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My Days of Dark Green Euphoria: A novel
Thirtysomething Cara Foster is, one might say, eco-anxious—perhaps even eco-neurotic. She eats out of dumpsters (not because she wants to but because it’s the right thing to do), does laundry as seldom as possible, takes navy showers every couple of days, and is reevaluating her boyfriend for killing a spider instead of saving a life.
Cara has never met her six (soon to be seven) nephews and nieces because she doesn’t fly domestic (unless it’s an emergency) or international (ever). She longs for a carbon footprint so light you’d hardly know she exists.
Then, during a mimosa-soaked Sunday brunch, she meets her boyfriend’s alluring mother, Millie, and Cara finds herself mesmerized. Millie represents everything Cara’s She eats meat, has cowhide rugs, drives a car the size of a small yacht, and blithely travels the world by boat, plane, and train—without any guilt whatsoever. In fact, Cara soon admits this may be why she finds herself so drawn to Millie. As they begin spending time together, getting pedicures and drinking sixteen-olive martinis, Cara becomes hooked on Millie and this new freedom from the harsh realities of life in the twenty-first century.
Yet before long, Cara risks losing everything to be close to the mundane extravagance of Millie’s world—her career, her best friend, and her identity all hang in the balance as she struggles to disentangle from this intoxicating muse.
Irreverent, witty, and provocative, My Days of Dark Green Euphoria is a satirical novel of how a life on the edge of eco-anxiety can spiral wildly out of control, as well as how promising and inspiring a commitment to saving our planet can be.
Cara has never met her six (soon to be seven) nephews and nieces because she doesn’t fly domestic (unless it’s an emergency) or international (ever). She longs for a carbon footprint so light you’d hardly know she exists.
Then, during a mimosa-soaked Sunday brunch, she meets her boyfriend’s alluring mother, Millie, and Cara finds herself mesmerized. Millie represents everything Cara’s She eats meat, has cowhide rugs, drives a car the size of a small yacht, and blithely travels the world by boat, plane, and train—without any guilt whatsoever. In fact, Cara soon admits this may be why she finds herself so drawn to Millie. As they begin spending time together, getting pedicures and drinking sixteen-olive martinis, Cara becomes hooked on Millie and this new freedom from the harsh realities of life in the twenty-first century.
Yet before long, Cara risks losing everything to be close to the mundane extravagance of Millie’s world—her career, her best friend, and her identity all hang in the balance as she struggles to disentangle from this intoxicating muse.
Irreverent, witty, and provocative, My Days of Dark Green Euphoria is a satirical novel of how a life on the edge of eco-anxiety can spiral wildly out of control, as well as how promising and inspiring a commitment to saving our planet can be.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
8 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 13, 2022
The MC's head isn't screwed right on, frankly. She probably did some planet saving but her anxiety probably set it off all the way back.
Q:
Dan’s gaudy neon blue-and-green plastic toothbrush that looked like it was designed by a paranoid, retired military intelligence officer with PTSD from an alien abduction. Let’s put fluorescent green stripes here for visibility, and bright blue grip strips here for safety, and make sure the neck curves at the appropriate angle to reach all the way to the uvula, you know, so you can get that refreshing gag reflex going. (c)
Q:
I wondered if a poet might someday be able to make sense of the unconscionable injustice of Indigenous Peoples displaced by the toilet paper industry so Americans could wipe their asses with the heaving canopies of Natives’ ancestral homes. (c)
Q:
(I drew the line at demonizing fruit; I just couldn’t bring myself to take it seriously.) (c)
Q:
Under this pic, some version of which showed up pretty much every other day, maybe black and white, maybe filtered with Valencia or something else distant and vintage, she just put #deep. A cryptic lightning bolt and a crystal ball just before the hashtag. Did it mean she was deep, that she was making fun of people who think they’re deep, that her thoughts are deep, that she’s in deep, that someone else is in deep? Deep in love? Deep in shit? Deep in thought? Deep emotions? Deep water? Deep sea? Deep trouble? Deep shade? Deep house music? Deep ecology? Did she want us to think of deep as something sexual? Any and all of these could work, or none of them, but all possibilities combined to give the impression that she knew something the rest of us didn’t, which was probably true. That’s what her social media was like; that’s what she could get away with. I mean, just look at her. (c) LOL!
