends. Then the news arrives that he has finally received an execution date...
This was an amazing book and will definitely be on my list of the best books of 2009. Even though this read at a breakneck pace, I never felt that any content was sacrificed for character development and the resolution of the many conflicts. Definitely one for book groups as this novel has it all: love, forgiveness, family bonds, redemption, and the highly discussable subject of capital punishment. The author is from Silverton, Oregon, and the Salem settings are very well done and accurate (I hate skewed geography!).
May 21, 2012
Naseem Rakha has written a sad, wrenching tale of a family's reaction to and subsequent dealing with the murder of their sixteen year old son and brother. She has skillfully delved into the emotional impact for each of them. Many surprising events evolve through the subsequent years in the telling of this story.
Although I enjoyed this book and was eager to discover how the story concluded, I thought that occasionally the plot could have moved along more smoothly.
Although I enjoyed this book and was eager to discover how the story concluded, I thought that occasionally the plot could have moved along more smoothly.
January 2, 2011
The Crying Tree is about what happens to a close knit family when their son Shep Stanley is shot and killed in their home during a botched burglary attempt. After his death, Irene (his mother), Nate (his father) and younger sister Bliss are forced to deal not only with Shep's death, but their feelings of hatred towards the person who supposedly shot him. This book is written mainly from Irene's viewpoint. Eventually, after a self-destructive phase, Irene comes to realize that the murderer is not what he seems after she decides to write to him. Irene finds out the murderer has some secrets of his own that will impact Irene's family forever.
This book started out great. I loved the short chapters. Also, I liked the forgiveness theme of Irene's character. The author also done a wonderful job telling the story from a grieving mother's prospective. Though, overall, I thought that the big "secret" of the plot was a bit predictable & a little goofy. The characters were somewhat stereotypical. Especially, the religious characters were all written very stereotypical and very unflatteringly so. I also thought the book got a bit preachy towards the end.
Also, if you are conservative about foul language and/or sexual themes, you might want to skip this one. There is no shortage of foul language and some sexual themes are acted out or talked about.
This book started out great. I loved the short chapters. Also, I liked the forgiveness theme of Irene's character. The author also done a wonderful job telling the story from a grieving mother's prospective. Though, overall, I thought that the big "secret" of the plot was a bit predictable & a little goofy. The characters were somewhat stereotypical. Especially, the religious characters were all written very stereotypical and very unflatteringly so. I also thought the book got a bit preachy towards the end.
Also, if you are conservative about foul language and/or sexual themes, you might want to skip this one. There is no shortage of foul language and some sexual themes are acted out or talked about.
April 9, 2018
This book was ok. just ok. I assume the author has some anti-christian agenda. it wasn't very well disguised. The pastor was a baddy and every time God was mentioned he was cold and vengeful.
I dont understand why Mason had the skin disease, frequently referenced but irrelevant to the plot. Unless theres a metaphor I'm missing?? The modern day parts of the book around Mason jarred with the rest of the book. They read like the trashy detective thrillers that are churned out.
The themes of grief and forgiveness are interesting and I liked how these were explored and the path that Irene chose. There's a nice line (which i now cant locate to quote) about having a peace with about how a situation is and being happy with what we have.
I didnt score this book higher as it frustrated me on a few levels. mainly the modern day story of Mason...especially the romance at the end...weird and uncalled for.
I dont understand why Mason had the skin disease, frequently referenced but irrelevant to the plot. Unless theres a metaphor I'm missing?? The modern day parts of the book around Mason jarred with the rest of the book. They read like the trashy detective thrillers that are churned out.
The themes of grief and forgiveness are interesting and I liked how these were explored and the path that Irene chose. There's a nice line (which i now cant locate to quote) about having a peace with about how a situation is and being happy with what we have.
I didnt score this book higher as it frustrated me on a few levels. mainly the modern day story of Mason...especially the romance at the end...weird and uncalled for.
August 11, 2009
Naseem Rakha's the Crying Tree was one of those books that kept me up until 2am for two days in a row. The story is about a Midwestern family whose teenage boy has been killed. It is also about the demise of one's self, one’s family and the miraculous wonder of healing. To say this book is just about forgiveness is an bleak understatement, for me, reading this book was almost like watching a flower bloom, but instead of the opening petals came the unveiling of secrets, hidden pockets of grace, and finally the long awaited acceptance.
