The strength of this book lies in the characters and overall depiction of the Vietnam War, and parts of the plot feel needlessly complicated and obscure. I struggled to follow some parts of the narrative, which I attribute partially to my sporadic reading schedule and also partially due to the fact that this book’s storyline is very complicated.
The book is organized by years (for example, “1965”), which essentially function as lengthy chapters, and most of the characters are present in each section. It’s a well-used heftiness though, as Johnson weaves together an interesting story that involves multiple characters over multiple years. I almost didn’t start reading Tree of Smoke because of its heftiness. Finally, because of his fantastic storytelling and narration, this novel is a deeply satisfying read. It’s also heartbreaking: none of the characters end the story in a particularly happy place, and Johnson does a masterful job of using these personal stories to underscore the horror and devastation that the Vietnam War caused.
I did finally finish it though, and you’ll find my impressions below.Īs the title of this post suggests, Tree of Smoke is quite a time commitment. I wish I had given more time to this book - its narrative structure and beautiful style deserve more than the 20-minute reading sessions I gave to it every night.
Due to my erratic reading patterns and the fact that I didn’t start the book until early this fall, I only just now finished it. When I found myself visiting an independent bookstore in New Orleans over Memorial Day weekend, I remembered these messages and picked Tree of Smoke off the shelf. Denis Johnson’s death this summer (or late spring) prompted an outpouring of positive messages and praise on social media outlets.
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