Q:
The moment I met someone, I was carbon profiling them. (c)
Q:
Someone had said animals were the slaves of the twenty-first century; someone else said saying that negates the experiences of past and present humans who were or still are enslaved. Someone said that ratcheting down the level of abuse against animals—as opposed to advocating for full-blown abolition—was speciesist. “We wouldn’t allow pedophiles to molest kids some of the time,” they had said. “It’s bullshit to think we can manage and temper abuse. It’s all or nothing, for the victims.” Someone else implied everyone else in the room who disagreed with this was speciesist. Someone responded that we live in a speciesist society and we have to work within its bounds in a strategic way—to get people on our side, make them think it’s their idea to be more compassionate. Someone said being vegan is about rights and that it portends a shift in human consciousness and propels us toward the next iteration of our species’ evolution. Someone blew up, threatening to write up a piece on this conversation and submit it to Ecorazzi, besmirching M&E’s name and exposing its speciesism and welfarist apologia. Someone else walked out. Someone took a brief leave of absence and sent an email to the whole company apologizing, saying they needed to prioritize self-care so they can sustain their animal advocacy. (c)
Q:
I winced every time Serene used to say, “We’re trying again.” The only time in life it’s acceptable to openly share with everyone around you—friends, family, colleagues—that you are regularly having sex. Imagine just walking into your office and sharing with your coworkers that you were exhausted from all the sex you had last night. But translate that to “trying for a baby,” and suddenly it’s entirely acceptable, even congratulated. And Serene always said it with such an interesting combination of delight, edged with exhaustion and obligation, like someone was actually making her make all these babies. I guess she thought that was God. (c)
Q:
Throughout college I’d liked to pop Xanax and take bong rips like everyone else, but the truly liberating magic of pissing into the earth remained peerless in its technical convenience and serenity-inducing charm—never mind the societal disgust, the prohibition. I wished there were an acceptable way of peeing outside to relieve anxiety and nervousness, like before a big presentation or an important meeting. If I ever designed an office workspace, there would be private, outdoor pee pads with thick, tall grass or variegated soil types (wood chips, sand, loamy earth) for those who prefer to watch the pee move around beneath their feet before they go spout off the latest metrics, discuss the quarter’s deliverables. (c)
Q:
Dan’s gaudy neon blue-and-green plastic toothbrush that looked like it was designed by a paranoid, retired military intelligence officer with PTSD from an alien abduction. Let’s put fluorescent green stripes here for visibility, and bright blue grip strips here for safety, and make sure the neck curves at the appropriate angle to reach all the way to the uvula, you know, so you can get that refreshing gag reflex going. (c)
Q:
I wondered if a poet might someday be able to make sense of the unconscionable injustice of Indigenous Peoples displaced by the toilet paper industry so Americans could wipe their asses with the heaving canopies of Natives’ ancestral homes. (c)
Q:
(I drew the line at demonizing fruit; I just couldn’t bring myself to take it seriously.) (c)
Q:
Under this pic, some version of which showed up pretty much every other day, maybe black and white, maybe filtered with Valencia or something else distant and vintage, she just put #deep. A cryptic lightning bolt and a crystal ball just before the hashtag. Did it mean she was deep, that she was making fun of people who think they’re deep, that her thoughts are deep, that she’s in deep, that someone else is in deep? Deep in love? Deep in shit? Deep in thought? Deep emotions? Deep water? Deep sea? Deep trouble? Deep shade? Deep house music? Deep ecology? Did she want us to think of deep as something sexual? Any and all of these could work, or none of them, but all possibilities combined to give the impression that she knew something the rest of us didn’t, which was probably true. That’s what her social media was like; that’s what she could get away with. I mean, just look at her. (c) LOL!
