Birnam Wood
Catton, EleanorWhen Mina Bunting, leader of Birnam Wood, a guerrilla gardening cooperative is caught red-handed by American billionaire Robert Lemoine, reconnoitering a property he is about to purchase, it is a collision of ideologies. But grand ideals don't necessarily pay the bills and with an offer of funding, an unlikely alliance comes into being with Birnam Wood doing what they always do (albeit now with cash in their pockets) and Lemoine doing what he always does - obscuring his real intentions, in this case with the nearby Korowai National Park.
With its complex plot and its superbly-drawn characters let loose in the South Island high country, this is a rollicking thriller, gripping to its very last page and successful in its ambitious examination of the challenges facing 21st century society.
Comments from BDS Reviewers
"What a page-turner. The plot is satisfyingly complex, full of turns, and very cleverly woven together."
"This book has it all, from a page-turner, twisting storyline, through to exploration of current social thinking on many issues. I cannot fault the book."
"The author has displayed a gift for combining the many dimensions of this story in a way that informs and engages but never lectures the reader."
"I found the book a little slow to get into, but the second half picks up the pace. Unexpected things happen, outcomes are unpredictable and the book builds to its climax in an unput-downable way."
"This is a book for men and women alike. Some will like the character portrayals as believable if not likeable people. Others will enjoy the exploration of social justice thinking."
"The author handles all characters with consummate ease."
"I have mixed feelings about the book. It really was very slow to get going, but once it did, it was really good."
423
2023