Lineage: NULL

by Juniper Black

Once upon a time, someone in your family knew why all the strange occurrences and coincidences are so prevalent. Some stories are still whispered from Grandmother to Granddaughter. Tales of how a Great-Aunt could find children lost in the woods at the edge of town. Rumors of an ancestor who could heal others with a touch of their hands. Suspicions as to why there are only daughters born to the family line, and that sisters are always born seven years apart to the day. But someone in some far away time didn't have to guess why these things happen in the Swavely family. They were there - in the beginning - when the Girl fled from her People, when the Swavelys rambled across an ocean, and when their paths collided in the woods on the Hill. Their meeting taught the Girl the complexities of love, and their union changed the course of the Swavely women for generations.

Genres: Fantasy

198 pages, Paperback

Published October 27, 2018

Reviews

[D]

I’m giving this book 4 stars because, despite some problems i’ll point out later, it pulled me into a felt truth of forest magic and extrasensory gifts buried deep within that i don’t think any other novel has ever done for me, with the exception, possibly, of reading felix salten’s (original) Bambi at age 7 or 8. It also gave me a way to conceive of my own possible hidden ancestry that has a story similar to this lineage. It gave shape to a kind of truth that has pulled at me and haunted me for most of my remembered life.

I felt there were some narrative problems, that would have yielded a 3 star review from me, had the felt magical truth not been so compelling. Most specifically the many characters in the lineage was hard for me to follow. A diagram would have helped ease my anxiety about not being able to keep track of them all, since when reading we don’t know why or how a character, when presented, will be important to remember later. Granted, i’m horrible with names, but eventually i decided not to try and track them all as my awareness increased that it really is the “lineage” itself that is the main character.

I also felt it lagged in parts due to the repetitive structure. However, the structure was a creative choice, in that it parallels the repetitive nature of lineage, so i admired that. I would also not read this book for its stunning prose, but again, it managed to take me to the magic anyway, which is, in my opinion, a noteworthy feat.

Overall, I deeply appreciated a spark this book ignited in me, felt it was well worth my time and recommend it to anyone who has felt the energies particular to each different forest.

[Daniel Hirshleifer]

This is a book that is not just about magic, but contains magic within it. I found this almost by accident as I had just gotten a new Kobo and checked out the Overdrive integration, and Lineage was one of several books in the recommended section. Something about it spoke to me, the enigmatic nature of the summary along with the homespun look of the cover art.

I can’t remember the last time I finished a book in less than few months. I finished Lineage in two days. It drew me in and kept me enraptured. Even as I got further in the book and the names and experiences of the descendants became so rapid fire that I lost track of who everyone was, I did not care as the emotional truth of the story remained intact.

I had not heard of Juniper Black before stumbling upon Lineage and now I will be eagerly seeking out her other work.

[Angelika]

Once I got used to the different approach to Junipers writing style I just fell in love with book #1. I was smart enough to realize that Ghosts of Eversburg was the continuation of Lineage book #1. I soaked up both books and anxiously waiting for book #3 so I can read about you know who. Juniper Black, you better get cracking because I am on Pins and Needles. Ps, I am obtuse because about the books because I di not want to spoil anybody's joy in reading these books.

[Sara]

It started out well and I was pretty engrossed. About 2/3 of the way through, however, the number of characters through the generations become more rapid fire and I started losing interest. By the last 40 pages or so, the tenses kept switching and the grammar got wonky. It seems like the editor just didn’t finish their work. All of that said, I really liked the idea of the story.

[Janel]

This is one of those books that left me wanting to go back and wander: to the Hill and the forest. The biggest challenge was keeping up with the family tree. I scribbled one down as I went, which helped me to follow each generation and watch for the magical Swavely/Stranger descendants.

[Cheri]

Odd book with generations of odd characters. Not bad but a bit tedious. I lost track of who was related to who.

[Kandace]

This one finds a place within your soul. Captivating.