Liked the story. Good characterization. About a third of the way in symbolism became heavy handed. Didn't like the dialogue. Author describes everyone as speaking "lowly". Got to the point I felt like throwing the book everytime someone spoke lowly. Good enough story to keep me reading but don't think I would pick up this author again. ( )

I really liked this book about a mountain girl with a domineering grandfather. Her mother died after being cruelly cast out by her grandfather for running off and getting pregnant with a man he didn't approve of, but Mercy still can't help but fall for a poor migrant worker on the mountain. When her grandfather finds out, he'll do anything to make her atone for her sin, and she'll do anything to stay with her love. The ending left an important detail up in the air and therefore wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked. Overall, a very engrossing book. ( )

Mercy Heron graduated high school and works as a waitress. She has no plans and no hopes of ever leaving Crooked Top Mountain. Mercy has always lived with her insane grandmother and stern, overbearing grandfather because her mother died giving birth. During her eighteenth summer, Mercy meets Trout and suddenly her world opens up. But she also knows that her grandfather will never approve of Trout who is a migrant worker, picking tomatoes, more commonly known as a mater migrant.

Thus begins the story of Mercy Heron in The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener, a beautifully written, lyrical ode to Appalachia and what it means to live and survive there. The writing is so fluid and so powerful that it is hard to believe this is a debut novel. Clearly the author is familiar with her subject. I didn’t just read about Mercy, I lived with her, I felt her joy and her pain. When Mercy worked in the fields picking maters, the description was so intense I felt I worked alongside her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the beauty of the printed word. ( )