Four lives are drawn together in a sweeping, panoramic new novel from Richard Powers, showcasing the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory at the height of his skills. Twelve-year-old Evie Beaulieu sinks to the bottom of a swimming pool in Montreal strapped to one of the world's first aqualungs. Ina Aroita grows up on naval bases across the Pacific with art as her only home. Two polar opposites at an elite Chicago school bond over a three-thousand-year-old board game; Rafi Young will get lost in literature, while Todd Keane's work will lead to a startling AI breakthrough.
They meet on the history-scarred island of Makatea in French Polynesia, whose deposits of phosphorus once helped to feed the world. Now the tiny atoll has been chosen for humanity's next adventure: a plan to send floating, autonomous cities out onto the open sea. But first, the island's residents must vote to greenlight the project or turn the seasteaders away.
Set in the world's largest ocean, this awe-filled book explores that last wild place we have yet to colonise in a still-unfolding oceanic game and interweaves beautiful writing, rich characterisation, profound themes of technology and the environment and a deep exploration of our shared humanity in a way only Richard Powers can.
Staff Choice: Else
I love everything I’ve read of Richard Powers (The Overstory and Bewilderment are some highlights of the last couple of years). So when I found out he was writing a new book, I put it on my ‘to be read’ pile immediately. Where The Overstory made me fall in love with trees all over again, Playground made me fall in love with the ocean all over again. Oceans are pretty dope.
Staff Choice: Lynn
Wow, this is a book to read ASAP, which opens the mind to realizing that, while we live on land, the planet is overwhelmingly oceanic, full of uncountable intelligent, social creatures beyond imagination. A mind-opener. Precious. Wonderful.