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Cheri's Reviews > Inland
Inland
by
4.5 Stars
It’s been around eight years since I read Téa Obreht’s debut novel, The Tiger’s Wife, but the fact that I loved the beautiful writing and the story had been enough incentive for me to request this second novel, Inland. I’m so glad that I did.
This story has a duel narrative, which kept me on my toes, and wanders over time, over centuries, and around the world in one of the narratives. Over the course of a day in another narrative, traveling through time using memories revisited, times and places, loves and losses over a lifetime. Through all of this, Obreht weaves this story of the early days of the Arizona Territory, 1893, with an enchanting sprinkling of magical realism, as well as a spiritual connection – both of these two narrators have conversations with, and connections to the dead.
This isn’t a carefree, cheerful read, yet it doesn’t dwell in the harshness of these lives. There is much pondering and wonderment of their surroundings, as bleak as they are, and through these we learn their stories. Obreht manages to skillfully weave into this story the historical experimentation of the United States Camel Corps. using camels as pack animals in the Southwest during the mid-19th-century development of the country. The US Army eventually decided to abandon this project, despite the camels’ stamina. This added another layer to the story, but what I loved most about this was the vivid portrayal of the era, the landscape, and the memories of these two people, their stories, as well as their conversations with those who haunt their days and nights.
If there were brief moments while reading this where it felt as though I had wandered in the desert too long, the breathtaking ending is one that will remain etched in my mind.
Pub Date: 13 Aug 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by to Random House Publishing Group – Random House
by
Cheri's review
bookshelves: 1890s, arizona, historical-early-america-fiction, magical-realism, western-fiction, 2019, netgalley
Jul 01, 2019
bookshelves: 1890s, arizona, historical-early-america-fiction, magical-realism, western-fiction, 2019, netgalley
4.5 Stars
It’s been around eight years since I read Téa Obreht’s debut novel, The Tiger’s Wife, but the fact that I loved the beautiful writing and the story had been enough incentive for me to request this second novel, Inland. I’m so glad that I did.
This story has a duel narrative, which kept me on my toes, and wanders over time, over centuries, and around the world in one of the narratives. Over the course of a day in another narrative, traveling through time using memories revisited, times and places, loves and losses over a lifetime. Through all of this, Obreht weaves this story of the early days of the Arizona Territory, 1893, with an enchanting sprinkling of magical realism, as well as a spiritual connection – both of these two narrators have conversations with, and connections to the dead.
This isn’t a carefree, cheerful read, yet it doesn’t dwell in the harshness of these lives. There is much pondering and wonderment of their surroundings, as bleak as they are, and through these we learn their stories. Obreht manages to skillfully weave into this story the historical experimentation of the United States Camel Corps. using camels as pack animals in the Southwest during the mid-19th-century development of the country. The US Army eventually decided to abandon this project, despite the camels’ stamina. This added another layer to the story, but what I loved most about this was the vivid portrayal of the era, the landscape, and the memories of these two people, their stories, as well as their conversations with those who haunt their days and nights.
If there were brief moments while reading this where it felt as though I had wandered in the desert too long, the breathtaking ending is one that will remain etched in my mind.
Pub Date: 13 Aug 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by to Random House Publishing Group – Random House
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Reading Progress
April 24, 2019
– Shelved
June 22, 2019
–
Started Reading
June 25, 2019
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 63 (63 new)
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Bianca
(new)
Jul 01, 2019 10:36PM
Fantastic review. I'd add it, but I've got soooo much to read.
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Lovely review, Cheri. A real treat when a book immersed you in a different era and landscape with characters who had compelling memories to share.
Wonderful review. I can hardly wait to read this as we’ve spent a lot of time in AZ.
Great review Cheri - I look forward to reading this!
Wonderful review Cheri! It’s on my list!😊
I tried and just couldn’t become engaged. Glad you enjoyed, Cheri
Fabulous review, Cheri! Glad this book was able to transport you!
Cheri, can’t wait to read this now , especially after reading how you felt about the ending. Terrific review!
Fabulous review, Cheri. Sounds really good.
Thanks so much, Elyse!
