Dystopian novel set in the near future (2030s) in the small fictional community of Vigil Harbor, Massachusetts. American society is dealing with climate change, eco-terrorism, pandemic fallout, immigration bans, and escalating political divisiveness. The primary plotline is based on a group of ecoterrorists that disrupt this privileged and (mostly) sheltered town.

There are nine primary characters, each with a distinctive voice. Mike is a marine biologist tracking decline in sea life. Egon is Mike’s gay son who is in the closet. Margo is a retired high school English teacher whose husband having an affair with Mike’s wife. Miriam has remarried several years after losing her husband to COVID-19. Her son Brecht survived a terrorist act and has returned home to live with his mother. His stepfather Austin is an architect designing housing that will withstand the worsening climate conditions. Connie is helping to run her son’s homeschool group. Her husband, Celestino, is a Guatemalan landscaper who is worried about immigration issues. Petra is posing as a journalist to find out more about her partner’s suicide, and thinks Austin is hiding information.

I have read one other novel by Julia Glass (Three Junes) which I enjoyed very much so I thought I’d give her latest a try. It is a sprawling epic that paints a portrait of an entire community and their relationships. `It is amazing that the author can write all these characters and their backstories in a way that the reader can easily follow. She excels at character development. These people are flawed and believable. Many are dealing with grief. All are dealing with fears. Other themes include security, parenting, trust, and identity.

There is even a small element of magical realism, but I am not convinced this book needed it. There is already enough going on without it. This dystopian society is an extrapolation of current issues. I am not sure I can envision the ecological movement going to these extremes (at least I hope not), but it is definitely thought-provoking. It can get a bit depressing at times, but in the end, it is a story about the importance of love, understanding, acceptance, and the need to bond together to face the challenges of the future. ( )

Love finding a new writer I enjoy. Really liked this one; the writer's use of language was great and the characters well formed. Good use of social commentary though usually I just look for a GOOD story. This had both. Liked the contrast of characters leaving and returning to their small town and the effect it had on all involved. Recommended. ( )

I have read every book that Glass has written and given the times we are in, I believe this is her best. Many authors are currently using the multi-character narrative and then ultimately bringing all the stories together. It is tricky and doesn't always work but in this book it does. Glass touches on key issues of our times such as climate change, anti-immigration, terrorism, political polarization, generational gaps and most importantly white rich privilege in the current world. The book takes place 10-15 years in the future and all of our problems are worse with climate change being the prime one. Vigil Harbor is small coastal town north of Boston that feels safe from the problems of the world. Told through many voices the story surrounds a view days where eco terrorism invades the community. There are many back stories so we do get a sense of the players and unlike some of the reviewers I had no problem keeping track of the different voices. I strongly recommend this to those who have not read Glass and for all others this is her best and perfect for the times we live in. ( )

Set in the dystopian future (about 10-15 years from now, I'm guessing), this novel imagines life in the ever-challenging world of climate change, terrorism (including desperate eco-warriors), and pandemics. The setting is Vigil Harbor, an imagined east-coast enclave of mostly wealthy white people whose lives have, until now, not been impacted as much by the churnings of the outside world as other less fortunate communities. Things change with the arrival of a man who uses an old relationship to set the town up for a tragic event.

This book is told in the voices of 9 major characters, which at times was a test for my memory. I sometimes wished I had developed a character outline on the inside over of the book as a cheat sheet to keep all of these characters and their relationships to each other straight. Just like a Dickens novel, all of these plots come together near the end of the book, and at that point, the book is hard to put down. Julia Glass moves into the realm of science fiction with one character - Issa - who appears to be human yet not human. I believe this character was added to give voice to those in our world who have no voice regarding our impending doom.

For me, the most interesting part of the book was the way Glass masterfully wove the climate change and pandemic elements into the story. I have worked in the area of sustainability for almost 2 decades now, and have long been concerned about our inability to attend to this looming crisis. Glass points us in the direction of not only what could be, but what, I'm sorry to say, is already happening. This is not an upbeat book, but I look at it as a warning we should all be listening to. ( )

Such a strange, disjointed novel. The author said she'd been sitting on it for ten years and it shows. The setting is a post-mild apocalyptic seaside town in Massachusetts (Marblehead?), where many stories collide: a husband swap, an immigrant, a selkie (mermaid/seal), violent bombings throughout the country, ramifications of covid...and the many characters, seemingly unconnected, are thrust together in the climax. With so many points of view from a fine writer, there are excellent passages, but it just doesn't hold together through most of the book and the reader is subject to frustration and impatience. Maybe it should be two novels? Or shelved altogether? ( )