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A review by littlefoot_books
Appleseed by Matt Bell
4.0
The synopsis certainly grabbed my attention, but I found both the subject matter and length to be a bit intimidating. However, I am here to say that I am very glad I read Appleseed! Magical realism, mythology, fable, science fiction…it was a wholly unique and challenging reading experience!
The story is told in 3 timelines: the late 1700s that follows two brothers (one human, one faun) who spend their days planting apple trees across Ohio; in the not too distant future where a giant corporation has a plan to stall global warming; and finally an ice age in the distant future where a cyborg attempts to reset the Earth.
Bell has truly taken on A LOT in this book, way more than I can even begin to go into here, but I think the most obvious take away is how humans and nature are so thoroughly connected and that relationship is probably (because I refuse to admit all hope is lost) beyond repair. Pretty bleak, but honest.
Yet, married with this darkness is so much beauty. What I loved the most about this book was Bell’s prose and imagery surrounding nature itself. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of our natural world and all that was here long before us. This makes it all the more painful to read what has become of Earth as the story moves into the late 21st century.
“The problem is bigger than any one person, any one company or government: the problem belongs to every last person; until it’s solved everyone remains complicit, even if they resist.”
Is all hope lost? Maybe. We have certainly done our best to shut our eyes and ears to global warming and the consequences of climate change. If there is any hope of reversing some of the havoc we have wreaked, we need to start listening to our Mother Earth. She has a lot to say and she’s f^*king pissed.
The story is told in 3 timelines: the late 1700s that follows two brothers (one human, one faun) who spend their days planting apple trees across Ohio; in the not too distant future where a giant corporation has a plan to stall global warming; and finally an ice age in the distant future where a cyborg attempts to reset the Earth.
Bell has truly taken on A LOT in this book, way more than I can even begin to go into here, but I think the most obvious take away is how humans and nature are so thoroughly connected and that relationship is probably (because I refuse to admit all hope is lost) beyond repair. Pretty bleak, but honest.
Yet, married with this darkness is so much beauty. What I loved the most about this book was Bell’s prose and imagery surrounding nature itself. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of our natural world and all that was here long before us. This makes it all the more painful to read what has become of Earth as the story moves into the late 21st century.
“The problem is bigger than any one person, any one company or government: the problem belongs to every last person; until it’s solved everyone remains complicit, even if they resist.”
Is all hope lost? Maybe. We have certainly done our best to shut our eyes and ears to global warming and the consequences of climate change. If there is any hope of reversing some of the havoc we have wreaked, we need to start listening to our Mother Earth. She has a lot to say and she’s f^*king pissed.