But as Agnes embraces the wild freedom of her new existence, Bea realises that saving her daughter’s life means losing her in a different way.Īt once a blazing lament of our contempt for nature and a deeply humane portrayal of motherhood, and what it means to be human, The New Wilderness is an extraordinary, compelling novel for our times. But at its core, The New Wilderness is really. Living as nomadic hunter-gatherers, Bea and Agnes slowly learn how to survive on this unpredictable, often dangerous land. More than timely, the novel feels timeless, solid, like a forgotten classic recently resurfaced a brutal, beguiling fairy tale about humanity. This vast expanse of unwelcoming, untamed land is untouched by mankind. I love books that are set in nature, especially where people have to survive in the wilderness.

Nature) and it was longlisted for 2020’s Booker Prize. This is Cook’s first novel (she had previously published a book of short stories called Man V. If they stay in the city, Agnes will die, but there is only one alternative – joining a group of volunteers in the Wilderness State. And to survive, they’ll have to rely on their new companions. “A dystopian and environmental ballad about the trials of motherhood and the devolution to the wilderness for the survival of humanity in a governmental controlled society.” ~RookReadingĪ daring, passionate and terrifying novel about a mother’s battle to save her daughter in a world ravaged by climate change.īea’s five-year-old daughter, Agnes, is wasting away, consumed by the smog and pollution of the over-developed metropolis they call home. The action, which takes place over several years. Project: dystopia – environmental / government Diane Cooks bold dystopian novel, The New Wilderness, posits a dismal future for humanity in a ravaged world. Set in the near future, this novel introduces readers to a haunting world that is not so hard to imagine. List: Recent Prize Winner (Man Booker Short List 2020) The New Wilderness by Diane Cook has been longlisted for The Man Booker Prize this year and when I tell you that this book is a force of a story I’m not lying to you.

Diane cook the new wilderness review