In one of the most hauntingly beautiful novels of the year, Alison Anderson tells the poignant tale of Fran, a 40-something behavioral ecologist working on Egret Island, a fragile and failing ecosystem off the coast of Mauritius. There to help re-establish the natural ecology of the place and chart the evolution of local birds, Fran loses her assistant and lover, Satish; he vanishes, possibly the victim of foul play. Enter her new assistant, Christian, a displaced Red Cross worker ravaged by the loss of his Serbian wife and child to that war-torn region. Christian, like Fran, driven by grief and guilt, seeks healing and redemption. Soon Fran’s passion for the island infuses him, and the deeper they engage in the work, the deeper their connection to each other grows. However, dark forces threaten them and the island. Anderson uses the theme of man-made destruction and the metaphor of extinction to powerful impact. This exquisitely written and beautifully wrought novel wields an intensity about love, loss and risk perfect for our times.

–Victoria Brownworth