Q:
The moment I met someone, I was carbon profiling them. (c)
Q:
Someone had said animals were the slaves of the twenty-first century; someone else said saying that negates the experiences of past and present humans who were or still are enslaved. Someone said that ratcheting down the level of abuse against animals—as opposed to advocating for full-blown abolition—was speciesist. “We wouldn’t allow pedophiles to molest kids some of the time,” they had said. “It’s bullshit to think we can manage and temper abuse. It’s all or nothing, for the victims.” Someone else implied everyone else in the room who disagreed with this was speciesist. Someone responded that we live in a speciesist society and we have to work within its bounds in a strategic way—to get people on our side, make them think it’s their idea to be more compassionate. Someone said being vegan is about rights and that it portends a shift in human consciousness and propels us toward the next iteration of our species’ evolution. Someone blew up, threatening to write up a piece on this conversation and submit it to Ecorazzi, besmirching M&E’s name and exposing its speciesism and welfarist apologia. Someone else walked out. Someone took a brief leave of absence and sent an email to the whole company apologizing, saying they needed to prioritize self-care so they can sustain their animal advocacy. (c)
Q:
I winced every time Serene used to say, “We’re trying again.” The only time in life it’s acceptable to openly share with everyone around you—friends, family, colleagues—that you are regularly having sex. Imagine just walking into your office and sharing with your coworkers that you were exhausted from all the sex you had last night. But translate that to “trying for a baby,” and suddenly it’s entirely acceptable, even congratulated. And Serene always said it with such an interesting combination of delight, edged with exhaustion and obligation, like someone was actually making her make all these babies. I guess she thought that was God. (c)
Q:
Throughout college I’d liked to pop Xanax and take bong rips like everyone else, but the truly liberating magic of pissing into the earth remained peerless in its technical convenience and serenity-inducing charm—never mind the societal disgust, the prohibition. I wished there were an acceptable way of peeing outside to relieve anxiety and nervousness, like before a big presentation or an important meeting. If I ever designed an office workspace, there would be private, outdoor pee pads with thick, tall grass or variegated soil types (wood chips, sand, loamy earth) for those who prefer to watch the pee move around beneath their feet before they go spout off the latest metrics, discuss the quarter’s deliverables. (c)
February 13, 2022
Incredible novel which captured better than anything I've ever read about being an ecoanxious woman in 2022. The myriad of decisions that one makes daily to keep oneself and the planet alive are described minutely through the eyes of Cara. When she discovers the 'heroin' of living 'normally' and not caring about our impact on the earth it is luxuriously seductive and she succumbs to what most of Western civilisation do mindlessly daily. As a misanthrope, she cares what happens the earth as a whole while not bothering to foster relationships with individuals - the paradoxes of living one's life for a cause- balancing the individual with the masses. I couldn't put it down, and I felt as if her internal monologue was my own, sometimes, on bad days. A wonderful voice we should all listen to.
March 17, 2022
4.5 stars--Cara is someone who, like the Lorax implored us, "cares a whole, whole lot." She strives to live lightly on the Earth; so much so that some of her efforts to mitigate her eco-impact border on the absurd.
However, unlike the popular depiction of activists on TV sitcoms, etc., in which the activist and by extension, their cause, are meant to be objects of ridicule by the audience, the author’s heart is in a far different place. The environmental devastation, human rights abuses, and animal cruelty that keep Cara up at night are all very real, and the fact that most of society ignores it all is precisely what is slowly driving her mad.
And then Cara meets her boyfriend’s mom. Millie is the epitome of leading a life of indulgence and leisure and shows no more awareness of the wider world than does a toddler. (Although that early-70s Lincoln Millie drives does sound sweet.) Cara approaches Millie with a sort of anthropological fascination: How does someone just not care? What's it like to live in a space where nothing matters but your immediate amusement and gratification, always?
With the help of lots of Millie’s favorite alcoholic beverages, Cara gets sucked into her world. She experiences what it’s like to live with no values or consequences, and her life begins to spiral out of control.
EUPHORIA is a book with an admittedly narrow audience. In its very modern setting and frenetic pace, it reminded me a little bit of NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS. It is genuinely funny, but the humor comes from seeing some of yourself in the main character. For those who aren’t already sympathetic to at least some of the causes Cara is involved in, it will likely seem confusing and absurd. Nor would it be a good book to introduce readers to more thoughtful life choices, as Cara’s over-the-top efforts will likely turn them off.
However, unlike the popular depiction of activists on TV sitcoms, etc., in which the activist and by extension, their cause, are meant to be objects of ridicule by the audience, the author’s heart is in a far different place. The environmental devastation, human rights abuses, and animal cruelty that keep Cara up at night are all very real, and the fact that most of society ignores it all is precisely what is slowly driving her mad.
And then Cara meets her boyfriend’s mom. Millie is the epitome of leading a life of indulgence and leisure and shows no more awareness of the wider world than does a toddler. (Although that early-70s Lincoln Millie drives does sound sweet.) Cara approaches Millie with a sort of anthropological fascination: How does someone just not care? What's it like to live in a space where nothing matters but your immediate amusement and gratification, always?
With the help of lots of Millie’s favorite alcoholic beverages, Cara gets sucked into her world. She experiences what it’s like to live with no values or consequences, and her life begins to spiral out of control.
