MixedThe New York Times Book ReviewBenjamin Shreve, the teenage narrator of The Which Way Tree, unspools his tale of Civil War-era Texas in a first-person voice that is utterly convincing, consistent and believable. Crook never slips out of that voice for a moment...Benjamin’s voice swings between the rhythms of the Southern hills and the lofty, elevated tone encountered in Twain and contemporary westerns ... Yet Crook’s marvelous dexterity with language does not help her with narrative. Plots need to coalesce around characters with agency, characters who make things happen. They need to move beyond mere observation. Since Benjamin simply reports on what everybody else is doing, and reacts instead of taking initiative, the plot has no anchor and becomes chaotic ... The Which Way Tree is a commendable and very readable addition to the tale-spinning tradition and its beautiful use of language.
