Rowan Ellway is a young college president; Easter Blue, an impassioned student leader. Upon graduation, she takes a fellowship to Africa, and they lose touch. When, decades later, they meet again, they discover that their prior bond was but a rehearsal for the world stage.The Rowan Tree reaches from the tumultuous 1960s into humanity’s future, encompassing the worlds of politics, sport, ballet, … politics, sport, ballet, presidential leadership, and world governance. An international cast of characters personifies the catalytic role of love in political change.
Replete with illicit loves, quixotic quests, and inextinguishable hope, The Rowan Tree foretells a dignitarian world much as the story of King Arthur and the round table sowed the seeds of democracy.
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Interesting but kind of preachy.
Didn’t care for the twist on names of former political figures in this writing. Last part of book was slow.
I was disappointed. It felt lengthy, difficult, the author is trying so hard to push his own ideas on social issues down the reader’s throat, wanting you to accept them. Some issues are tabu – period! The presentation of the RU people is idealistic, making them out to be way better than what and who they are in real life. Simplistic, irritating, dragging on. In the end it was an irritating read.
The story line was captivating. Took me a while to read it, but I’m finding the story sticking with me over time.
I found it extremely long for the story it conveyed, bordering on tedious. Could easily have been condensed without losing content.
Enjoyed the story line and unique twists in the plot.
It started off slowly but the characters were developed very interestingly. It was a love story woven into current world events. I found it hard to put down. Didn’t know til the end that author is writer of several mathematics-science books.
The book actually gave me a visceral feeling at first, seriously wanting the author to avoid a plot path. It is engaging though, and kept me reading to discover where the author was going after he went where I thought he shouldn’t. He ended up creating a very compelling story. I ended up reflecting on ideas along with the characters. A very good read.
The author writes like a man who only thinks of women in patronizing terms.
Phenomenal story well written with a thoughtful message
Can’t get through it. Doesn’t hold my interest
Started out good but was completely unbearable at the end
Over a lifetime, many things transpire and many unpredictable influences come to pass. When one life’s experiences transform another’s you follow along in the current and ebbs that journey leaves in its wake. As a tree grows…adding branches, some withering, some sprouting others…you are taken along for the ride.
Thought provoking. Took me back through history in how things developed via the civil rights movement and how individuals coped or changed w/ how we view our system and human behavior.
I found the book interesting but confusing when it jumped a whole generation and became enmeshed in the philosophies of the son and his belief in dignity being the most important way to live life. It eventually ties itself back together yet Rowan, the man seems less a dominate force in the story.
Great study of unpredictable relationships.
Unique sociopolitical ideals propelled by an interesting though improbable multigenerational backstory, more of an allegory in its totality. A thoughtful and absorbing read.
The last 1/3 of the book is different from the first 2/3 of the book. There is a 20-30 year time jump and the action goes from an omnipresent narrator to first person; it’s jarring, as though someone else finished the book. The mood changes and the plot is almost parenthetical. I had a hard time staying with it to finish the book.
Liked it very much. Smart, well written.
Good start but then story meanders and becomes preachy and caught in minutia. Liked the story about family but became bogged down and bored often.