Humboldt Cut A Redwood Gothic

The story follows Jasmine, a young woman who returns home for her godmother’s funeral. Old tensions between her brother and her former best friend quickly resurface, and after a heated argument, her brother disappears into the forests of Northern California. Jasmine and a small group set out to find him, only to realize that they are not the only ones moving through the woods. The novel tackles heavy themes such as racism, misogyny, sexual violence, murder, and the destruction of nature through excessive logging. The narrative takes place mostly in the present, interwoven with numerous flashbacks to the recent past as well as to the period between 1940 and 1970. Certain events are retold multiple times from different perspectives. While this structure may appeal to some readers, I found that it made the story harder to follow rather than more engaging. The writing is often lush and descriptive, filled with Latin plant names, which creates a strong sense of place. At the same time, the story is unflinchingly brutal. Any humor that the book is said to contain unfortunately passed me by entirely. Despite its ambitious themes and layered structure, I never found the story particularly suspenseful, frightening, or emotionally gripping. The shifting timelines didn’t add tension for me; instead, they complicated the experience, especially in audio form. That said, I wouldn’t call the novel poorly written. Its style and approach are simply not to my taste. Readers who enjoy dense, atmospheric prose and challenging subject matter may find more to appreciate here than I did.