Reader Reviews from Amazon and Elsewhere

The Last Shade Tree is a difficult book to put down.

I’m sure this book has gleaned fragments from the inks of its existence and its author’s imagination and in turn has birthed a soul within its pages. It’s a rare thing! The Last Shade Tree is a difficult book to put down. It’s a monster of the most wonderful kind, it’s a colossus. It has such an elasticity of ingenuity, one wonders if the author herself has seen the future and so has written an opera for us to inhabit; è una delizia orchestrale. — Martin Shone, author of the poetry collection After the Rain, other poems, and short stories.

Excellent Read, Beautiful Story!

This book has to be one of the most original books I have ever read. It defies being labeled or pigeon-holed into any one genre. That is a good thing. Too often, plots follow a standard template according to genre. The Last Shade Tree does not. Time travel, magical realism, romance, it is all there. The characters are fully developed, three-dimensional people who sometimes act in heroic ways and sometimes act in not so heroic ways. I found myself loving them at times and becoming angry with them at other times and crying with them at times.
My favorite character is Sequoyah Morgan Hummingbird. Perhaps it’s because I’m Cherokee myself. He reflects the pain of so many real Cherokee people ... American Indian people, in general. He grows up in a boarding school, like millions of other Native children before him. He carries the legacy of the Trail of Tears in his soul. Ms. Panofsky, though not Cherokee herself, has done an excellent job capturing the Cherokee experience and correctly uses Cherokee words throughout the novel. She has clearly spent time with Cherokee people and has done her homework well.
I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of what your favorite genre is. There are lessons to be learned for everyone, I think.

I have just finished reading The Last Shade Tree and I loved it!

I don’t usually read a lot of fiction, but nonetheless, I really enjoyed reading this one. I found a lot of reality in it and I loved trying to understand the complexity of the different characters. I also loved how the book created a world on its own. It truly made me travel around the world – as well as its different dimensions – and also through time. I also liked how many references to historical events were made. It was the best distraction I could have had from my studies, I could not put it down. But as final exams approached, I did not have a choice, and I only finished reading it now. I still remember clearly the day I read the first chapter, and I think one of the things I liked most about the book is the timeframe. You feel as if you witness the life of all those characters, that you were there with them and lived their emotions. You cannot help but grow with the characters as you are reading. Now, after reading through to the end, I feel a part of my mind is still inside the book!

An Adventure through Time and Space

The author has done an amazing job weaving together many threads into a coherent narrative. In the context of different times, cultures and places, the characters—which kept multiplying as the plot unfolds—exhibit strengths and frailties which shape their responses to and ability to influence complex human relationships and the future of mankind and our planet. A challenging and satisfying read.

A Letter from a Reader

Dear Ms. Panofsky,
It has been some time since I originally received this gift from you. You’ve been quite patient in waiting for my thoughts. When I first contacted you regarding your book, you opened up about the passing of a family member and about two weeks after receiving The Last Shade Tree I lost someone too. Time translates all things.
Time itself plays a major role in your work. “Aleta had never once touched the back of his brain, even though he tried touching hers from time to time.”
There is something so sensual about your writing. Let aside the moments of discovered sexuality, where the reader is captivated by sex itself or making love. This book reminds me of a connectedness to all people and things: the ground, our animals, Earth.
I admit on the other hand that it’s been difficult for me to follow character names although I’ve been somewhat distracted with personal events. Maybe that says something? Names challenge us to think of ourselves as whole constructs. In some cases, our names define who we are and in others we define them.
“Luz became mother, father, Kuaray, Yacy, Synoyi, Ari, Aleta. The sex was as simple as it was serene.” An incredible mid-point for reflection.
Please take my initial thoughts, knowing that I’ll likely come back and explore the end with you.
… Panofsky is a gift to us all. Travel through time and the hearts of her characters.

Timeless - Unique - Exquisite & Intense, a Book like no Other.

The Last Shade Tree is an original tale of epic proportion. The story is unusual, intriguing & brilliantly written. The author will take you on an adventure like no other using historical events as background and using music as a conduit that brings people together and helps them survive the most horrific experience. When reading the book, you will experience feelings such as joy, contentment, togetherness, happiness, but also pain, suffering, loneliness, betrayal & despair. But most of all, you will understand through those characters what true resilience is. The characters are multi-dimensional. They are honest and true to who they are with all their flaws and their awesomeness. I thought the author did a brilliant trick by attributing her characters different names. Too often, people tend to put a label on other people, to put them in a category/into a box, stepping outside that box means that you can’t be you; but there are so many facets to a person. What the author managed to do by attributing her characters different names is to free them from their shackles and allow them to be whoever they wanted to be. And that is very clever! The friendship, romance & love affairs are complex but authentic. You will feel the intensity and beauty of the raw emotions that accompany all the characters all along. I strongly recommend this book and can't wait for the sequel to come out!

Five Stars!

Wonderful book, filled with imaginative situations, beautiful writing and plenty of excitement!!

Total page turner, couldn’t put it down!

Read it at night and went to work exhausted every day until I finished it. And utterly unique.

Captivating and Unique!