April 28, 2020
Excellent, well-written book about what happens to a family when their teenage son/brother is murdered in their home and the killer is sentenced to death. Told from the perspectives of the family members and the man tasked with carrying out the execution. The story is about grief, hatred, forgiveness, and the harm of keeping secrets. I read the last 10 pages through tears. Highly recommended.
December 31, 2017
Overall I enjoyed this book but thought there were quite a few things in the second half of the book that were unrealistic. As one reviewer said, why was there no mention of statutory rape once the circumstances of Shep's death became known?
October 3, 2014
Saw it coming....
November 11, 2021
The Crying Tree tells the story of what happens to a family after the 15 year old son is killed by another young man. It focuses primarily on the mother, Irene Stanley, and her journey from deep depression to forgiveness of the killer---although the pain of her son's death never goes away. The novel covers a time period of approximately 20 years---from the time the Stanley family moves to Oregon to 19 years later when Shep's killer is facing execution.
The novel switches back and forth between the 1995---the year Shep was killed and 2004 in the current time period for the novel. Irene Stanley's husband, Nate, is a deputy sheriff who carries secrets about the killing. Their daughter, Bliss, goes on to become a prosecuting attorney. There is a twist near the end which took me by surprise although it may not be to other readers.
Another story within the novel is one which features Tab Mason, the superintendent of the Oregon prison where Shep's killer is imprisoned. He has his own horrific past which has shaped him but he has determined that he will be a better man than what his past would have influenced him to be. The novel goes into detail of what all has be done by the prison officials in preparing for an execution and Tab Mason struggles with is facing him.
It is a complex novel which was very different from anything I had ever read before. I found myself totally engrossed in the story.
The novel switches back and forth between the 1995---the year Shep was killed and 2004 in the current time period for the novel. Irene Stanley's husband, Nate, is a deputy sheriff who carries secrets about the killing. Their daughter, Bliss, goes on to become a prosecuting attorney. There is a twist near the end which took me by surprise although it may not be to other readers.
Another story within the novel is one which features Tab Mason, the superintendent of the Oregon prison where Shep's killer is imprisoned. He has his own horrific past which has shaped him but he has determined that he will be a better man than what his past would have influenced him to be. The novel goes into detail of what all has be done by the prison officials in preparing for an execution and Tab Mason struggles with is facing him.
It is a complex novel which was very different from anything I had ever read before. I found myself totally engrossed in the story.
April 6, 2017
Oh I loved this. It's been a while since a book has made me cry and this one definitely did. I must say it was quite cathartic.
In this story we see a mother struggle to come to terms with her grief as her son is killed and we see her eventually find the strength to forgive her sons killer a decade later. But what does this hold when after nine years of correspondence with this man on death row, she recieves word that he is finally to be executed for his crime?
The Crying Tree is a beautiful, moving novel about grief and secrets and learning to trust those we hold dearest. I more than recommend this one.
In this story we see a mother struggle to come to terms with her grief as her son is killed and we see her eventually find the strength to forgive her sons killer a decade later. But what does this hold when after nine years of correspondence with this man on death row, she recieves word that he is finally to be executed for his crime?
The Crying Tree is a beautiful, moving novel about grief and secrets and learning to trust those we hold dearest. I more than recommend this one.
May 28, 2020
Ah the death penalty, a thing I don’t believe in exactly because there are people I would love to watch die for their crimes. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense except that I also understand that rights and wrongs are subjective, and therefore one man’s crime worthy of death to someone else, might be my line of mercy.
Naseem Rakha does a great, smoothly written and well plotted job of writing about these themes: the subjectiveness of “sin�.
What Nate, a small town war vet father of a teenage son in 1985 thinks is sin (homosexuality), I, a single 31 year old atheist in 2020 think is none of his damn business. And so comes the questions of morality and punishment in a world, and legal system, built by the ever different people who created it.
This was a good delve into grief, and crime, and time, and forgiveness. I enjoyed it a lot.
