This was one of the best horror novels I've ever read. Before this novel I’d read two of Kiernan's short stories and was very impressed by both. This is a disturbing novel, ultimately very scary at times with a brooding, melancholy undercurrent to it. The last chapter is just devastating stuff which hit me like VERY few books have, and I think that's why I'd give this book a perfect score. I almost didn’t give this book five stars, but I just can’t help it – it really touched me at times, and scared me at times (which is rare).The main character, Sarah, is sympathetic and very lonely. We’re never sure if this is a story about real supernatural happenings or a descent into insanity – or a little of both perhaps?Kiernan loves to reference other works, particularly of horror and drop names throughout the novel. Lovecraft. Machen. Blackwood. There's even obscure people mentioned like folklorist (and ghost story writer) Sabine Baring-Gould whom I know from my own folklore researches. At one point the main character in the novel says, "...I was fortunate to discover a copy of Mysterious New England at the library in Moosup, and, sure enough, the story is on page 156—“Franklin’s ‘Blood’ Apples” by Joseph A. Owens." I have this very book in my folklore collection, so of course I jumped up and was able to look this up as well!This was one of the more emotional horror novels I've read. One touching scene in particular hit me where Sarah finds some four-leafed clovers which her dead partner Amanda found for her, inside an old book from her childhood. She weeps and knows there was some good in their relationship.The story isn’t brought together in the end with a nice big bow on it that explains everything, but that's what makes it so memorable. It’s got great atmosphere and setting, and in true Lovecraftian fashion we have mysterious manuscripts which reference further works, until we realize the horror really goes back to the beginning of time itself. It’s all written in a smart style which makes me want to read more of her stuff.Possible Spoilers Ahead...There are a few very creepy moments throughout. Probably the best is when Constance (Sarah's roommate and semi-lover at the cabin) ventures into the cellar with it's many subterranean passages, then just disappears for a while. And when she shows up again, well, I just haven’t read anything that scary in a while. Sarah also discovers some very disturbing history in reference to what happened to the cows of a man who disrespected the "red tree"; "the animals were summarily autopsied by a veterinarian from Coventry, who discovered that the they were each missing a 'considerable quantity of blood' and that 'their udders were distended, and, when opened, it was discovered that they were filled with a dark viscous material that stank of rotting vegetable matter, but, more remarkably, with the undigested acorns and leaves of a Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra).'" I look forward to reading another novel by Kiernan, this is just great stuff that kept me interested and ended up being far more memorable than I expected. Reminiscent of "House of Leaves" or "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Red Tree" is as excellently written and haunting as any of Kiernan's works. Even as someone who loves stories about writers and writing the similarity between not one but many of the characters to Kiernan herself became a bit repetitive, but the book is intentionally labyrinthine and self-aware, with wonderfully quotable passages and descriptions and an exploration of human grief, mental illness, and urges along with the horror story.
What do You think about The Red Tree (2009)?
I honestly just could not get into this book. Couldn't even try to power thru it.
—yej
Terrible cover hiding a clever, well-crafted story.
—Ghostastic
