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Five Oaks
Julie Hensley
Publication Date: May 27th, 2025
Lake Union Publishing
303 Pages
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Genre: General Fiction | Women’s Fiction
Southern historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, especially ones set in Appalachia, but this one missed the mark. It’s a multi-generational story about three generations of women. Teenager Wren and her little sister Sylvie go to their Grandma’s house, Five Oaks, in the Appalachian Mountains. This is a tale about coming of age and, of course, first love.
What didn’t work for me was the pacing; it was so slow, especially at the beginning, and I had a hard time getting into the book at first. The story itself was interesting enough, and the book is very descriptive, sometimes overly so. The character depth of the sisters was very well done. I loved Wren and Sylvie’s relationship. My sister is older than I am, and I could see us in these girls. Julie Hensley is a wonderful writer, but this got bogged down in all the little details. It’s a very character-driven story with many issues and topical matters that were dealt with appropriately. But the ending was unsatisfying and felt unresolved.
Overall, this book will suit those who enjoy literary fiction with a strong sense of time and place. Some readers will appreciate the beautiful prose that I found too wordy. I do commend the author for her ability to capture Appalachian life in such a realistic way. I was missing a dramatic plot and emotional drama, I thought the book would entail, but it deserves recognition for its portrayal of the Appalachian Mountains and its people.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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