Serena, first introduced as a short story, is a gripping novel set in North Carolina during the depression. I'm familiar with logging history of the Pacific Northwest and find myself cringing at how logging was handled in Appalachia in the 20's.
But this is not a story about logging. Rash has crafted a tale about people who seem very real. Pemberton is a wealthy timber baron whose obsession with Serena's beauty makes him blind to her lack of a soul. Serena is way ahead of her time--she does not ride her horse side saddle, thank you very much. She will not let anything or anyone stand in the way of her lust for power. She set her sights on Pemberton from the moment she saw him, but it wasn't love she was feeling. Serena has no capacity for love. There is something in her past that is hinted at, but never detailed that made me wonder: did this dark incident in her past make her so cold and unfeeling, or did she bring it about herself? The eagle she buys and trains is symbolic of Serena, and I imagine them sharing the same cold, unflinching eyes.
I enjoyed the backdrop of the logging business itself and the political fight for the creation of National Parks.
When I see a logging truck go by, those logs appear as dead bodies to me, so you can imagine which side of this fight I would have found myself on. There was money in those trees, and for people like Serena clearcutting the entire Appalachian Range would not have been enough.
There are many minor characters in this novel as well. All are interesting and even the most minor characters seem true. Rachel, the young mother of Pemberton's illegitimate son grows stronger with each passing day and her love for her son drives her to protect him any way she can.
My only complaint would be that some elements seem somewhat out of place for that era. I won't go into the details of what bothered me specifically because they aren't enough to spoil the enjoyment of this fine novel. A little editing and this might get 5 stars from me.
Well written, engaging, with a hugely satisfying end.
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