The Whispering of Trees

by C.Y. Bourgeois

Teenager Aggie Ksisak longs to be normal, but her coming of age includes a legacy as the most powerful Inupiat Eskimo shaman in history. Aggie enjoys the feisty discussions with her spirit guide, a sassy bowhead whale, and finds learning to be a shaman fun. Until it isn’t. Until the night her dreams are invaded by a powerful demon spirit who threatens to destroy her and everyone she loves.

When she finally begins to accept her powerful birthright, her world is shattered by alcoholism, sexual abuse, and death. Aggie rejects the only thing that can save her and poised on the brink of darkness, she wonders if she deserves to live.
By accepting her destiny and embracing her powers of spiritual healing Aggie has the ability to save herself and rise above her fear, humiliation, and shame. But why should she?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

291 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2016

About the author

C.Y. Bourgeois began writing as a means to cope with the death of her father and in 2011 published Paris Book Festival award-winning novel, Visions of You, and The Concrete Gnome, a novella.

In 2009, C.Y. and her husband moved from Alaska to northern Idaho where she recently completed 2016 Maxy Award winner, The Whispering of Trees, and the first installment of a middle grade series entitled, The Secret Sisterhood of Ninjas. She is now intent on finishing Visions of Mortality, the sequel to Visions of You.

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley.

I have written a spoiler free review found here: https://amberinoface.wordpress.com/20...

[Tasya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've never been more relieved in finishing a book.

The problem with this book is it tries to cover so many problems. I think it's better to write 2 different books, contemporary OR fantasy. It's like the author googles "what problems are usually in a book" and use all of them. Let me list it for you: depression, suicide, pedophile, rape, disfunctional family, magic, romance, cancer, bitchy friends, deaths, teen pregnancy, birth defects, and religion. It makes this book unecessarily long and seemed unfocused. I guess this book should've been a contemporary? I was 50% into the book and the most magic we have is rattling trees and swirling gold in Aggie eyes.

The writing style was also not my favorite. I got the impressions that this is a MG book, because of the cover and the synopsis but apparently our character is 15 going on 16?? Which also confuses me because the story feels juvenile for me, and the characters are really really immature.

Each chapter is really short, but nothing happened really since like I said, this book has too many things going on and it took a lot of set up, so the pacing is crawling. I'm 50% in and I'm waiting for something big to happened and when it does happened it MAKES ME SO MAD. I literally cried because I just WHY. After all this problems you had in this book and set up you really have to add more issues?? I also think that was the point I actually considered dnf ing this book for real.

The so-called magic is useless in general. Does it heal or do anything? No. The whole "you can't help people unless they want to be helped" really makes me mad. Well then, I'll just go to normal psychiatrist or doctor then. It works the same way, doesn't it? If the magic element is deleted from the book, it would be a decent read.

I think I would enjoy the romance, because it's written as one of my favorite tropes, but the execution is just NO. The way she acted whenever the love interest do something is just ridiculous. Easily blushed, "jelly legs" and so on. It makes me cringe and wonder why does the romance exists in the first place.

In conclusion, I'm very very dissapointed. I was expecting for magic, but it was barely exists and instead I got this whole mess. From what I read, the magic element is an analogy for religion/consience. This book has too much going on, and instead of following one single plot, it keeps adding more and more issues. It's an okay coming of age read, but the whole mess and experience really left a bad impressions for me. If only the (sorry!) useless magical element erased, I would enjoy the story more.

View the full review of this book (more detailed + quotes) in The Literary Huntress

[Petuli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an e-arc copy of this book via NetGalley in exchnage for my honest opinion. Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing.

This book follows Aggie, young Eskimo girl, who is to become Inupiat Shaman. From the description of the book I was expecting to get a really exciting fantasy book. What I got was a mixture of some fantasy elements and too much of contemporary drama.

I honestly think there's too much to deal with in this book. We do have those fantasy elements that are quite interesting but they're not developed to the level where they would be the main deal of the book. The Whispering of Trees focuses more on the contemporary side.

There are so many things: violence, depression, alcoholism, rape, ... And many more. I don't think it was wise to put everything into book that is less than 300 pages long. It's too much for one book!I would prefer to see only the fantasy side of things or only the contemporary side (with less problems).

Reading was very hard for me. I seriously considered not finishing this book and I had to take a break from it. I have to say that the second half was better but still not very enjoyable for me.

I was not able to connect to the characters. Honesltly, even after finishing the book I don'T know who those characters are. At the same time I was very angry with the characters - they acted really stupid and I with the fact I wasn't able to care for them I just wanted for this book to end.

