First published 2011
National Park Service biologist Alma Boyd Takesue works to eliminate rats and feral pigs threatening native species on California's Channel Islands. She faces fierce opposition from Dave LaJoy, a dreadlocked businessman, and his partner Anise Reed, a folksinger who refuses to accept the killing of any animals. Their conflict escalates into violent confrontations as each side fights for their vision of environmental protection. Boyle weaves in the stories of their ancestors: Alma's grandmother Beverly, who survived a 1946 shipwreck in these same waters, and Anise's mother Rita, who worked on a Santa Cruz Island sheep ranch in the 1970s. The novel explores the clash between conservation science and animal rights activism, questioning who holds authority over nature's fate. Set against the rugged backdrop of the sparsely populated islands off Santa Barbara, the story examines our complicated relationship with the natural world and the moral complexities of environmental stewardship.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, adventure, conservation, environmental-science, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, moral-complexity
Setting: California, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Island
Period: 1946, 1970s
369 pages · Hardcover · Viking
Content warnings: animal-death, violence