The Cicada Tree was unlike anything I have ever read. It’s a southern gothic novel set in 1950’s Georgia. The novel is very atmospheric and intriguing and I enjoyed the mystical aspects of this book.

Wow! I am in total awe of The Cicada Tree and the masterful way Robert Gwaltney weaves an astounding tale of intrigue, suspense, and rapture. He creates such a spinning cyclone of enchantment that you are left in awe. The descriptions are so rich and deep you can feel the vibrations of the thunder rumbling in your feet, hear the all-encompassing sounds of the cicadas, and of course taste the music as it floats by in the summer air. The characters all have a layered backstory, that you must uncover. Little by little until you can barely take it anymore. Each having a major impact on the outcome of the story.

It is the summer of 1956, in Georgia. Analeise and her friend Etta Mae are enjoying a hot, stormy summer in their backyard. Making cicada crowns, singing, and playing the piano. Etta Mae has the voice of an angle and Analeise is a gifted piano player, who can taste and see the music. Even though their lives are shrouded in loss, they are able to push through with their gifts. Analeise stumbles across many conversations that she is not supposed to hear, she is trying to make sense of it all. All these shreds of stories knocking around inside of her head, becoming louder and louder, reaching a fevered pitch. Leaves her wondering what is true and what has been a lie.

You need to read this book so you too can be put under Gwaltney's spell. This story keeps growing and growing, until it reaches a crescendo, and the truth finally comes to light. I could read this book over just for the details and descriptions, it is gorgeously written, and you need to experience it. Thank you to Robert Gwaltney, Moonshine Cove Publishing, and Get Red PR for allowing me to read this astounding coming of age story.

𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Beautifuly writen, fantastic and well developed characters, a captivating storyline, a book that was fascinating and delightful. What a fantastic debut.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours, Get Red PR and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

The Cicada Tree by Robert Waltney releases February 22, 2022.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

TITLE: The Cicada Tree
AUTHOR: Robert Gwaltney
PUB DATE: 02.22.2022
GENRE: Southern Gothic Historical Fiction


This debut is a fantastic story set in 1956 about young and talented, Analeise Newell, a piano prodigy, and her best friend Etta Mae who has the gifted voice of an angel. The story begins as the Cicadas return after thirteen years, while unearthing long buried secrets, in small town Georgia.

The storytelling style is so beautiful, and envelops the reader on the comings and goings of small town life, in a coming of age story where the lives of the wealthy and enigmatic Mayfields intersect with the simple life of the Newells - Analiese and her mama.

I enjoyed the immersive writing, the beautiful dialogue, and the rich details of life in the midst of twentieth century Georgia.

This southern gothic novel held me in its spell! There are so many great quotes in this book that I could use my entire review sharing quotes that really hit me.

The one word I would use to describe this book is atmospheric. I felt like I was in the setting of small town Providence, Georgia in 1956 living and breathing and experiencing every word in this book.

The descriptions in the book are outstanding as well. The book really heightens your awareness of all your senses as you immerse yourself in this read.

This is one I could imagine sitting in a college Southern Literature class and enjoying great lectures and class discussions.

I don’t want to give too much of this book description away but if you are a lover of southern gothic fiction, then make sure you add this book to read.

About the Book

It has been 13 years since the cicadas have last been seen in Providence, Georgia. 11 year old Analeise Newell lives a simple life with a mama that works two jobs, a daddy that drinks too much, Miss Wessie who helps take care of Analeise, and Miss Wessie’s granddaughter, Etta Mae.

But when she goes with her mama to the Mayfield mansion her life transforms to a complexity that is nothing short of other worldly.

What a beautifully written story. Southern gothic, lyrical, poetic prose that makes it impossible to put down. I've never read a book like this so I have nothing to compare it to. We follow Analeise, an 11 year old piano prodigy and her best friend, Etta Mae, an angelic singer, as they start figuring out the world they live in. A coming of age story that gets darker and more mysterious the farther in you get.

"In his novel, Gwaltney assembles some classic ingredients of the Southern gothic tradition, with Analeise’s world being haunted by death, madness, the past, and the supernatural...the eerie tone is well orchestrated for those who appreciate a sinister frisson."– #KirkusReviews

What did I just read?! Omg it's beautiful. The story, it gave me goosebumps till the very last bit..till I read the epilogue..& the writing style.. I cannot praise it enough..the vocab & the descriptive atmospheric beeeautiful play of words transported me literally to the era..1956.. I could actually see Analeise, her awe for the Mayfields.. I could feel every bit of what she felt throughout the happenings..


