Botánicos - by Alan Meerow (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Garwell Sorrentino was a legendary tropical botanist with the Cincinnati Botanical Garden, and arguably the world's expert on the rain forests of southeastern Peru. Twenty-five years ago, he was believed lost when an ultra-light craft that he was piloting alone above the unbroken forests of the Río Madre De Dios watershed caught fire and crashed. No trace of Sorrentino was ever found. His last graduate student and best friend, Anton Kovac, was fired in disgrace from his botanist position at the Garden five years after Sorrentino's disappearance. Kevin Hobart, the Garden's director, and both his and Sorrentino's former boss, contacts Kovac out of the blue, with rumors that his friend is alive. Anton and Garwell's widow, Nell, travel to southeastern Peru, in search of Sorrentino. Ultimately, the adventure is transformative for both of them.

"Botánicos" is at once a love story, a tale of friendship and the bonds that tie us together. It includes moments of magical realism, intimacy and mystery, all against the backdrop of the Amazon forest. Any adult who enjoys a solid tale, rich with characters with whom they can emphasize and a plot that keeps them turning the page, is the audience for "Botánicos." Of course, the biological science community, inclusive of all botanists, will want to read it as well. Readers of Barbara Kingsolver's fiction, Richard Powers' "The Overtory," and Elizabeth Gilbert's "The Signature of All Things" will find this novel compelling. Readers who enjoy magical realism in a contemporary setting, lovers of nature and forests in particular will all be drawn to "Botánicos."

Review Quotes

A fascinating adventure and love story. There are a lot of positive things in this book and I have to say that I had a great time reading it. In many ways, it offers something different because of the setting and the profession surrounding it, while retaining elements of classic fiction that make it feel pretty much at home with a lot of people. This, in return, makes the entire experience of reading the book feel a lot more exciting and joyous, which is, of course, the goal of any writer out there. A work that is definitely worth your time.-KEVIN TANZA, Book Nerdection

The power of the novel lies, as its name implies, in the botanical wonders of the Peruvian jungle and the myriad healing plants it contains. its description of the very real way modern industry is ravaging the Amazon forest make it an illuminating and worthwhile read, having mystery, adventure, and a convincing love story as well.-JENNIFER HILL, ReedsyDiscovery