The Last Shade Tree, Panofsky’s tremendous first novel, takes readers on an enlightening journey across time and around the world alongside protagonist Sequoyah Morgan Hummingbird, a withdrawn yet emotionally and expressively gifted Cherokee man shaped by the heart-wrenching trauma of his early life. Sequoyah fights to come into his own despite both his hardships and the ever-present burden that he faces as a chosen specimen in the enigmatic Moon People’s dictatorial master plan. Sequoyah’s journey is influenced and guided by friends, family, enemies, lovers, and by his unique insight into the ominous future that awaits a dangerously heedless humanity.
This is a captivating story that is part science fiction, part historical fiction. I found it thought-provoking and unique, and it proved to be an absolute page-turner!

The Last Shade Tree is a remarkable read.

Panofsky weaves what seem to be at first glance disparate themes and cultures into a comprehensive whole. The characters are real—they fall in love; they hurt each other; they struggle with the paths they have chosen; they love again. You can’t help but see and love the humanity in each one of them. The journeys they embark upon are captivating, frightening, and at times humorous. Though deep and difficult topics are brought to light, the story maintains a hopeful tone as the heroes, while sometimes reluctant, pull together for the betterment of all.

Incredibly original and well-written book

The characters are wonderfully crafted, and you will fall in love with each of them and their peculiarities, especially with the beautiful Sequoyah. You will find yourself entangled in the story, which is like nothing you’ll ever read. There is fantasy, sci-fi, time travel, romance, mystery and something deep and almost spiritual about it. A great read.

The Last Shade Tree was unlike any other novel I have read.

I couldn’t put the book down because the characters were so intriguing and the events moved me as pieces of events from history were portrayed. The author intertwined the past, present, and future in a fascinating way. I had to pay careful attention as I read this book because some characters had more than one name.

I’ve read many books but this is by far the most original tale I ever read.

The author’s amazing imagination surprises you at every page. Painful chapters of history are an important part, intelligently mixing with the story. Love, cruelty, self doubt and forgiveness, play an important role, almost as characters. I look forward to read more of the work of this author.

Like Dr. Who's Tardis this book is much bigger on the inside than from the outside.
There’s at least a three book series in here, on the order of Neil Stephenson's Baroque Cycle or his longer standalone novels. As with Stephenson, there are lots of different (and distant) major themes all going on at once, a regular confluence of mythologies. With lots of other big and small pieces thrown is as appropriate. This architecture has its advantages and disadvantages, the worst of which (for this reader) is too many characters with too many different names, many of which are short and similarly shaped. It’s rather like reading your first serious 19th century Russian novel before understanding that culture’s naming conventions. What a silly criticism it is to say that too many characters have short names starting with “A”!
So this is a really good, fun and ambitious book which some readers may find it hard to start. Might I recommend starting with a notebook (or spreadsheet) at hand to jot down names and relationships so you don’t get the major characters (and their parents and siblings and friends) confused. The effort is probably necessary and definitely worth the effort.

My favorite genre, a page turner

The only ecological time travel family saga romance I’ve ever read! And of course, my favorite genre, a page turner!

The best thing I can say about this book is that ….

There is really something for everyone. Regardless of what genres of books you like to read, The Last Shade Tree satisfies curiosities and thirsts for such a wide range of concepts: Sci Fi, Time Travel, Romance, Drama, Mystery, and on and on. I was completely enthralled the moment I picked up the book and started reading. It was like an amazing journey that really connects the reader to all the characters; and each layer I peeled back became more and more interesting. I would love to read a sequel! Not just for entertainment; this book provides a well rounded experience. Highly recommended.

A wonderful mix of SciFi, human emotions, and extraordinary character portraits.

History permeates the pre/post apocalyptic world. A wonder-filled read. Margaret ties diverse cultures and mores with characters who come alive on the page. The hope of a better future is prevalent.

Perfect reading for the end of the world—and it comes in a large-format quality paper collector’s edition that will last forever.

It was amazing. This book made my every day.

As a lover of science fiction, I am surprised by a unique protagonist and a brilliant story. In addition to Dear Margaret's style and wording, I am amazed by the colorfulness of all type of fictions. I am also fascinated by the richness of writing.
What was so satisfying for me is that I felt sense of reality. I forgot that I was reading a fiction book, moreover, it was like living in it. I sometimes sorrowed, laughed, surprised and shocked. The story is so intriguing and absorbing. You always wonder what will happen next and you can't help it. I loved The Moon People idea and its interesting tie with the protagonist. I liked the style of explaining the situations using humor in variety of topics.
I am glad that I found this book on Amazon and I am very thankful to Margaret Panofsky for writing such a beautiful science fiction. I also thank her bringing a different meaning to me about the life on Earth. I had questions about human being before and I got some answers from this book.
Thanks for reminding me those with Last Shade Tree.

I fell in love with the Cherokee Hero!

I just finished reading Margaret Panofsky’s new book—The Last Shade Tree, that features a Cherokee Hero's adventures and personal struggles. It is fantasy, drama, romance and history, including the tragedy of the Trail of Tears. From the first moment I was hooked—as the story unfolded—I was captivated! It's definitely a page turner/great read!

Genre-defying novel is a must read!

I couldn’t put it down! This genre-defying novel is a must read for fantasy fans, a bit like a Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time for grownups. The tone shifts from romantic to darkly funny to poignant to mythological/spiritual, and the descriptive language is movingly poetic. The underlying message is about humanity: our equal power to nurture and to destroy ourselves, the people around us, and our planet. And to tie it all together, this is a really good story about a family with unique gifts trying to find a place to call home. A beautiful read.