I was not going to read THE CYPRESS HOUSE because when I read the “coming attractions” brief description, it said something about supernatural, and that turned me right off. Supernatural just is not my cup of tea. Or coffee.
Having now read it, I understand why the term would be applied, but to me, this book has nothing to do with the supernatural. It’s historical fiction, flawlessly executed.
And for the record, if you are ever so lucky as to have Jen Forbus recommend a specific author to you, for the love of all that is holy, listen to her. Set aside any bias you might have about subject matter and just pick up the book.
My dad gave me my love of reading; it was likely his greatest gift to me. But oddly, we only rarely recommend books to each other. This is one I will recommend he read, in no small measure because it is set in 1935. My dad has a fondness for stories from and set during the Great Depression. Oh, and excellent writing.
In this tale, Koryta has created a world inhabited by characters—human, meteorological and geographic—that are as captivating as they are terrifying. THE CYPRESS HOUSE defies categorization because it truly includes elements from many different genres, from crime fiction to western to, yes, supernatural. It also has no small element of joy, celebrating the perseverance of the human spirit.
I’m an immersive reader. I like to get lost in worlds created by authors. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Michael Koryta wrote THE CYPRESS HOUSE just for me. And I am grateful that he did.
To summarize: THEY CYPRESS HOUSE is set in Florida in 1935. The characters, setting, and historical events create a perfect storm of story. Pure and beautiful story.
If this one is on your TBR list, move it to the top of the pile. If you weren’t planning on reading it, change your mind right now.
Blurb: Koryta has crafted a truly extraordinary tale.
Author’s Website: www.michaelkoryta.com
I loved this book. I made The Hubster read it and he’s about 2/3 of the way through and enjoying it just as much as I did. Neither of us particularly like ‘supernatural’ stories, but as you said, that’s not what this book is all about.
I could just visualize the story in my head as a black and white movie as I was reading it.
So glad to see you liked it so much. I have learned to pay attention when Jen recommends and author or book. She hasn’t steered me wrong yet.
Ooh! That’s another thing I loved about this book–I think it appeals equally to men and women! 🙂
What a fantastic book! Thanks, I believe it was your excellent review that put it on my radar screen. Loved it start to finish.