Appleseed

“A moment passes. A moment passes. A moment passes. In how many of these fleeting moments, did you do nothing?” This is the central question of “Appleseed,” a masterful novel that takes a dark and critical look at the belief that technological developments can save us from the climate disaster, while celebrating the unique, disappearing beauty of the natural world. I loved the way the three different perspectives, separated by hundreds of years, interlock in such a satisfying way.

“The one choice we never make is to leave the oil in the ground, to let the trees grow uncut, to let the water slosh in its aquifers.” As “Appleseed” points out so effectively, the only choice that would have saved us is the one we will never make. It does so by creating an absorbing narrative with genuine, believable characters. I would have given it 5 stars but for the last few chapters, which got too heavy-handed and bogged down with over-explanation. At 4 stars, I still recommend it.