EUPHORIA is a book with an admittedly narrow audience. In its very modern setting and frenetic pace, it reminded me a little bit of NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS. It is genuinely funny, but the humor comes from seeing some of yourself in the main character. For those who aren’t already sympathetic to at least some of the causes Cara is involved in, it will likely seem confusing and absurd. Nor would it be a good book to introduce readers to more thoughtful life choices, as Cara’s over-the-top efforts will likely turn them off.
April 30, 2024
An engaging book that grapples with the hyper awareness of societal and ecological issues we have at our finger tips, the effects this has upon a person.
If you want an interesting dive into someone's head during crisis and don't mind the anxiety riddled 'key' of the protagonists mind it's worth a read. Though not on audiobook at high speeds where the constant eco-anxiety stream of consciousness can feel a bit like the torture scene from clockwork orange.
If you want an interesting dive into someone's head during crisis and don't mind the anxiety riddled 'key' of the protagonists mind it's worth a read. Though not on audiobook at high speeds where the constant eco-anxiety stream of consciousness can feel a bit like the torture scene from clockwork orange.
July 6, 2022
A fascinating downward spiral of eco anxiety. Cara was very likeable. Millie is so reminiscent of many of her generation. Loved the description of her washing out the bean container only to throw it away.
The passage I'll carry with me is this one: "We, whoever remained, we'd take whatever was left of this Earth knowing all of it could be made better by those of us who celebrated humanity's capacity for a brilliant, revelatory compassion. And all of us who were left alongside whatever land and water happened to remain-we could seek solace in knowing we survived a time before all humanity understood and organized accordingly around the unalterable fact that infinite human consciousness will never be sated in the finite realm of material production and consumption."
Beautiful and brilliant.
My hope for all the Cara's in the world is a little bit of grace. You don't have to be perfect. We need a whole lot of people being imperfectly better, and that's worth the fight.
The passage I'll carry with me is this one: "We, whoever remained, we'd take whatever was left of this Earth knowing all of it could be made better by those of us who celebrated humanity's capacity for a brilliant, revelatory compassion. And all of us who were left alongside whatever land and water happened to remain-we could seek solace in knowing we survived a time before all humanity understood and organized accordingly around the unalterable fact that infinite human consciousness will never be sated in the finite realm of material production and consumption."
Beautiful and brilliant.
My hope for all the Cara's in the world is a little bit of grace. You don't have to be perfect. We need a whole lot of people being imperfectly better, and that's worth the fight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2022
I loved this book.
It's REALLY funny, despite its sometimes heavy subject matter (it's cli-fi).
Of course I shan't say anything about the ending, except this: it's perfect.
It's REALLY funny, despite its sometimes heavy subject matter (it's cli-fi).
Of course I shan't say anything about the ending, except this: it's perfect.
January 5, 2023
Reading A.E. Copenhaver's My Days of Dark Green Euphoria is like devouring a melting, sticky, sickeningly-sweet, lime-green icicle on a dangerously warming planet in the middle of Autumn - it's a rush, it's intoxicating (just like Millicent Felicity James - can we have a meme of her already?), and, just like the sticky, luminous green on your fingers, it stays with you.
In all seriousness, this book is a masterpiece. Copenhaver's prose is a kind of masterful frenzied rush, which perfectly encapsulates a world where we're bombarded with information and choices about our consumption. As every day exposes a new way in which our choices endanger the planet or show up how our eco-friendly choices may be worsening human rights abuses somewhere in the world, Copenhaver is able to capture the feeling of absolute futility that a single person can feel about their ability to effect change - and how those supposed on the "same side" sadistically relish in one-upping each other. While this book is classed as a satire, I found a lot of the emotional threads of this novel all too universal - overwhelm, exhaustion, constantly measuring yourself against others (and coming up short), feelings of futility at the climate collapse we're staring in the face. This novel is a reminder that these feelings are natural and normal and, in the end, that we're humans who are fallible. A beautiful, timely read, which I will recommend to everyone.
In all seriousness, this book is a masterpiece. Copenhaver's prose is a kind of masterful frenzied rush, which perfectly encapsulates a world where we're bombarded with information and choices about our consumption. As every day exposes a new way in which our choices endanger the planet or show up how our eco-friendly choices may be worsening human rights abuses somewhere in the world, Copenhaver is able to capture the feeling of absolute futility that a single person can feel about their ability to effect change - and how those supposed on the "same side" sadistically relish in one-upping each other. While this book is classed as a satire, I found a lot of the emotional threads of this novel all too universal - overwhelm, exhaustion, constantly measuring yourself against others (and coming up short), feelings of futility at the climate collapse we're staring in the face. This novel is a reminder that these feelings are natural and normal and, in the end, that we're humans who are fallible. A beautiful, timely read, which I will recommend to everyone.
