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thehlb's review against another edition
3.0
A sequel to Catalooche, this covers the time period just before and after the Great Smoky Mountains became a park and what happened to those who called it home when the park took over. Just like the previous book, it is strong on character development but low on storyline. What looked to be a build up to an ultimate conflict had a anti-climactic resolution. Still, over the course of the two books I came to know and enjoy the characters and will miss them now that it's over.
booksrock63's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent sequel to Cataloochee. You do need to read Cataloochee first because Requiem by Fire is definitely not a stand alone kind of novel. I read them almost back to back and I enjoyed finding out what happened to the characters from Cataloochee. Especially since I am a transplant to Western North Carolina and I was unaware of the story behind the creation of this national park.
mycouscous's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved Caldwell's first novel, [b:Cataloochee|931843|Cataloochee A Novel|Wayne Caldwell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179565516s/931843.jpg|916831], so I was excited to pick up Requiem by Fire. Both books are very similar in scope and formula, with Requiem being a continuation of the families' stories. In this second book, though, the federal government is buying out farms and homesteads in the Cataloochee area to make way for the new Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Caldwell writes in a very comforting, down-home style that uses an appropriate dialect. He is unquestionably authentic in his depictions of Cataloochee residents, mountain traditions, and the local lore. However, the sheer number of characters and plotlines overwhelmed me in this book. I had a hard time keeping people straight and didn't connect with many because their appearances were so fleeting. The McPeters pyromania side plot was the only one that didn't feel quite real, though, and just seemed to provide titillation.
Recommended for fans of local history and those who like to see the places they're familiar with depicted in fiction.
Caldwell writes in a very comforting, down-home style that uses an appropriate dialect. He is unquestionably authentic in his depictions of Cataloochee residents, mountain traditions, and the local lore. However, the sheer number of characters and plotlines overwhelmed me in this book. I had a hard time keeping people straight and didn't connect with many because their appearances were so fleeting. The McPeters pyromania side plot was the only one that didn't feel quite real, though, and just seemed to provide titillation.
Recommended for fans of local history and those who like to see the places they're familiar with depicted in fiction.
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