Naseem Rakha does a great, smoothly written and well plotted job of writing about these themes: the subjectiveness of “sin�.
What Nate, a small town war vet father of a teenage son in 1985 thinks is sin (homosexuality), I, a single 31 year old atheist in 2020 think is none of his damn business. And so comes the questions of morality and punishment in a world, and legal system, built by the ever different people who created it.
This was a good delve into grief, and crime, and time, and forgiveness. I enjoyed it a lot.
February 8, 2019
Another awesome book about moral dilemma.. How long can you live hating someone? Can you forgive someone so that you can live, even if that person took the most important thing in your life?
The story of a mother who forgave her son's murderer. The story of person who found out the power of forgiveness after living with the bitterness of hate.
The story of a mother who forgave her son's murderer. The story of person who found out the power of forgiveness after living with the bitterness of hate.
February 6, 2023
A brilliant book. There's a twist in the middle that changes your opinion about a few of the characters and I loved that the book made me feel like this. It means the author is very clever and knows how to hook the reader into the book. I read the end of the book on the airplane coming back from holiday. It took everything I had not to sob.
October 30, 2023
Excellent roman, lequel nous interroge sur la vérité, le pardon, le système pénitentiaire�
Belle découverte!
Belle découverte!
May 30, 2024
The second half warrants the third star. First part was really slow and I felt disconnected from all the characters. Though, being a mom, I felt sadness and grief for the family, especially for Irene. Often predictable with lots of stereotypes and generalizations.
September 8, 2009
Fifteen-year-old Shep Stanley is shot and killed in what appears to be a home robbery. During the time of the shooting, it was believed that Irene and Nate, Shep's parents, and Bliss, Shep's sister were not home. Trying to find their way through the gut-wrenching grief leads each member of the family down a different path, coping with grief in their own ways.
Irene seems to have the most difficult time, almost becoming an alcoholic and a zombie, and not caring what goes on around her or what is going on with the other members of her family. All she wants is for her son's killer to be executed.
Nate returns to his job as Deputy Sheriff in a small town in Oregon and pressures his wife and daughter to "move on". His basic message being that no amount of grief can bring Shep back to them, so it would be better for them all if they could put this situation behind them, move on, and continue their lives as best they can.
Bliss, a teenager herself at the time, and her best friend Jeff, end up being the 'caretakers' of her family. Her Mom doesn't cook, doesn't clean up dishes, can't do the laundry, leaves the house in a run down condition, and Nate, too involved in his job and his own grief, doesn't seem to care or notice.
As the years click by, some startling revelations come out that will shock the family to their core. Everyone has secrets, everyone does what they can to protect their secret, but like all secrets, at some point it all comes out. What an unimaginable shock these secrets are!
You will find this to be a dramatic and riveting story of pain, grief and the forgiveness that can come from such an abhorrent situation.
From just jacket:
"Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he's been offered a job as a deputy Sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon's high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death.
Shep's murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. Irene's approach is to live, week after week, waiting for Daniel Robbin's execution and the justice she feels she and her family deserve. Those weeks turn into months and then years. Ultimately, faced with a growing sense that Robbin's death will not stop her pain, Irene takes the extraordinary and clandestine step of reaching out to her son's killer. The two forge an unlikely connection that remains a secret from her family and friends.
And then Irene receives the notice that she had craved for so long-Daniel Robbin has stopped his appeals and will be executed within a month. This announcement shakes the very core of the Stanley family. Irene, it turns out, isn't the only one with a shocking secret to hide. As the execution date nears, the Stanleys must face difficult truths and find a way to come to terms with the past."
Irene seems to have the most difficult time, almost becoming an alcoholic and a zombie, and not caring what goes on around her or what is going on with the other members of her family. All she wants is for her son's killer to be executed.
Nate returns to his job as Deputy Sheriff in a small town in Oregon and pressures his wife and daughter to "move on". His basic message being that no amount of grief can bring Shep back to them, so it would be better for them all if they could put this situation behind them, move on, and continue their lives as best they can.
Bliss, a teenager herself at the time, and her best friend Jeff, end up being the 'caretakers' of her family. Her Mom doesn't cook, doesn't clean up dishes, can't do the laundry, leaves the house in a run down condition, and Nate, too involved in his job and his own grief, doesn't seem to care or notice.