THE CICADA TREE by @robertgwaltneyjr
An amazing #debut !
Genre: #gothicfiction
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EXCERPTS:

Thirteen years had passed. Thirteen long years since the cicadas last came, years before Etta Mae and I were born. Now, they returned, digging loose from the earth, attaching themselves to trees, leaving behind a fragile crop of amber-tinted shells.
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“Can’t you hear them?” “Who’s come back?” Mama said, her voice weary, the edges dipped in annoyance. “Them ole’ locusts” he said. He took another step closer. “They got secrets they keep. Things they know and keep buried down in the ground with them—until they have the mind to come back. To sing out what they know.”
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“Baby, nothing’s wrong with you.” Mama softened her words. “Little girls who live in little houses can’t play with little girls who live in big ones. That’s all.”
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Though Mama was brilliant with a needle and thread, it was her ability to read the future in her own sewing that was the true gift, an ability as a part of her as the music inside me.
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“Mrs. Mayfield has peculiar ways.
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The book released 14.01.2022
It's available on #kindleunlimited
Do read it, I promise you won't be disappointed!

WHEN AN ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD, WHISKY DRINKING, PIANO PRODIGY ENCOUNTERS A WEALTHY FAMILY POSSESSING SUPERNATURAL BEAUTY, HER ENSUING OBSESSION UNLEASHES FAMILY SECRETS AND A CATACLYSMIC PLAGUE OF CICADAS.

The summer of 1956, a brood of cicadas descends upon Providence, Georgia, a natural event with supernatural repercussions, unhinging the life of Analeise Newell, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy. Amidst this emergence, dark obsessions are stirred, uncanny gifts provoked, and secrets unearthed.
During a visit to Mistletoe, a plantation owned by the wealthy Mayfield family, Analeise encounters Cordelia Mayfield and her daughter Marlissa, both of whom possess an otherworldly beauty, a lineal trait regarded as that Mayfield Shine. A whisper and an act of violence perpetrated during this visit by Mrs. Mayfield all converge to kindle Analeise’s fascination with the Mayfields.
Analeise’s burgeoning obsession with the Mayfield family overshadows her own seemingly, ordinary life, culminating in dangerous games and manipulation, setting off a chain of cataclysmic events with life-altering consequences—all of it unfolding to the maddening whir of a cicada song.

The Cicada Tree starts off with an air of innocence then quickly and unexpectedly takes a sharp turn into dark and disturbing coming of age Southern Gothic woven through with magical realism and a good dose of tragedy.

So many twists and turns, and there are parts of this book I’m still not sure I fully understand. Very thought-provoking.

I do have to say that the ending was like running into a brick wall. Abrupt then done.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its publication date.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Analeise Newell's obsession with the Mayfield family overshadows her own ordinary life, culminating in dangerous games and all of it unfolding to the maddening whir of a cicada song."

Southern lit at its best. The cicadas were such an expansive character in the story. Good read and an incredible debut book, recommended.

4☆

Consuming and corrosive, this story sinks into your pores and makes you dread all good things. I was disgusted and delighted in equal measure. The twisted roots of the Mayfield family tree are there simply to trip you up, leave you falling and disoriented. I reveled in it.

The writing is masterful and simple in turns. Characters woven in letters and flushed out with aching clarity. The synesthesia-like descriptions are immersive, bringing life to each page. I loved and hated the trepidation they invoked.

Excellent debut work. Enrapturing.

Thank you to Get Red PR, the author and publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Moonshine Cove Publishing for the arc of this book. The book was hard for me to get into at first, so I put it down. I came back to it later and I was enthralled by the writing! It was so good, I couldn't stop reading, even though I had no idea where the story was going. The kids' characters were really well-drawn and I loved the relationship between Analeise and Etta Mae. The casual cruelties between the other kids felt realistic. Near the end, some strange things happened that I'm still not sure I understand and the very end seemed almost unfinished - a short epilogue would have been helpful. I have to say again that the writing was gorgeous and makes me want to read more books by Robert Gwaltney so I can get lost in the words!

The Cicada Tree is, indeed, Southern Gothic and I enjoyed aspects of the story enough to stick with it. Sadly though, I never did truly connect with the protagonist.

This was a splendid read, if not because it’s so uniquely its own (meaning I haven’t read anything like it), it was also just so wonderfully written. Southern gothic at its best. You are truly transported to the south, and into the lives of these complex, awful, wonderful, tragic characters.

