This was undoubtedly one of the best novels I have ever read. I marveled all the way through it which was greater, the intellect of the writer or the amount of staggering research she must have done to write such a book. Most surprising of all was that she could make the subject of botany so intriguing. The story was more than brilliantly weaved and the language so suitably employed to reflect the time period in which the novel was set. It left me thirsting for knowledge and refinement of speech. The story begins on 5 January 1800 with the birth of the heroine, Alma Whittaker. Born into wealth and tutored by her intelligent and no nonsense Dutch mother, Alma develops a brilliant and enquiring mind which enables her to excel in the field of botany and to which she dedicates her entire life. The story also covers the history of her father's life and his many exploits and expeditions of discovery across the globe. His story gives the reader a compelling window to the world of discovery as it once was and evokes appreciation for the world that now is. He eventually settles in America and becomes the riches man in Philladelphia and a much regarded man of business. His foundation in botany forms a platform for his daughter to delve into the natural world and to become a gifted botanist in her own right. Alma's life's work takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution from which she develops her own theory to coincide with that of Darwin's theory of 'natural selection' but Alma never resolves the enigma of humanity and concedes to the inability to reconcile science with spirituality. This is one book that should not be missed by a serious reader who desires to learn and to question what it means to be human.