As for the writing style it also wasn't my favourite but this thing is so subjective that I really don't know what was wrong with it that I didn't like it. On the other hand, I really appreciate that the author brought such an interesting and unique topic to YA literature. Do I think it could be executed better? Yes... But still, how many books are there about eskimos? About shamans? The premise of this book is really interesting and I do believe that it could find it's fans but unfortunately, I am not one of them.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whispering of trees by c y Bourgeois is a teens and ya and children's fiction read.
Aggie Ksisak longs to be a normal teenager, but her coming of age includes a legacy as the most powerful Inupiat Eskimo shaman in history.

Aggie embraces her heritage until a powerful demon spirit invades her dreams, threatening to destroy her and everyone she loves. Despite her overwhelming fear, she soon realizes she cannot reject her calling. Then her family falters, a close friend turns on her, and the demon reappears. She staggers, but recovers until soon after her sixteenth birthday when something unspeakable shatters her world.

Filled with self-loathing and poised on the brink of death, the young shaman must dig deep to embrace her powerful birthright and reclaim her magic. But, even if she succeeds, will it be enough to save her?
This was a beautiful and moving read. I loved Aggie. She was my favourite character. So strong. Had me in tears. 5*. Highly recommended. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

[Lalla · Rating 1 out of 5]

*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

When I started reading The Whispering of Trees I was expecting simply another fantasy YA/Children book. What I actually read was an atmospheric tale of passage from childhood to womanhood.
The shaman element add to the story a picturesque imaginary and spiritual meaning. The writing is clear, smooth and delicate and I was very surprised by the softness with which some dramatic/strong themes were handled.

“The whispering of trees” is a suggestive tale of coming of age probably more suitable for young readers than anything else eve thought there are some "strong themes" they're handled with care and the overall story has a childlike quality to it. Still, this book is not my cup of tea.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pacing is what threw me and I couldn't quite ride the wave of the story to stick with it. From the chapters that I did read, it seemed as though the marketing to middle grade would be a tough sell as it seems an easier read for an older audience related to both it's darker elements of the shaman girl's visions, the family issues and subsequent abuse, but also because of it's drawn-out process of coming of age for the narrator. I didn't have patience, so I'm not sure what teens would.

[Daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quality Rating: Two Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Two Stars

◆ Thanks to NetGalley for this ebook for review ◆

Unfortunately, The Whispering of Trees did not give me enough reason to read more than 10% - generally, I read at least to 25%, but honestly this story wasn't going anywhere and I couldn't really take the writing. I'm still not sure if this is supposed to be a children's or young adult's book: the simplicity and basic style of the writing makes me think children's, but then there's blatant reference to more mature topics and not in the way a child would understand them - either it's bad writing (entirely possible) or an unclear audience. Personally, I was initially interested in the story because of its concept and setting, but I could tell quickly that it was trying to appeal to an American audience with Eskimo themes, which meant it missed out on both. There was also a lot of parts dramatised to the point where it would hard to take seriously. It's a real shame because I think it could've been interesting.
I will not be writing a full review for this book as it is unfair to judge it fully by the first 10%, however be aware I was not inclined to read any further.

[Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing story. I had hoped it would be so much more magical and coming of age type story for YA's. Also liked the cultural aspect of Inuit and shaman. But the story itself was just too busy! To many issues to tackle! Forget the magic. It was a coming of age in a bad way. I would have liked to recommend it for our shelves, but I'll pass. In the end, I never felt any connection to the characters for good or bad. They were never really developed. Sorry.

I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Ashley Powers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible book dont read!!!

[Kim Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whispering of Trees is one of those books that you won’t be able to put down. I found myself drawn into this story and hours passed before I looked up from the book.

The story follows Aggie, a 15-year-old Inupiat girl in Barrow, Alaska. She is training to be a shaman and has a very interesting life. She communicates with the spirit world in the form of a whale she calls SeeSee, The Sister Whale. Mr. Joseph Billy is her mentor and the village’s current shaman. In other respects, she is just a normal teenager, hanging out with her friends and doing normal teen activities. At first, she is quite reluctant to become a shaman, but things change and she finally does embrace her destiny.

The story addresses many issues that face Native communities today – including alcoholism, unemployment, abuse, rape, mental illness, drug use, suicide, and violence. Aggie begins as a carefree teen and matures throughout the story, making some very adult decisions and choices along the way.

Aggie gathers two companions who help her in her spiritual journey, a cat named Coco, and a tree she names Willy. She has very strong ties to both and they are able to communicate in a unique way. Aggie also has her best friend, Jackie, who tags along with her almost everywhere. Jackie is her most loyal friend and confidante. Her other close friend is Lella, who becomes a very important part of her life in the last parts of the story.

Her family endures the loss of her father’s job and her father’s descent into depression, and then her uncle shows up on the scene. His arrival brings many changes and Aggie’s life will never be the same. She endures many challenges after that and learns about life and love as she matures. The physical and spiritual battles that Aggie goes through, and what she learns from her guides - the whale, Mr. Billy, Coco, and Willy, help her to become a more powerful shaman, as well as a stronger person. She is forced to make an agonizing decision, but it has far-reaching effects on many aspects of her life and that of her family.