As the years click by, some startling revelations come out that will shock the family to their core. Everyone has secrets, everyone does what they can to protect their secret, but like all secrets, at some point it all comes out. What an unimaginable shock these secrets are!
You will find this to be a dramatic and riveting story of pain, grief and the forgiveness that can come from such an abhorrent situation.
From just jacket:
"Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he's been offered a job as a deputy Sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon's high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death.
Shep's murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. Irene's approach is to live, week after week, waiting for Daniel Robbin's execution and the justice she feels she and her family deserve. Those weeks turn into months and then years. Ultimately, faced with a growing sense that Robbin's death will not stop her pain, Irene takes the extraordinary and clandestine step of reaching out to her son's killer. The two forge an unlikely connection that remains a secret from her family and friends.
And then Irene receives the notice that she had craved for so long-Daniel Robbin has stopped his appeals and will be executed within a month. This announcement shakes the very core of the Stanley family. Irene, it turns out, isn't the only one with a shocking secret to hide. As the execution date nears, the Stanleys must face difficult truths and find a way to come to terms with the past."
July 9, 2009
Title: The Crying Tree
Author: Naseem Rakha
Pages: 353 pages
Publisher: Broadway; First Edition edition (July 7, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0767931408
Book Description from Book: Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he’s been offered a job as a deputy sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon’s high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death.
Shep’s murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. How do you continue the same life without your child? How do you continue on?
My Review: I was initially intrigued when receiving this book for review by the cover. I am always drawn to interesting cover art. After reading the back cover I didn’t see how the boy playing the trumpet and the title The Crying Tree came together, but very appropriate after reading the book.
I read this book on my vacation and I must say it was a great read! The themes of the story for me were loss, grief and forgiveness. One of the most powerful lines in the books is about pain and grace. How do you have pain and grace at the same time? I guess through forgiveness comes grace. There is so much pain in this story, the pain of a mother, a father, sister and lover. There is a powerful statement made about pain and hatred eating you alive and now you get around that hatred and forgive. I am not sure I could have forgiven as Irene Stanley had, but she was a remarkably strong character. I appreciated her strength and journey.
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha is a remarkable and heart wrenching story that will stay with me for a while. The characters are very well developed and you have a good feel for their feelings and values. The characters are very human and have made mistakes. I highly recommend this book. It will draw you in within the first few pages and like me, you will be staying up a bit too late wanting the story to continue!
My Rating: 5 � Highly Recommended
Author: Naseem Rakha
Pages: 353 pages
Publisher: Broadway; First Edition edition (July 7, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0767931408
Book Description from Book: Irene and Nate Stanley are living a quiet and contented life with their two children, Bliss and Shep, on their family farm in southern Illinois when Nate suddenly announces he’s been offered a job as a deputy sheriff in Oregon. Irene fights her husband. She does not want to uproot her family and has deep misgivings about the move. Nevertheless, the family leaves, and they are just settling into their life in Oregon’s high desert when the unthinkable happens. Fifteen-year-old Shep is shot and killed during an apparent robbery in their home. The murderer, a young mechanic with a history of assault, robbery, and drug-related offenses, is caught and sentenced to death.
Shep’s murder sends the Stanley family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. How do you continue the same life without your child? How do you continue on?
My Review: I was initially intrigued when receiving this book for review by the cover. I am always drawn to interesting cover art. After reading the back cover I didn’t see how the boy playing the trumpet and the title The Crying Tree came together, but very appropriate after reading the book.
I read this book on my vacation and I must say it was a great read! The themes of the story for me were loss, grief and forgiveness. One of the most powerful lines in the books is about pain and grace. How do you have pain and grace at the same time? I guess through forgiveness comes grace. There is so much pain in this story, the pain of a mother, a father, sister and lover. There is a powerful statement made about pain and hatred eating you alive and now you get around that hatred and forgive. I am not sure I could have forgiven as Irene Stanley had, but she was a remarkably strong character. I appreciated her strength and journey.
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha is a remarkable and heart wrenching story that will stay with me for a while. The characters are very well developed and you have a good feel for their feelings and values. The characters are very human and have made mistakes. I highly recommend this book. It will draw you in within the first few pages and like me, you will be staying up a bit too late wanting the story to continue!
