It is a common criticism that modern fiction writers produce depressing and gloomy novels. Mary Swan fits this rather uncomplimentary profile with her first book, “The Boys in the Trees,” but in her case, it works out well.

Swan uses a horrific event and somber characters to set the tone and shape the narrative. If it was not for her ability to add a slight twist on each chapter, as well as an undertone of mystery, this book would have been completely and utterly depressing.

One thing to keep in mind when you pick up this book is that its plot does not run in a 1-2-3 sequential order. This nontraditional novel can best be described as a collection of related short stories with an intricate pattern of connection between each story. There is a different character perspective with every chapter, which usually makes the novel feel disjointed, but Swan pulled the book together by telling a character’s story through each chapter, while not sacrificing the main plot line.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the introduction chapter is difficult to understand with too many names and facts, but it soon dramatically improves.

Primarily this book takes place in the end of the 19th century within a small-town setting in Ontario and is about the effects of a terrible crime that has taken place. Without giving away too much of the plot, the crime is committed by the main character who, after he is accused for embezzling money, kills his entire family. The rest of the book deals with the crime’s effect on the rest of the town, primarily through the teacher, doctor and his son. The teacher struggles with guilt and remorse for not seeing the signs of violence. The family doctor regrets not acting on a hunch that the father was not emotionally stable. Other town members that drift in and out of the story focus on shame and guilt as well as fear of each other.

I would recommend this book, but I would give the book to an optimistic person and warn them not to read it on a rainy day. Even though it is 200 pages, the double spaces make it a quick read. I enjoyed the subtle details of “The Boys in the Trees,” and despite its occasional bleakness, it is a refreshing, beautifully sad success.