A Friend of the Earth: Post #2

So the last post about the novel A Friend of the Earth did not have lots of details due to the fact that the novel did not arrive on time, resulting in me being unable to read much of it. However, I have now been able to finish the novel and would love to share more information and my opinions about it. My initial post discussed how excited I was for the rest of the novel since the beginning had been so interesting and really grabbed my attention. Well the entire novel held that feeling of excitement and interest while also pulling at my emotional heartstrings a bit.

Lots of the novel focused on climate change and the extremes some people go to for the environment and future of this planet. The main character puts him, people he loves, and strangers in great danger for multiple causes all relating to climate change. Also, the description of the nature in the future compared to the nature in the flashback components of the novel have great contrast that leave a pretty major impact on the reader. While this central theme of the effects humans have had on the climate and the results created from it there is another major theme that runs throughout the novel.

The other theme that is quite prevalent is human connections and personal values. The main character has different relationships with many people, especially a deep connection to his daughter that has some rough turns due to his work as a climate change activist. Also, he has some romantic connections to other women throughout the novel that add a level of adult material, making this book unsuitable to children. Finally, the main character goes through many phases that lead him to have a better understanding of himself as well as other human beings.

Both themes fit together very nicely allowing for a well-written and impactful novel to be created. T.C. Boyle does a wonderful job of describing different settings in different eras, as well as giving the readers an interesting tale of a possible future. I would for sure recommend this novel to any adult, purely for the storyline however, the environmental aspect adds a whole other level. The book does have adult topics and other aspects that are not suitable for a younger audience, however college level and above would benefit greatly by reading it. Anyways, absolutely loved the entire novel, I am greatly interested in reading other novel that T.C. Boyle has written.