Review: Lost and Waiting, Amanda Read

An intelligent, satisfying novel in an exotic setting.

The fearless botanist, Evangeline is searching for the mystical world-tree in Chile, accompanied by the magical hound Florito and Jesus, her Latin lover. Her chapters are mirrored by those narrated by Edwin Chile Morgan, a Victorian plant hunter who searched for the world tree a century before, accompanied by Paco the mule.

Morgan's chapters reminded me of Melville's Moby Dick and allow the author to demonstrate a playful lightness of touch and sensual delight with language. The folklore motifs and magical realism that weave through the novel add a complexity that is never overbearing. Evangeline is a kick-ass superwoman and I can easily imagine this as a film. It is an extraordinary book with botanical footnotes and beautifully presented typographic symbols adding to the sense of authority of this writer.

After this polished debut, I'm excited to see what Amanda Read writes next.