One part excellent, one part naff
We really could have done without allthe 20-something angst of sex. It was unconvincing at best and cringy at worst - it seemed todiminsh Callis as a strong character, or as a character discovering her strengths.
The eco story was strong, exploring the relationship between theoretical pure science (Callis's job), practical on the ground Goethian science (her encounters with live bears and living forests), science as a tool of politics (the Norwegian commission and the Euro and Scottish initiatives) and its interaction with people (changing public responses), and ecologerism - practical ecological philosophy intersecting with activism.
The back story of her college friends and a secret feminist society, together with her various couplings I found totally unconvincing, and made it much harder to like the lead character. Pretty soppy girly stuff.
Whilst reading it I was struck by the similarity with The Wold Border by Sarah Hall which Iread 7 years ago. It seeedlike Mandy Haggith had taken the storyand added a romatic layer toit obscuring the core story - but on checking it seemsthe potential plagarism must have been theother way round with Sarah Hall stripping away the crud fromMandy's story and producing a much better book.
Since they were written and published in fairlyquick succession (2013-2015) it is more likely tobe a case of synchronicity.
