The Signature of All Things

This book has me torn. On one hand, it was beautifully written. Gilbert's writing style is descriptive and flows easily, I found myself savoring certain passages. The descriptions of botany and intellectual pursuits were wonderful and inspiring, I loved reading about the gardens, and at times I found Alma's dedication to her work and her responsibilities to be inspiring.

On the other hand, there are statements like this peppered throughout that I felt were ignorant and unnecessary:

“The kings of Hawaii were angry, and the natives were thieving and aggressive.”

For context, the author is describing the voyages of Captain Cook, a violent colonizer, and framing Cook as a noble, honorable explorer in contrast to the “thieving and aggressive” native Hawaiians who were, rightfully, defending their land and their people. This isn't the point of view of a specific character. This is part of the narration, which brings up many questions regarding the author's ethics.

Moments like this mar the remainder of the story for me. There's a passage near the middle where Alma reflects on her sister's abolitionist efforts, and how this isn't something that interests her because there are “so many other concerns” (page 190 Kindle edition). Somehow we are supposed to feel for this character, an absurdly wealthy and privileged woman who views the study of moss as a more noble and important pursuit than the abolition of slavery. These are just two brief examples of many questionable statements and moments throughout the story, which reads as a love letter to colonization, missionaries, and the ‘noble pursuits' of the white upper class.

Finally, there is the issue of the plot itself. To put it simply, Alma is the least interesting character in this story. We are given an interesting look into Henry Whittaker's life story as a self-made man, Beatrix whose intellect and work ethic make Henry's life possible, Prudence who has a tragic childhood yet remains unwaveringly kind and a champion of human rights throughout, Retta with her bubbly personality and tragic madness, George, Ambrose, even Hanneke de Groot. All of these characters are given more dimension, personality, and life than Alma.

Granted, she is not entirely uninteresting, as an intelligent woman making a name for herself in a male-oriented field. However, all the reasons why we should feel something for her fall flat. We're reminded constantly that she's plain, that she doesn't know how to socialize properly (this is nobody's fault but hers, as she was raised alongside Prudence who does perfectly well), and that ‘no man will ever want her'. Yet she is still described as the richest woman in North America, with endless resources at her disposal. She could easily change her circumstances, but seems more focused on masturbating and lamenting her lack of beauty.

The emotional climax of the story - no pun intended - is when Alma gives Tomorrow Morning a blowjob, which is described as what she's sought after her entire life. In short, this was disappointing.

The only reason I didn't give up on this book was because of the botany. However, if you don't have an interest in botany, this may be a pass.