Book Review: Tree Sacrifice

A suicide pact. A new responsibility. A desperate bid for harmony.

Harriet Springbett ~ Tree Sacrifice

Synopsis

A suicide pact. A new responsibility. A desperate bid for harmony.

As Rainbow leaves Brocéliande forest after the events of Tree Slayer, she learns that a much greater challenge faces her. Exasperated by mankind’s disrespect for trees, the One Tree has set a terrible event into motion. Rainbow is strictly forbidden from intervening, but thousands of trees across France could die unless she does so.

Her search for guidance will take her to England, where a startling discovery makes sense of her gift and opens new perspectives. She must take the hardest decision of her life. But will her and Eole’s sacrifices be enough to save the French forests?

Unknown to Rainbow, help is close by. But it lies in a different world, a parallel world where mankind lives in unity with trees. There, Druana must decide whether she’s prepared to risk everything to rebalance her world.

Will Druana and Rainbow ever meet? What would be the cost? For everything gained, something must be lost.

Review

Tree Sacrifice is the third book in the series, which doesn’t really work as a standalone. A few paragraphs to introduce the characters early on would have helped. There is a lot of information missing so it’s hard to catch up and work out who’s who and what’s happened so far. Part of the issue is that the story feels overly complicated.

The author wants to tell us the importance of trees. Not only do they provide us with life, they are crucial to the ecosystem. Their point is made throughout the book, but it feels like we’re being reprimanded and preached to; while I appreciate the book is YA, at times it feels more suited to a younger audience. The language is a little patronising in places and the characters immature. It’s also a little on the long side, meaning the action isn’t as exciting as it could be.

I also found it a shame that the author has made the characters stereotypical tree hugging hippies. It would have been more impactful had Rainbow (yes, that’s her name) been a technology obsessed teenager who discovered an ability to talk to trees and went on a journey of self-discovery, realising that humans need to wake up and start doing more to protect our forests etc.

It’s a fantastic concept, and there are some good ideas, particularly the magical elements which work really well in places. The interaction between the characters is lovely and feels very genuine, while the descriptions of the woods are beautiful with a clear contrast between France and England.

Unfortunately, as a whole it doesn’t work. Perhaps reading the books in order helps, but on its own this sadly falls short.