Flight Behavior

I've just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's newest book, Flight Behavior.
Note:  If you're one of those tiresome people who don't like "spoilers", stop reading now because I'm going to discuss the book.

Monarch Butterfly

The central character in the book, Dellarobia Turnbow, discovers that Monarch butterflies have altered their pattern of overwintering in Mexico because of changing climatic conditions, and instead have descended upon a valley on her family's sheep-farming property in Tennessee.

Not just a few Monarchs, such as we get in our small butterfly garden in San Diego, but millions of them have come, clustering together like living flame to survive the winter and perpetuate the species if they can.  We have worked so hard to preserve the few Monarchs that have come to our yard; I can't imagine watching MILLIONS of them struggling to survive as a species.

It's a beautifully written book, delicately interweaving and balancing the disparate people who interact with the butterflies and each other, including the sheep farmers struggling to make a living, the ecotourists who come to marvel, the scientists who study the the Monarchs, the news media who seem willing to exploit any and all of them for a few minutes of air time, and Dellarobia herself, who is led to explore her own "flight behavior".

A difficult, enthralling, wonderful book.

Brava, Barbara Kingsolver.