My Rating: 5 � Highly Recommended
February 1, 2011
WOW!
What an absolutely fantastic book. I've found another one to add to my overall favourites/favourites of this year! Brilliant! I don't think any review of mine can do the book justice in all honesty but going to try my best!
Initial impressions
The crying tree is a page turner from page one, it was one of those books where I knew I was going to be hooked into it straight away. The pace never once relinquished its hold either, it moved perfectly, not too quickly, not too slowly...I knew early on that providing this didn't change I would be rating this book highly.
Plot
The crying tree is about a tragedy that takes place within a family which sees the son, Shep, end up being shot in what appears at the time to be a burglary of the house of which he has simply got in the way of. It explains the difficult grieving process for the family involved, particularly of the mother Irene who quite understandably, from that point onwards loses the will to live and kind of lives in a sort of limbo. Alongside the story from Irenes perspective both past and present, the story is also told by Tab mason,the superintendent of the prison in which Daniel Robbins (the guy blamed for killing Shep) resides. In terms of plot, thats all I'm going to say, anymore would spoil it I feel but ultimately the theme of the book is of tragedy and forgiveness and it is told extremely well.
Characterisation
The book doesn't wane in its brilliance even in regards to its characters. All of these characters are fully fleshed out, developed and given lives that we can believe in (the one of Tab Mason is particularly interesting yet unexpected)..which makes the characters all the more believable. I loved Irene, I thought she was such a great protaganist whereas on the other hand I despised Nate, her husband...a man who seemed quite unlikeable for the most part but to a certain extent you could at least understand why....
Overall
An utterly fantastic book, a favourite of mine and one I will no doubt reread many times in years to come. The writing is brilliant, the storyline is brilliant and the characters are brilliant, what more is there to say than that? I really look forward to reading more work by this author!!
What an absolutely fantastic book. I've found another one to add to my overall favourites/favourites of this year! Brilliant! I don't think any review of mine can do the book justice in all honesty but going to try my best!
Initial impressions
The crying tree is a page turner from page one, it was one of those books where I knew I was going to be hooked into it straight away. The pace never once relinquished its hold either, it moved perfectly, not too quickly, not too slowly...I knew early on that providing this didn't change I would be rating this book highly.
Plot
The crying tree is about a tragedy that takes place within a family which sees the son, Shep, end up being shot in what appears at the time to be a burglary of the house of which he has simply got in the way of. It explains the difficult grieving process for the family involved, particularly of the mother Irene who quite understandably, from that point onwards loses the will to live and kind of lives in a sort of limbo. Alongside the story from Irenes perspective both past and present, the story is also told by Tab mason,the superintendent of the prison in which Daniel Robbins (the guy blamed for killing Shep) resides. In terms of plot, thats all I'm going to say, anymore would spoil it I feel but ultimately the theme of the book is of tragedy and forgiveness and it is told extremely well.
Characterisation
The book doesn't wane in its brilliance even in regards to its characters. All of these characters are fully fleshed out, developed and given lives that we can believe in (the one of Tab Mason is particularly interesting yet unexpected)..which makes the characters all the more believable. I loved Irene, I thought she was such a great protaganist whereas on the other hand I despised Nate, her husband...a man who seemed quite unlikeable for the most part but to a certain extent you could at least understand why....
Overall
An utterly fantastic book, a favourite of mine and one I will no doubt reread many times in years to come. The writing is brilliant, the storyline is brilliant and the characters are brilliant, what more is there to say than that? I really look forward to reading more work by this author!!
