In this speculative fiction, two seemingly unrelated stories unfold until a surprising revelation connects them. In contemporary times, Joe Geist, on a camping trip with his brother Jared, wakes up disoriented and frightened. When he can't find Jared, he begins a desperate search. At the same time, W.H. Davies, an eccentric man who chooses to live in Touro Park, sits in an old stone tower basking in the glow of certainty. He is certain that he knows and sees things that others can neither know, nor see. And he is certain that he was right about Jared. When Anne Miller, an investigative reporter meets Joe, she thinks she may have stumbled upon the most important story of her career, so she agrees to help him find out what happened to his brother. One hundred years after Jared vanishes, civil society has collapsed due to environmental devastation. Marauders steal water and food to survive. George, a seven-year-old boy, finds his life forever changed when he is forced to flee from home when raiders attack his mother and sister. After spending the night hiding in a chicken coop, he finds his mother's wedding ring tied to front door of their house. Convinced that this is a signal from his sister, he sets out on his own to find her. No matter what he encounters, finding her is the only thing that matters to him.
Right from the start, Greene has a firm grasp over the dual plotline, as each chapter shifts between Joe and George’s point of view. The suspense works, and readers find themselves guessing and theorizing about possible connections. Greene does a great job building characters, imbuing each with intriguing peculiarities and relatable emotions. She also deftly handles scenes of action that stir tension, shock, and that trickiest of narrative qualities: an immediate sense of what-next? momentum.
The ending, though, doesn’t quite live up to the beautifully assured buildup, as the final pages offer much summarizing and moralizing. Still, the novel has a gripping plot, twists that will keep readers intrigued, and a chilling glimpse of a possible future where “Sometimes, only the children get to eat. Most days everyone gets water.” Lovers of futuristic novels and climate fiction will enjoy this book, which is as thrilling as it is frighteningly relevant.
Takeaway: A time-crossed climate fiction story as thrilling as it is urgently relevant.
Great for fans of: Pitchaya Sudbanthad’s Bangkok Wakes to Rain, Kate Mascarenhas’s Psychology Of Time Travel.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
