Richard Powers, The Overstory **** 1/2

Richard Powers is an excellent writer. His prose doesn't draw attention to itself, but effectively communicates through deep-rooted metaphor. Knowing that its main characters are environmental activists -- and reading the two-page prologue -- I was afraid the The Overstory would become too righteous or mystical for my taste. But Powers is a scientifically-minded writer who keeps the tone grounded even when the characters get righteous or mystical. In a way, The Overstory is told from the trees' point of view, but it never feels as sappy or gimmicky as that sounds. Instead, it quietly manages to "decenter the human as the source of all meaning and value," as Michael Pollan is quoted on the back cover.

The first section, "Roots," introduces nine characters through their life stories, all of which feature a tree as a prominent element. The stories serve as a compelling background when the characters meet and interact in the second section, "Trunk." Personally, I found one of the characters, Neelay, far less involving than the rest. Neelay is a computer programmer; despite Powers' background as a programmer, the prose in the Neelay parts sounds like the author doesn't fully grasp the concepts. The natural sections are so much more authoritative.

The book is filled with strong images and is thought-provoking even though its overall environmental message is simple.