August 24, 2011
On the face of it, this is a good read - a well-crafted story with a few twists and turns that will keep you hooked. We need to invent a new genre for the books that chart a parent's (usually a mother's) devastation at losing a child, usually in violent circumstances. There is a rash of them, and they make for painful reading. This one is no exception, and the microscopic examination of the effect on the mother, her husband and her daughter, is very well handled. Rakha slowly reveals her characters to us, making them rounded and believable. So why only 3 stars? Well, I think this is essentially a campaigning book, against the Dealth Penalty in the States. Now, I don't have anything against that stance myself, but I think the author went for a bit of a cop out in the main story which weakened her book. *CAUTION - SPOILER* - Why? Well, the eventual truth that emerged of the killing which leads to the death penalty being imposed means that probably NO-ONE reading the story, whether pro- or anti- the penalty would agree with it being imposed in these circumstances. If you are going to argue against the penalty, you don't start from the position of saying "we shouldn't kill innocent people" - of course we shouldn't. Building and justifying your argument about why we shouldn't kill GUILTY people is a much tougher thing to do, and that's why this felt like a cop-put. On top of that, it felt like the author was challenging every American conservative shibboleth - religion, marriage, anti-feminism, homophobia, anti inter-racial relationships, - I am really surprised she didn't squeeze an abortion into the story so she could challenge the pro-Life argument as well. I must stress, I don't disagree with the line she takes on many of these issues, it just felt a bit obvious and clunky that they were all larded into her story. So, a good read, a thought-provoking story, but I was annoyed at some of her authorial choices!
July 30, 2009
I'm in fact giving this book a 3.5. As much as anything, this book is about change--change as time passes, changing of how we see, what we see and what we think we see, changes in our feelings as our vision adjusts, and so on. This book tells the story of Shep, shot to death at 15, his family, who cannot recover from this, and his convicted murderer who is about to be electrocuted after 19 years in prison, mostly on death row. Shep's mother, Irene, is the most emotionally available character in this book. She is the least able to lie about her feelings and she is the most outspoken, but during 3/4ths of the book she is dominated by her husband.
The story is rich and full of characters on all sides of the electrocution battle. Will it finally happen? Is it true the prisoner has withdrawn all appeals? What has Irene's family been doing for the past 19 years? How has the prisoner changed, or has he? Who will activate the three chemical infusions that will kill this murderer? And anyway--what precisely DID happen 19 years ago?
I would give this book a 4 except for a few problems I found. One, during high fighting emotional scenes, I found some of the dialogue to be stilted. It is almost as if Rahka escaped growing up with ugly family scenes. Stop here unless you want to view a possible spoiler: I also found the love story to be contrived. I could see it coming, bit by bit, but when it did I felt annoyed. The book deals with hard experiences, hard emotions. Why add this tiny little improbable sweetness at the end? It's too easy. I'd rather someone just planted a real garden somewhere, or rescued an animal, like a donkey or a sugar-glider.
The story is rich and full of characters on all sides of the electrocution battle. Will it finally happen? Is it true the prisoner has withdrawn all appeals? What has Irene's family been doing for the past 19 years? How has the prisoner changed, or has he? Who will activate the three chemical infusions that will kill this murderer? And anyway--what precisely DID happen 19 years ago?
I would give this book a 4 except for a few problems I found. One, during high fighting emotional scenes, I found some of the dialogue to be stilted. It is almost as if Rahka escaped growing up with ugly family scenes. Stop here unless you want to view a possible spoiler: I also found the love story to be contrived. I could see it coming, bit by bit, but when it did I felt annoyed. The book deals with hard experiences, hard emotions. Why add this tiny little improbable sweetness at the end? It's too easy. I'd rather someone just planted a real garden somewhere, or rescued an animal, like a donkey or a sugar-glider.
October 4, 2017
This novel, about forgiveness and redemption (two of my favorite themes), started out with such promise. Irene and Nate's teenage son, Shep, is murdered in their home in an apparent home burglary. Daniel Robbin, a young man with a spotty past of mostly petty offenses, is on death row.
The family, including Shep's sister Bliss, is devastated in the wake of this tragedy, and as the years roll by the toll on each of them increases. Irene eventually decides she must forgive Robbins in order to get control of her life back, and she writes him a letter to tell him. Their correspondence, stretching out over several years, brings her back to herself. While she has gone to great pains to keep this correspondence secret, her family eventually finds out, and it is here that the heart of the novel stops beating.
Irene finds out that what she knew for true was not true at all, and she begins a campaign to get Robbins off death row. What had been a thoughtful novel about the consequences of revenge and anger and forgiveness devolves into a mess. When the warden of the prison in which Robbin is incarcerated fantasizes graphically about Bliss (now full grown, and a prosecutor who accompanies her mother to the prison), I was just done, because it began a series of similarly incongruous asides and distractions.
