The Tree of Life (Tower Room) - Softcover

Davis, Dawn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 146026634X ISBN 13: 9781460266342

Publisher: FriesenPress, 2015

Synopsis

Charlotte lives with her grandfather in a house with a secret: The Tower Room. It is the one room in which she's been forbidden to snoop. Charlotte, however, is eleven years old and has a mind of her own, and when she and her friend Henry hide beneath the table of the Tower Room one afternoon in May, they overhear part of a conversation they were not meant to hear and are drawn into an adventure they could scarcely have imagined.
Thrown back in time sixty years, they find themselves unwittingly involved in the imminent disappearance of a family heirloom with a colourful and uncertain past. But families too have their secrets, and the reasons behind them are rarely straightforward, and it is unclear what role Charlotte and Henry are meant to play if they are ever to return to their own time.
A fascinating portrait of Toronto in the spring of 1939, The Tree of Life explores the nature of family, loss, and what it means to find one's place in the world.

About this title

About the Author

Dawn Davis lives and writes in Toronto. She splits her time between the Toronto Reference Library and her home that looks out over the ravine. The Tree of Life is her first book.

Review

"The vibrant historical detail, thoughtfully constructed plot, well-fleshed-out secondary characters of a variety of ages, and thought-provoking presentation of anti-semitism in Canada during the 1930s are more than enough to intrigue and satisfy an older audience as well as tweens, or any reader with an interest in twentieth-century Canadian history."  -Carolyn Bailey, Clarion Review

"Debut novelist Davis spins a time-travel story that features an unstoppable young heroine... Charlotte's boldness and Henry's irritated devotion will make young readers grin. The period history is detailed and intriguing, as well, and includes ugly glimpses of anti-Semitism half a world away from the coming war in Europe... Fans of magical realism à la Alice Hoffman will feel at home with this story."- Kirkus Reviews

It is all the more impressive when considering that "The Tree of Life" is author Dawn Davis' debut as a novelist. Exceptionally well written, "The Tree of Life" launches what promises to be a four volume 'Tower Room' series and is an absolutely absorbing read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Tree of Life" is also available in a paperback edition (9781460266342, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

Susan Bethany
Reviewer's Bookwatch
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Edition details

• Publisher: FriesenPress
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 146026634X
• ISBN 13: 9781460266342
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 304