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Title:	New Wilderness
Authors:	Cook, Diane
Genre:	Fiction
Pages:	395
Year:	2020
Language:	English
Description:	In response to toxic pollution and overpopulation, the only hope for reversing the declining health of Bea's five-year-old daughter Agnes, is to join a group of volunteers taking part in an experiment to study how humans interact with nature. They are to live in the Wilderness State, the normally prohibited, last remaining untamed land, and are to follow the Manual and the edicts of the Rangers, but most importantly, leaving no trace of their existence on their surroundings. Provocative and unsettling, this well-researched story asks those difficult questions: what will a person do to survive and just what is our place in the natural world?
Categories:	Fiction, Community, Dystopia/Futuristic, Environmental, Grief/loss, Relationships, Social commentary/perspectives, 2023 Titles

Reviews

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By: AUCK 171		2025-07-09 10:23:43

Totally divided opinions about this book - ranged from 2 to 4. Some seriously disliked the main character and could not move past Bea.

By: CHCH 099		2024-12-02 15:00:46

A difficult issue to discuss, covering many points of interest, including social change, family dynamics, power, and the use and abuse of power. A pity this was in small print with quite pale printing. Not everyone could read it because of this.

By: CHCH 064		2024-09-25 12:04:12

Some were able to suspend disbelief and appreciate the tenor of this book. Others couldn't abide it. But nevertheless, great discussion.

By: TAKA 004		2024-06-17 11:55:02

Some enjoyed, some definitely did not. Disjointed and a lot left to the imagination. Complex mother/daughter relationship. Provoked good conversation. Good enough but not amazing.

By: NELS 015		2023-04-13 12:28:28

This book really divided and created a really good discussion. The overriding consensus was that the book was less about the environment and more about relationships, with most finding the nomadic lifestyle portrayed too unrealistic.