I thought the characters were well-developed and that they each went through changes over the course of the novel. Aggie is the main character, but we also see her friend Jackie mature as well. The pacing of the story was steady and seemed right to me - not too fast and not too slow. The characters were believable and background was given so the reader understood each one’s role. The setting is described very well and I got the feeling of what life might be like on the tundra, a land with no trees.

A sense of suspense was built and maintained throughout the later part of the book, with the reader agonizing over her decision right along with Aggie. The spiritual battle also contributed to the tension and draws the reader into the story even further in anticipation of the outcome. At times, the story brought me to tears. Other times, I was laughing out loud. My sense of wonder was piqued by the main character’s shamanic abilities and how she communicated with all her guides.

This is a very emotional story, but also a hopeful, uplifting one. We see that it is possible to move on from even the worst criminal acts and have a life full of love and hope for the future. The reader sees how people can heal from even the worst circumstances and carry on successfully. This is a novel that I would recommend to young adult as well as adult readers for this reason.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.**

Trigger Warning: Cancer Mention, Alcoholic Parent, Paedophile (Aggie’s uncle is a paedophile), Rape, Teen Pregnancy (caused by Rape), Teen Pregnancy, Attempted Suicide, Suicide Mention, Newborn Death.

When I first heard of and read about The Whispering of Trees, I thought that Aggie’s story would be darker than normal, but still an adventure. How wrong I was.

The Whispering of Trees is a novel that I thought I had predicted down to a ‘T‘. However, just reading the first 20% of this book made me realize that Aggie’s story is going to go in a severely different way than I had imagined. There was only one thing that was unfortunately predictable.

We see Aggie’s story take place over 4 years, which results in the pace of the story being fast. And let me tell you, it was not an easy four years for our main character, Aggie. She goes through something that no human being should ever go through. And then the aftermath of everything…Aggie is unbelievably courageous.

Through Aggie’s eyes we see the choices she makes, and the many, many trials that Aggie goes through.

Though Aggie’s story was difficult to read and see her live through… Along the way we see Aggie and her friends become her support group. We see the people who truly love and care for Aggie shine and be there for her. There’s so much light and goodness in this novel, even though there’s a war against darkness going on as well.

I did not enjoy the darkest part of this novel, but the lighter, happier parts of Aggie’s story were definitely preferable to read.

I give The Whispering of Trees, 3.5 stars.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whispering of Trees

by C.Y. Bourgeois

Black Rose Writing
Children's Fiction, Teens & YA

Pub Date 07 Apr 2016

I was given a copy of The Whispering of Trees through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

At first Aggie embraces the Inupiat Eskimo ways until a powerful demon invades her dreams, scaring her away from the very ways she embraced. When a friend betrays her the demon reappears.

When her Friend Kevin hangs himself his sister blames Aggie for not helping him.

Aggie feels like a failure as a Shaman when she can't make her Father Stop drinking, her Mother stop feeling all the Burden or even stop her Uncle from raping her.

Shortly after her Uncle rapes her Aggie finds out she's pregnant. For awhile she hide s the secret from everyone but one friend soon though she has to tell her parents too, and at first her Father does not want to believe her.

Will Aggie be able to move past what her Uncle did to her or will she continue to feel anger, hate, pain and shunned by those who were once her friends.

I recommend Thr Whispering of Trees to those fourteen over due to Subject matter and strong language.

Five out of five stars

Happy reading..

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aggie is an Inupiat Eskimo shaman and a teenager. She is mentored by Mr. Billy, the current shaman who does his best to have her understand that it is her destiny. Her friends know that she is a shaman and it doesn't cause her problems with her friends except for one. When that friend betrays her, she can't believe it. Will they ever be friends again? Her father has lost his job and becomes depressed. It doesn't help when his brother shows up and spends every evening with her dad drinking beer. She is upset with her parents and doesn't feel comfortable with her father's brother. Will things ever change for her?

The writing is excellent.. The descriptions of the novel made it come alive for me. The characters are interesting. This novel has several themes running through it such as coming of age. There are some very difficult themes that would be good if parents and teenagers read the book and discuss the issues. I also want to say it was interesting to see how Aggie deals with being a shaman. This book is a must read!

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy from Netgalley. That in no way impacted my review.

I was only able to get through the second chapter. The writing is halting and awkward, which really detracts from the site story. the writing is so weak, and in the first two chapters the characters so bland, I just can't make myself the rest.

[T.J. Burns]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ash]

I'm gonna stop pretending I'll get back to this. It was so utterly uninteresting, I just can't.

[Chloe (Forever Fictional) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full BOOK TALK: http://fictionalfetish.blogspot.co.uk...