Annie Proulx’s sprawling ecological saga is rich in incident but lacks the human touchNovels about climate change normally take the form of science fiction – hence the in-vogue tag “cli-fi” – but Annie Proulx’s gigantic unusual book left me wondering if historical fiction might be the genre more pertinent to our ecologically jittery times. If Barkskins has a hypothesis,it’s this: assuming the damage is already done, the causes of whatever trouble lies ahead are as rich in drama as any of the apocalyptic consequences.
The tale begins in the 17th century, and in the fragment of unusual France that became contemporary Canada,where colonists – justifying their atrocities with tall-handed Christian rhetoric are unworried by the consequences of tampering with an environment that the local pagans hold in fearful respect. Two French labourers, René Sel and Charles Duquet, and are chopping down trees for a settler who promises them land in return for three years’ unpaid service. While René does as he’s told – fathering several children with his master’s indigenous housekeeper in the process – Duquet scarpers,surviving a near-fatal trek to set up a logging dynasty.
Of the dozens of characters featured in these pages, many are little more than names Related: Annie Proulx: ‘I’ve had a life. I see how slippery things can be’ Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com