March 7, 2025
WOW! From the very first page I was hooked. My Days of Dark Green Euphoria manages to educate and entertain while tackling complex environmental crises woven through an entertaining plot, carried by captivating characters. I am blown away by scientific knowledge and literary talent required to make this challenging and depressing subject matter seamless flow through a fast paced engaging plot. This is a must ready for everyone. Thank you to A. E. Copenhagen for this gift to the reader, society and our planet.
February 25, 2022
This was an interesting and smart read, although much heavier at times than I'd anticipated going in. As someone not as steeped in eco-anxiety, it was fascinating to be inside Cara's mind.
One unresolved question:
One unresolved question:
January 7, 2024
The author perfectly captured how it feels to live with eco-anxiety - it felt like she was reading my mind. The characters were detailed and like-able, even with their faults. The short chapters made it a breeze to read. Super enjoyable.
May 15, 2024
This was actually quite funny. Pleasantly surprised.
January 8, 2023
Boring. That's what I kept saying to myself whilst listening to the book. It's not a badly written book but it doesn't quite hit the spot or its too clever for its own good.
Like many I'm no stranger to ecoanxiety but the main character seem to have been driven by sense of superiority and extreme sport of judgementalism and virtue signalling that has invaded her thoughts so it was no surprise that she has spiralled so badly down, though it was good to see her finally connecting to mother earth and family in a more real way at the end. I felt myself really seeking more depth in the plot and the prose that at times felt random.
The book has provided a good discussion at my bookclub and there are definitely layers to unpick but sadly, for me, the book didn't quite scratch the literary itch.
Like many I'm no stranger to ecoanxiety but the main character seem to have been driven by sense of superiority and extreme sport of judgementalism and virtue signalling that has invaded her thoughts so it was no surprise that she has spiralled so badly down, though it was good to see her finally connecting to mother earth and family in a more real way at the end. I felt myself really seeking more depth in the plot and the prose that at times felt random.
The book has provided a good discussion at my bookclub and there are definitely layers to unpick but sadly, for me, the book didn't quite scratch the literary itch.
June 13, 2022
"I didn’t think I would ever get to see the Amazon—mostly because I imagined none of it would be left by the time some zero-emissions flying technology could get me there."
I might have hoped to find some answers for my own eco anxiety in this book, but I mostly got to read a lot of female insecurities and looping thoughts. Not really something I'm a fan of.
But maybe my hopes where too high, as of course we're all doomed and the world is going to shit. We might as well try to not feel to guilty about our hedonistic splurges ... you still need to live, right?
At least that's what the book ended up suggesting.
disappointing
At least I now have a nice slur for mindless consumers:
"professional [] drone[s] for the fiat currency racket."
I might have hoped to find some answers for my own eco anxiety in this book, but I mostly got to read a lot of female insecurities and looping thoughts. Not really something I'm a fan of.
But maybe my hopes where too high, as of course we're all doomed and the world is going to shit. We might as well try to not feel to guilty about our hedonistic splurges ... you still need to live, right?
At least that's what the book ended up suggesting.
disappointing
At least I now have a nice slur for mindless consumers:
"professional [] drone[s] for the fiat currency racket."
October 18, 2022
I struggled over whether to recommend this book due to the graphic violence-against-animals content, but in the end, I do so with that warning. The novel's stylistic strengths include its character development, its flow, and the fact that all of the detail is believable. Naturally many elements are somewhat exaggerated to fit the topic. When one is obsessed, even for right causes, such as animal rights or saving the rain forest, that person and everyone around them will ultimately become stressed. Obsession produces an unhealthy lifestyle, as is well depicted by Copenhaver. Too few smart satires are as linguistically pleasing as this one.
August 12, 2022
Maybe I'm biased, because I identify with the protagonist, but I think this book is a masterpiece. There is not a wasted word, and some of the lines are so poetic, I read them over and over. I highly recommend listening to the audio version, because the narration is excellent.
August 22, 2023
Would be a great take down of white environmentalism if this was a satire but I think it’s earnest in wanting us to root for a climate anxious, performative, drunk driver?
April 15, 2024
3.5! Was a fun afternoon read. Following the lives of someone who is so environmentally conscious was chill. The book wasn't serious and it was just a pleasant read!
April 26, 2024
Loved it, hilarious and in your face.
