The Which Way Tree

By: Elizabeth Crook / Narrated By: Will Collyer

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

When “True Grit” meets “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”… with a bit o’ “Moby Dick” for good measure? The results are awesome!

THIS! The Which Way Tree, had been on m’ mind to listen to for, like, forever. I’d thought for, like, forever, that Big Sis and I might give it a go, chat about it later. The premise had engaged me, that there would be a scrappy and tenacious young heroine? A definite plus.

Alas, Audible’s Daily Deal caught m’ fancy the verrrrry split second afore I spoke with m’ sister. Let’s do THAT one! Oh say yes, pleeease?!

And so we both listened to Dragon Heist -INSTEAD- of to this here fanTAStic story. To say we’d wasted our time? A Given. To say we woulda coulda shoulda had a terrific time with this story? Again, but this time more woefully, A Given.

An engaging tale from the get-go, The Which Way Tree opens with a courtroom scene wherein 17-year old Benjamin is giving his sworn testimony regarding a scene he witnessed, 8 newly-hanged corpses having their pockets pilfered by a droop-eyed, malevolent, Confederate soldier. His testimony is needed to determine/affirm guilt of the man they’ve pegged for the murders.

Benjamin is a trifle loquacious, grandiloquent, bombastic, and his testimony goes down various rabbit holes, all as he’s gettin’ to his dadgum point. As the Judge is on a circuit, this being near about the end of the War Between the States, he doesn’t have time to get to the conclusion of Benjamin’s story. And so he orders the lad to write it all down and send it on in to him, the Judge.

ImMEDiately, there is humor, the characters are engaging, and the story-style is to die for. Fun, a wee bit educative, and instant tension what with the setup for his sister Sam’s single-minded purpose to kill a panther that killed her Ma and that disfigured her.

The chapters that follow are separate missives Benjamin, now a young man, sends to the Judge, telling installments of what-all occurred yeeeears ago when he and Samantha were children, on the trail of the panther, being chased by that malevolent Confederate soldier (And oh, by the way? Samantha shot the soldier’s finger and a few finger digits off… kinda has him sore-peeved with her and hellbent on revenge).

Along the way, the pair of children meet a Mexican gentleman on a stunning Pinto, and they seek and find a Preacher who owns a panther-hunting dog. The dog is ancient, the dog is much-loved, the Preacher will NOT part with him for ANYthing. And so he and his dog join the little band, all seeking the panther. To the Mexican gentleman? He’s from an area that’s been terrorized by a Demon Cat, evil-souled, with two toes lopped off (Before she was mauled to death, Sam’s mom managed a few good swacks with an ax). There’s a $2,000 bounty for anyone bringing back the pelt as proof, and a deal is struck. The children are orphans so their share of the bounty money could come in handy, and the Preacher is of modest, very very modest means, so he’s game, and the gentleman was devastated by bandits, and the money would help him start over.

One problem?

Sam won’t even think of parting with the pelt. She won’t even think of letting anyone else kill it. That panther took her mother, and it destroyed her own future as she has to navigate a cruel world entirely scarred and disfigured. No, the panther is hers by rights, and she’ll keep the body to stomp on for as long as she likes.

The only problem with the story is minor. Sam is HIGHLY unlikable at times. Her orneriness, her rudeness, her lack of consideration are off-putting. But author Elizabeth Crook crafts a scene, just in the knick of time! where Sam Has A Moment, and we see the pain she’s been carrying. So well done, Crook! Further, that’s it as far as Boos go; everything else is well thought out and perfectly executed. Every. Single. Character becomes more and more likable as the story progresses, and even the crafting of Benjamin’s missives wind up being emotionally evocative, with a strange yet dear little relationship budding between him and the Judge.

And Will Collyer’s narration won only my highest regard. I credit his performance of each character with their likability. The characters are diverse and disparate; the ages, both genders, different nationalities without falling into stereotypes, good-natured people alongside stubborn alongside plain ol’ mean and up to no good. Also, Collyer perfectly conveyed the many action scenes, and there were instants of Crook’s writing genius (The realization that a multitude of problems could suddenly, tragically, be dismissed for a single overriding Problem Extraordinaire) that Collyers handled with thoughtfulness and in a manner to showcase the writing rather than overwhelm it. He either has a God-given Knack. -OR- he did his homework, like, really really well. Every sentence was perfection in his thoughtful care and delivery.

Truly a wonderful tale through and through, start to emotionally-resonant finish.

Sorry, Big Sis…

Uhm, I thiiiiink we shoulda done THIS one…!!!