Well. I finished reading Richard Powers' novel The Overstory (#904). I can't say I've ever read anything quite like it before. Much of his imagery is stunning to the inner eye, much of the authoritarian violence repulsive. Despite the natural beauty and the marvels described here, though, I couldn't help but feel that the message Powers conveys is essentially bleak: there's nothing useful to be done.
Powers intertwines the stories of a number of characters, all of whom eventually link to each other through their activism about trees, or their connections to it. I did learn a lot about trees in the course of reading this novel. But better look fast at the world around you before more species in your vicinity become extinct!
I'm still undecided about whether or not I liked this book. The writing is powerful, as is defense of the natural world, but the message that we humans are rapidly destroying everything around us through corporate greed is depressing to say the least. Not sure in today's pandemic and racially-charged world I needed to read yet another pessimistic book if I can't do anything about it...
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