Damnation Spring

Oof. This was good.

First of all, massive content warning for pregnancy/infant loss. If this is a topic you struggle to read about, this book is absolutely not for you.

Rich and Colleen Gundersen live in the redwood forest where Rich is a fourth-generation logger. Colleen is a midwife of sorts, helping local women give birth. It's clear that the people in this area live in poverty, and are very dependent on the logging company not only for jobs but also for free food, subsidized healthcare, etc. Through the everyday lives of various people, you get a sense of issues like environmentalism, tribal rights, poisonous herbicides, forest preservation/stewardship - there are many factions fighting over the future use of the land.

The writing in this book is immersive - the author describes sights, sounds, smells and does it well enough that you feel you are there in the redwood forest. I also appreciated the focus on daily life and mundane activities, as this offered insight into characters' feelings and motivations.

I don't want to say much more for fear of spoilers, but this book would be great for book clubs as there is a wealth of topics to spark discussion.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.