October 2, 2025
siempre me confunde cuando el autor de un libro está claramente drogado mientras escribe
April 16, 2022
This was such an unusual and enjoyable book. Essentially about eco-anxiety, climate grief and burnout in the non-profit sector, but it’s not at all heavy-going. It’s funny and entertaining. Copenhaver’s writing is witty and smart and often beautiful. The narrator, Cara, is both deeply relatable and sometimes absurd, and I loved this journey into her neurosis, her breaking point, and her life.
January 13, 2023
4,5
I am not quite sure about how I feel about this book. Yes, this was the first time reading about a character that went through the same spiralling chaos of what it feels like to be completely overwhelmed by eco-anxiety and our own climate-centred shopping or dietary principles.
Yes, I felt comforted knowing that I am probably not alone in being crushed by misery when I inevitably fail at one of those principles.
I could also relate deeply to the despondency of being confronted with someone else’s inability to care about their own impact on the planet, especially with someone close to us. How can you even tell loved ones that you can’t fly home as often because of the immense guilt you feel surrounding flying?
“Wasn’t it funny how saving the world could come down to pens? When future generations ask us what we did to help prevent climate breakdown, to reverse rampant ecological destruction, I at least will be able to say I eventually ordered the right pens.” – This pretty much sums up how I feel most days and in this context, “pens” can be replaced by any everyday inanimate object.
Besides the “relatability”, what is the main message here? What am I supposed to do with the rehash of feelings raised by the story? It’s fantastic to see yourself reflected on a main character struggling with the same issues as you, but I guess this book will not make much sense to many people. I guess I was hoping to find some sort of “light at the end of the tunnel” that makes this eco-anxiety bearable or some answers…
Regardless, this book was incredibly refreshing, and I can’t wait until more books are published centred around climate anxiety – particularly in fiction books!
I am not quite sure about how I feel about this book. Yes, this was the first time reading about a character that went through the same spiralling chaos of what it feels like to be completely overwhelmed by eco-anxiety and our own climate-centred shopping or dietary principles.
Yes, I felt comforted knowing that I am probably not alone in being crushed by misery when I inevitably fail at one of those principles.
I could also relate deeply to the despondency of being confronted with someone else’s inability to care about their own impact on the planet, especially with someone close to us. How can you even tell loved ones that you can’t fly home as often because of the immense guilt you feel surrounding flying?
“Wasn’t it funny how saving the world could come down to pens? When future generations ask us what we did to help prevent climate breakdown, to reverse rampant ecological destruction, I at least will be able to say I eventually ordered the right pens.” – This pretty much sums up how I feel most days and in this context, “pens” can be replaced by any everyday inanimate object.
Besides the “relatability”, what is the main message here? What am I supposed to do with the rehash of feelings raised by the story? It’s fantastic to see yourself reflected on a main character struggling with the same issues as you, but I guess this book will not make much sense to many people. I guess I was hoping to find some sort of “light at the end of the tunnel” that makes this eco-anxiety bearable or some answers…
Regardless, this book was incredibly refreshing, and I can’t wait until more books are published centred around climate anxiety – particularly in fiction books!
November 19, 2023
I was happy to see a novel written about a vegan, but -- did it have to be this one? We read this for our animal rights book group, and while I was excited at first for this, I soon became rather disgusted. I totally understand the burnout of someone trying against all odds to save animals and the planet. I've been an activist since 1995 and a vegan since 2006 (vegetarian since 1990, I know, I know), and I might buy vegan cheese from a company that is owned by a dairy every so often; and I might use more plastic than I should (I definitely do this),and I don't understand the main character's motivation. True, I am not a dumpster diver, though I have known some, and I understand her angst, but not why her exhaustion would cause her to eat other animals in the first place. I have no sense of her relationship with her boyfriend; the way she narrates her story, the way she thinks about him and herself, I don't believe this relationship at all. Maybe it's the point that they don't seem connected to each other, but the boyfriend feels like a cutout character. He's just there as a prop. Maybe he's not supposed to be fully formed because he's a product of whatever high-powered job he has, emitting all those carbon emissions? It's an interesting idea, but it doesn't work very well in this context.
I was really excited to see this book, I love the idea - an exploration of what it means to constantly try to do the right thing, but the execution just fell flat for me. And I certainly don't see how this book leads us to remember the joy in activism. It just seems to say "if it's too much give up/give in for a little while." No thanks.
I was really excited to see this book, I love the idea - an exploration of what it means to constantly try to do the right thing, but the execution just fell flat for me. And I certainly don't see how this book leads us to remember the joy in activism. It just seems to say "if it's too much give up/give in for a little while." No thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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