Contemporary
What if the trees could tell us secrets that could save our future?
Lilly’s life is turned upside down when the global pandemic hits. In one sweep, she loses her job as an airline steward and is forced to move to rural Oxfordshire and live on her grandparents' farm. From flying high to living low, she spends her days trying to forget and her nights haunted by dark dreams where old Ma Hakka leads her to the depths of despair.
Her first thought is to keep the strangely disturbing nightmares to herself, but as they mount, the desire to share is overwhelming. During a group therapy session, she discovers that she is not the only one to experience such dreams. With the help of her newfound ally, Margaret, Lilly uncovers a series of dream accounts spanning seven generations which ultimately reveals the source of her dream – the Signal tree.
As her understanding of local history unfolds and her knowledge of how trees cast old lessons within the patterns of their wood, she is able to experience things through a new, longer-term, tree perspective. Can this new knowledge help her to re-learn the ancestral ways and, together with family and friends, create a path to a better future for the next generation – Generation 8?
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
This was such a pleasure to read. I completely agree with the previous two reviews. It is a mixture of reality and fantasy and I feel I have been on a journey of self discovery. It takes Lilly from a world where she lives for her phone, appears oblivious to her surroundings and has relationships that lack depth. Covid lockdown changes everything but in Lilly's case it is the start of the journey to find herself. Her eyes are opened to an entirely different way of living. It is the magical idea of learning from trees and understanding the world around us. Working not only with nature but with each other in our communities to look at the long term impact of the way we live. The book is written by someone who obviously genuinely cares.
What if trees could talk to us? How do trees experience the world? Generation 8 tells the story of Lilly, an airline steward who has to move in with her grandparents in rural Oxfordshire after her job suddenly ends due to the COVID pandemic. After a difficult start, she gradually discovers a new way of seeing the world around her and eventually becomes a catalyst for changes to the environment around her village and beyond. The book is a good read with relatable characters and a compelling storyline. As a more mature reader I particularly appreciated the wisdom, enthusiasm and energy of the various older characters in the story. Generation 8 lea es the reader with a new perspective and a positive and uplifting message about creating opportunities to help the environment. Whether it is getting your hands dirty planting trees or simply showing support through sharing tea and cake, this book shows how we can all take steps to appreciate and restore the natural world.
We forget sometimes that human generations are 25-30 years whereas trees in particular the Signal Tree, the Black Poplar at the heart of this story - are 150-200. Shifting baselines mean that our experience of loss and disconnection in relation to nature are related to our own experiences so we don't witness the level of deterioration in our own generation and don't act as we should. Generation 8 is a metaphor for hope and possibility once we open our eyes to the myriad ways for humans to connect with nature and to think long term in the interests of future generations. And it's a really good story, with lively, sympathetic characters who you will remember long after you've put the book down. Read it! Jane Davidson, author of #Futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country', Chelsea Green 2020
I love this book and I found myself excited enough that I wanted to become part of the story. The novel begins with a city airline at the first Covid lockdown and the way people behaved towards each other was a test of their true character. However, it moves well beyond Covid into wider contemporary issues, but does not become political - it is just a story, but an inspiring story. It moves to a rural area and a family and village community who risk their own comfort and safety to rescue each other. There is suspense and mystery, dreams and references to the past and other cultures. I found myself wanting to keep reading and enjoying picking up on the clues. Unlike most suspenseful dramas however, it is not dark but full of characters who are kind and loving, but realistic. The main characters, though likeable, have flaws and face struggles with mental health issues, but they are helped to conquer them by their family and friends, so it is not at all depressing to read - quite the opposite- it is full of hope. Lovers of nature, farming, art, history and food will all find plenty of depth, detail and interest. The author is knowledgable and has researched it thoroughly. They appear to have particular expertise in nature and horticulture, but the writing technique suggests a literary background. My favourite character is Robbie the chainsaw wielding Sir Galahad, the tree-lovers version of a knight in shining armour. I think I could be a little in love with Robbie myself if I were 30 years younger. Though not the main theme of the book, there is a gentle love story at its heart and you get the impression this love is going to last into old age, but there is passion there too. It is suitable for all ages from teens to 120 and all sensitivities.
Excellent book. A positive story of support friendship, hope and community spirit through tough times. Very readabale. Very relatable. A story that makes you reflect on how humanity has effected nature and our living world over the generations. A thought provoking and warming book. Highly recommend this book.
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