Thank you, Bianca. I know what you mean, although right now I think I can handle mine, but so much less time each day!
Thanks so much, Laysee. I think she's an amazing storyteller, and her writing is lovely,
Liz, I was excited to read this, and we took our "midwinter" vacations almost every year that I can recall when I was growing up in Arizona, but the early years there, as in this story, bore no resemblance to the Arizona that I spent time in - except the horseback riding aspect of it - for me. This wasn't the easiest book to "fall into" but it was very worthwhile!
Thanks so much, Debbie!
Thank you, Lisa! I hope you love this, it does take a while to really fall into its spell.
Thanks so much, Karen! I really think you will love this!
Thank you, Tammy, I can completely understand that, it's part of the reason why I read this one slowly.
Meredith, thank you so much!
Thanks so much, Holly!
Thank you, Victorian Sammy Blog Club, happy to see that you've added this one.
Thanks so much, Angela, I hope you love this one, too - it is a slowly paced story, and it took me a while to really love this, but I do think you will really love / like / appreciate this one. And what an ending!
Thanks so much, Katie! This was really good, I ended up loving it, but I can also understand why some people have DNF'd this one, as well.
Thanks so much, Angela. The story is a bit slow to unveil and dismal, but I haven't had much time for reading lately, and I read this over four or five days, which helped, but the more I read, the more I wanted to read more, to know how this story ends. I think more than a few people have DNF'd this one, so hang in there!
Thanks so much, Katie! This author can really weave the most magical stories!
Terrific review, Cheri! I haven't read Obreht's other book but this one sounds enticing. I don't mind a slow burn if the writing is good :)
Thanks so much, Candi, I think you would appreciate both of her books, but they are very different from each other. The writing is very good, I think if I had read this at a point in time when my life wasn't so hectic I would have loved it more, but it really is a beautifully told story set in a harsh environment.
Thanks so much, Louise!
For obvious reasons (Arizona being my home), I cannot wait to read this, Cheri. Lovely review!!! Ha -- loved your 'wandering the desert too long' analogy.
Melissa, I thought of you while I was reading this - if I had a physical copy of this it would be on its way to you from me already - but while it does take place in Arizona (or Arizona before it was a "state" and was 'just' a territory) it could have taken place in any similar type of setting. But you know how much I love Arizona, and it definitely added to it for me! Hauntingly beautiful!
Wonderful review, Cheri! A sprinkling of magical realism always ups the interest for me. I'm glad you enjoyed this so much!😊
Thanks so much, Kimber, I really think this is one you will love. It did take me a little bit to feel fully invested in this, but it's worth having patience!
I loved her previous book. Can't wait to check this out. Great review.
Thanks so much, Stephanie! I loved her The Tiger's Wife, too - this is very different in some ways, but it is as beautifully written.
Thanks so much, Tim! I think you might actually really enjoy this one.
Terrific review. I am adding this one and still need to read her first novel. Thanks Cheri!
Thank you, Jen, I think that her first book was easier for me to just fall into the pages, where this one was slower to pull me in mainly since the days have a sameness, a feeling of endless endurance, but I also think I ended up loving this one a bit more in the end.
Another awesome review, Cheri! I have yet to read her first book but it is on my bookshelves!
Antoinette, thank you so much! Her two books are very different in some ways, but both a sprinkled with a touch of magical realism. I find myself still thinking about this one, it really painted some images in my mind - and the writing!
Adding. I need to read her debut, also. There isn’t enough time.
Kelli, her two books are *very* different! I think i enjoyed her first one while I was reading it more, but I think this one will stay with me longer. I think her first has more of a fairy-tale / magical-realism touch to it - but I don't think you can go wrong whichever one you read first! Time - if I could find some, I'd give it to you!
Beautiful review, Cheri! I have this one and it sounds like the writing and storytelling inside are as lovely as the cover.
Thank you, Jennifer! I think you will really enjoy this, and will appreciate the writing.
Wonderful review, Cheri. I just bumped into my friend Michelle, who works at my local Coles, who said she just finished this one and continues to think about it. Her comment to me was,"you should read it but not necessarily buy it."I'm certainly more intrigued now and can see that this kind of storytelling and writing will interest me.