I raced through to the end just to see how it came out, to see if Robbins made it off death row.
A huge disappointment, and had it not been for the first half, would have been a one star read.
The family, including Shep's sister Bliss, is devastated in the wake of this tragedy, and as the years roll by the toll on each of them increases. Irene eventually decides she must forgive Robbins in order to get control of her life back, and she writes him a letter to tell him. Their correspondence, stretching out over several years, brings her back to herself. While she has gone to great pains to keep this correspondence secret, her family eventually finds out, and it is here that the heart of the novel stops beating.
Irene finds out that what she knew for true was not true at all, and she begins a campaign to get Robbins off death row. What had been a thoughtful novel about the consequences of revenge and anger and forgiveness devolves into a mess. When the warden of the prison in which Robbin is incarcerated fantasizes graphically about Bliss (now full grown, and a prosecutor who accompanies her mother to the prison), I was just done, because it began a series of similarly incongruous asides and distractions.
I raced through to the end just to see how it came out, to see if Robbins made it off death row.
A huge disappointment, and had it not been for the first half, would have been a one star read.
May 29, 2009
Imagine yourself in the early 1970's. A time when bell bottoms, mini skirts and platform shoes ruled the fashion world. The birth of Aerosmith, Kiss and the Ramones took center stage in the music world. A time of political awakening. Now imagine yourself knowing nothing about this and living in an isolated town in Oregon. You are living what appears to be the American dream � married, two kids (one boy, one girl), etc.... But, then tragedy strikes and what you love most in the world is taken from you. Your only son is brutally murdered in your home.
How do you cope? How do you go on living? What kind of a life do you have? Can there be justice? In The Crying Tree , we are witness to one family's struggle to survive. We share their grief and feel their desperation. We observe as they become bitter and frustrated with one another - they become strangers. There is forgiveness. There are secrets. There are sins of commission and sins of omission. When these are brought to the forefront, we see the unbreakable bonds of family surface.
Ms. Rakha is a wonderful story teller. She was able to hold my attention until the end. I wanted to know how things would work out. The characters were sympathetic including the murderer. This is a tragic novel; however, it is also one of love, forgiveness and redemption. I recommend to those searching for a new voice. A good book for book clubs.
Thank you Shelf Awareness and Random House for this copy.
July 16, 2015
I read this in less than 48 hours, and when I wasn't actually reading it I was thinking it. There are a number of reviews already that give the bones of the storyline so I won't go there. It had everything for me. Abolition of the Death Penalty, which is very dear to my heart, forgiveness, addiction and recovery but it was the characters that I was fascinated by. They seemed well-rounded, with none that felt superfluous to the plot. The family dynamics, the secrets that each member carried with them over a time span of years. There was a twist that I wasn't expecting and I had to keep reminding myself that it was set in 1985, not the Dark Ages. Progress seemed to be slow coming to Illinois and completely took my breath away, and not in a good way.
I don't know how close Naseem Rakha has been personally to any of the subject matter but it felt that she knew what she was talking about. Yes it was sentimental in places. Get over it!
I finished the book at 11 p.m. and cried myself to sleep. Sobbed for the fucked up state we're in; the level of prejudice and judgement that exists for anyone who is not like us, the pain we cause to those we love most, a system that doesn't work and a determination to keep it going at any price cos we don't have the imagination to change it for something that does damn well work.
This book will stay with me for a long time and I will recommend it to anyone. My copy is already on loan. You've been warned though, it's not an easy read!
I don't know how close Naseem Rakha has been personally to any of the subject matter but it felt that she knew what she was talking about. Yes it was sentimental in places. Get over it!
I finished the book at 11 p.m. and cried myself to sleep. Sobbed for the fucked up state we're in; the level of prejudice and judgement that exists for anyone who is not like us, the pain we cause to those we love most, a system that doesn't work and a determination to keep it going at any price cos we don't have the imagination to change it for something that does damn well work.
This book will stay with me for a long time and I will recommend it to anyone. My copy is already on loan. You've been warned though, it's not an easy read!
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