![]() But she also has a restlessness and sense of emptiness that has no outlet, until she discovers masturbation. ![]() Beatrix “nursed a hard suspicion of passion, exaggeration, and beauty, putting her confidence only in that which was solid and credible, and always trusting acquired wisdom over impulsive instinct.” Alma turns out similarly, with a love of and devotion to botany she learned from her parents. Henry was an unrivaled arborist with a knack for recognizing economic opportunities, and took advantage of one to further the other: “Money followed him around like a small, excited dog.”Īlma was raised in comfort but without much warmth her parents believed in mental stimulation rather than emotional coddling. The story follows the life of Alma Whittaker, the large, unattractive, and ungraceful daughter of Henry and Beatrix Whittaker, emigrants from Europe now living in prosperity in Philadelphia. ![]() Her absorbing narrative enables us to feel as if we too are walking through an arboretum, or enduring privations in Tahiti, or kneeling by a boulder, contemplating the miracle of how moss and mineral become travertine marble, eventually making the journey from a cliff of exposed limestone to places like St. Whether the author is describing the intricacies of orchids or the specifics of evolution, she never seems didactic but rather pulls us right into the midst of her vividly-constructed landscapes. ![]() The writing in this novel is lovely, which goes a long way to help retain one’s interest through a detailed examination of the intellectual interests of the Victorian Age. ![]()
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