The Hanging Tree

by David Lambkin

Book Overview

Palaeontologist Kathryn Widd is in the Kenyan wild investigating hominid skull fragments. She becomes intrigued by a 1908 safari and the British nobleman who died mysteriously. The further she probes,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1887178716
• ISBN13: 9781887178716
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: Catapult
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating Africa

I loved this book. Three plots intertwined; love, sex and anthropological digging, set in Africa. Great characters, even the dead ones.I can't understand why his other work seems to be unavailable...

The cover got to me

When I saw the cover art of this book, it both repelled me and compelled me to read it. The artwork set the mood before I even started reading, but the story carried it on, page after page of a sense of dread, disaster, and blood. The main character, Kathryn, intensified this foreboding with her cautious, regretful, and grave telling of the events that befell her group during their paleontological quest in Africa. The story, despite its presentiment of doom, was beautiful in its descriptions of the African environment, and its insights into human thought and feelings. The author came up with some imagery created by unusual metaphores that delighted me. I was impressed by his knowledge of how a woman feels inside her body, and his many insights into the complex workings of the human mind as it tries to sort out its deeper questions. As Kathryn dealt with the problems of relationships, and the difficulties of her expedition, her main quest was to discover the source of the murderous evil that exists in humans. Her discovery of ancient fossils provides her team with disheartening answers, yet through all this gloom, Kathryn demonstrates the human ability to resurface, blooming, through the ashes of disaster. The mesmerizing, insightful qualilty of this book is what led me to rate it 5 stars.

Compelling and thought provoking

I purchased this book on a whim, certain that it would be interesting but weighty and a slow read. Imagine my surprise when I literally could not put it down. I flew through it in two days, losing plenty of sleep and completely enthralled. It is a beautiful piece of work; thought provoking while maintaining a dramatic plot line. While it would have been interesting to have seen more deeply into the hearts of characters like Chinta and Sister Mary, their very vagueness created a sketch-like effect, allowing me to shape their motives to my own perception of the story. The combination of references to quantum physics and quotes from ancient curses lead me effectively down the disparate paths of pragmatism and mysticism. Kathryn and Tregallion were extravagantly romantic without being maudlin and created a beautifully tragic love story. This is a wonderful book and has become one of my deep dark favorites.

An historical, literary mystery providing food for thought

I agree with those who felt that some characters were underdeveloped--especially Chinta. That said, I found this book gripping. Kathryn Widd is a complex hero of unusual intelligence, and the author has no difficulty developing her thoroughly. Although I have a B.A. in anthropology, I felt no desire for more technical information on paleoanthropology. I find the current focus on accuracy in fiction annoying. Give us more good stories and believeable characters--technical authenticity be damned. This book gave me what I want in a novel: a believeable, fascinating protagonist and a gripping plot to maintain my interest. I look forward to Lambkin's next effort!

Remarkable work - atmospheric, soulful , thought-provoking

I agree wholeheartedly with bcurran's review. It is the ony novel I have ever immediately re-read. It is rich with intelligent spirituality, nature and fierce strength