It is 1956. We follow 11-year-old Analeise Newell, a prodigy of the piano, and her best friend Etta Mae, a black girl who can sing like an angel. They spend their days in the Georgia sun singing, playing, and giggling but when Analeise tags along with her mother to the Mayfield’s house (where her mother works) she becomes instantly drawn into the lives of the rich and beautiful. She yearns to be close to the Mayfield’s no matter the consequences. After a harsh first impression she longs for a second. But what lies beneath the Mayfield’s may not be as lovely as their physical appearance. In finding out the truth about the Mayfield’s and their connection to her family, unnatural forces (a swarm of cicadas) are summoned to shatter illusions and unhinge secrets.

It is a coming-of-age story, somewhat of a grim version of Anne of Green Gables (because we follow a young, imaginative girl, dealing with bullying, and the complexities of friendship, while trying to understand her place in the world). There is suspense, magic, and mystical elements. The story is a slow burn, and if it weren’t for the writing, at times I might have gotten bored. BUT the writing was just too good. The kind of prose that draws you in, has you re-reading lines, and “chef kissing” every other detail, or description. It’s lyrical, poetic, and visceral. The words of a truly talented writer. The plot may move slowly, but the prose will keep you hooked until the very last word. Until all secrets are revealed, circulating violent consequences.

Even if you don’t read much southern gothic, I recommend this book because it has a unique premise, with beautiful prose, and characters you will hate/love and everything in between. Either way you'll become fully immersed in the story. Though, I will say that the ending was kind of a letdown, only because it seemed unfinished? Maybe there’s more to come from these characters…a second book perhaps? I will be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you to #netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dense, Dark, And Disturbing Southern Gothic. Gwaltney here manages to craft a Southern Gothic tale that will give fans of the genre chills. The world as seen through the eyes of 3rd grader Analiese... well, who knew that the third grade schoolyard could be so reminiscent of the corporate boardroom and its constant behind the scenes power plays? The back third is where the book gets particularly disturbing, as a massive brood of cicadas emerges to devastating effect right as the events of the last several weeks in Analiese's life begin to come to a head. The finale will disturb many for its revelations, and for those that like perfectly tied up endings... be prepared, you don't get that here. Which actually speaks to just how well Gwaltney commands his genre here. Indeed, the one knock I have on this book is just how very *dense* it is. It is supposedly around 300 pages, but reads as though it were twice as long. Still, the tale is intriguing enough that you're going to want to stay in and see just what happens next, and Gwaltney here truly does show great prowess as a storyteller. Very much recommended.

This one was on the weird side. I'm not even sure I know what happened. But are you as the reader suppose to?

This book has everything that one expects from a book set in the deep south. Mystery, family secrets, and dark past of segregation. This is a must read if you love southern fiction!

Beautifully and lyrically written, this southern novel swept me away. Starting as a coming of age story, 11 year old Analeise is waking to the world around her. The story becomes so much more, more fantasy, less benign, more secrets in her life, and I loved every page.

With shades of Harper Lee and echoes of the best of Southern fiction, Robert Gwaltney’s The Cicada Tree is a magical journey into character, family, friendship and the human psyche.

I loved this book from beginning to end. While it starts off sweet, it takes a very dramatic and unexpected turn, which was fantastic, in my opinion. The lyrical, vivid prose transported me to a place I’m entirely unfamiliar with other than through books and movies, yet I felt I was right there with the main characters. The story sucks you in and doesn’t let go—not even at the end, as I was craving more.

I highly recommend The Cicada Tree. Robert Gwaltney’s debut is remarkable and he is clearly an author to watch.

The Cicada Tree is a coming of age story set in 1956 Providence, Georgia. Eleven-year-old Analeise discovers family secrets, lies, and hints of mystical powers in the midst of a cicada invasion. Fans of Southern historical fiction will love this book. Thanks to author Robert Gwaltney, Moonshine Cove Publishing, and to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc. The writing and vocabulary in this book are unmatched. I enjoyed that aspect the most of this book. I did, however, find it hard to get into the book and struggled a bit to stay connected. I think there were some wonderful ideas in the book and the South is such a wonderful setting steeped with its own lore and history, but I just didn't connect to the main character as much as I had hoped. By the time I was really drawn in and the chapters were just flying by, the book ended. I don't know if I'm connected enough to invest my time into another story about these characters, but I am on board to read another book by Robert Gwaltney.