by Richard Powers

This is an engaging and frightening novel about forests and the price that some people are willing to pay to bring attention to the catastrophe that is unfolding on our planet.

The novel is structured in such a way that we are introduced to (the ‘Roots’ of) a handful of diverse characters and their varying relationships with trees, and how they come together (in the ‘Trunk’) to try to make a difference, through activism, academic and political means to directly protect or inform the world of the accelerating destruction of the world’s forests. The ‘Crown’ and ‘Seeds’ deal with the consequences for those involved.

I became invested in the characters during this lengthy novel and although, at times, the plot became complicated as it twisted through the earth, dealing with multiple elements both environmental and human as the characters came to terms with the things they had (or hadn’t) done.

This novel is encyclopaedic in its knowledge of trees and their fundamental importance to the continuation of life on Earth. I learned as much in this book about trees as I did about whales and whaling in Moby Dick, and it propelled me to find out more. After reading Les Misérables I bought a book about the French Revolution; after reading The Overstory, I bought a book about trees and a book about activism.

As the plot unfolds, (or grows) it becomes clear that activism is not a game and that there is a heavy price to pay. The Overstory won the Pulitzer Prize in 2019 and reminded me on this point (the fight against unchecked capitalist greed) of Phillip Roth’s 1998 winner, American Pastoral. Both novels fulfil the aim of the prize in that they demonstrate, among other things, depth of research and the emotional effect on readers through a narrative of American experience.

Novels are there to entertain us, certainly, but they should also inform and evoke empathy, to bring attention to the story of others. And really, this story is our story: a story of the survival of humanity. Roth’s novel was a warning over a quarter of a century ago; Powers’ novel is a plea to support the scientists and activists that are labelled as crazies and terrorists by those in power who profit from the destruction of our beautiful planet.

This is a beautifully written novel, with a strong and clear message.