The Cicada Tree by Robert Gwaltney

Release: February 22, 2022
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD

The summer of 1956, a brood of cicadas descends upon Providence Georgia, a natural event with supernatural repercussions, unhinging the life of Analeise Newell, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy. Amidst this emergence, dark obsessions are stirred, uncanny gifts provoked, and secrets unearthed.

During a visit to Mistletoe, a plantation owned by the wealthy Mayfield family, Analeise encounters Cordelia Mayfield and her daughter Marlissa, both of whom possess an otherworldly beauty. A whisper, a sense of déjà vu, and an act of violence perpetrated during this visit by Mrs. Mayfield all converge to kindle Analeise’s fascination with the Mayfields.

Analeise’s burgeoning obsession with the Mayfield family overshadows her own seemingly, ordinary life, culminating in dangerous games and manipulation, setting off a chain of cataclysmic events with life-altering consequences—all of it unfolding to the maddening whir of a cicada song.

About the Author:

Robert Gwaltney, a writer of southern fiction, is a graduate of Florida State University. He resides in Atlanta Georgia with his partner, where he is an active member of the Atlanta literary community. By day, he serves as Vice President of Easter Seals North Georgia, Inc., Children Services, a non-profit supporting children with disabilities and other special needs. Robert’s work has appeared in such publications as The Signal Mountain Review and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. Robert also serves as Prose Editor for The Blue Mountain Review.

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The Cicada Tree Review:

It’s been a while since I read a gripping gothic tale, and while “The Cicada Tree” is not your traditional gothic tale, it is simply mesmerizing.

How do I even begin to describe this book? When you start reading this story, you think it will just be a historical drama. But the author beautifully adds suspense, drama, and thrills and turns this into a spell-binding gothic tale. Add to that, and we also have mystical elements like nymphs and fairies to add to the magic.

The characters are dynamic, and I enjoyed ANaleise and Etta Mae in the lead. The author adds layers, like Analeise’s bond with her mother, her hatred towards her father, and her obsession with the Mayfields. For me, the story took off wonderfully when we met Cordelia, Marlissa, Virginia, and the others. Analeise’s emotions are raw, and I was surprised how I enjoyed her and how she sometimes scared me with her impulsive nature and wanted some people to die. Some notable moments are when she pushes Etta Mae or goes through the first day of school of being the “Bug Girl.”

The author also adds a sense of foreboding and suspense, mainly when she hears her mother’s dream fire song or witnesses the fire incident. Some shocking moments will make your jaw drop and contrast with beautiful moments that make you feel like reading a rich tale. I truly enjoyed the author’s style of writing. I had no idea where the story would go because this book was unlike anything I had ever read.

Overall, “The Cicada Tree” has a little of everything and is one of the best books I read this year.