Thank you for a copy of this book. Unfortunately, I finished it after the publication date.
It was a slow read but touched on many important themes. I enjoy reading books set in this time and wish there were more! I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but just found it hard to get into. It felt like a chore to pick it up sometimes. Thank you for the ARC.

Oof, this is one of those books that is a bit painful to read, but that's exactly why it's so important to have these subjects explored. I'm from Louisiana, so the Colfax Massacre is something I knew about; however, I was surprised to see the book is actually set in and around the tiny town my family is from. I know all the roads and cities mentioned, which brought this book to another level for me.

The book is a somewhat slow, meandering one. It's the daily lives of people set against a much larger historical backdrop. There are explorations of interracial and homosexual relationships, coming of age emotions, love, and more in addition to the racial subject matter. This isn't a book that will grab you out of the gate and keep you gripped, exactly, but it is the kind of book that will stay with you. It's a quiet power if that makes sense.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of people we were introduced to at first but soon fell in love with so many of them. I loved the way the author weaved the characters' religion into the book, there's just enough so that it doesn't become fantastical in the way it's presented. Overall, I really enjoyed this book despite the sometimes uncomfortable subject matter. Thank you to the author for writing this book and to the publisher for helping bring it to the world. And thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this as an eARC.

The upside-down tree by Aiden Reimoneng.
is an insightful, powerful look at the worst of racial hatred and violence during the early Jim Crow years, a time rarely addressed by historical-fiction authors. The novel stems from the horrific Colfax Massacre in Louisiana on April 13, 1873, but is primarily set between 1900-1908 in rural Louisiana. Surprising at every turn, the plot twists through lynchings, cross-burnings, love between the races, gay love, religious intolerance, poverty, illness, and death. Against the backdrop of ever-threatening danger and intimidation from regulators and white authorities, the spirited characters live their day-to-day lives engaging in joyous family scenes, transcending the severity of the ominous problems they face. Catholic and African religious beliefs blend and clash as interracial relationships develop, and a secret gay relationship moves tentatively yet feels like it might have a chance to grow, against all odds. Full of African spirits, mystical images, magical trees, and dynamic characters, The Upside-Down Tree is a novel of enduring hope. Despite a storyline that can at times seem dark and disturbing, it remains positive, reaffirming the overarching goodness of most people. The love, caring, forgiveness, and loyalty intrinsic in richly drawn characters shine through in beautifully crafted lyrical passages. The novel's enduring message is that love always wins over hate, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. This message is very timely and craved by many people at this critical moment in American history. After reading the novel, a feeling of hope abides -- a rejuvenating feeling that an unfearing look at the past serves a purpose, not to bind us to it, but to better understand the present and continue to strive towards a better future. The Upside-Down Tree is not only a must-read for readers of historical fiction and southern and resistance literature -- especially Louisiana Créole descendants and African Americans -- but for all readers who yearn for a message of hope and strength for the continued healing of racial discrimination in America.
A good read with good characters. Slow but readable. Likeable story. 3*.

3.5 stars.

This debut novel is set in rural Louisiana in the early 1900s, which is something as a non-American I had next to no knowledge of previously.

This took a long time for me to get into as I felt we're introduced to a large number of characters at once and the pacing and plot felt disjointed and was confusing at times. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the characters and the overarching sense of hope and light in the darkness.

Overall an enjoyable read.