The Signature of All Things

Overview

The story follows the fortunes of the brilliant Alma Whittaker (daughter of a bold and charismatic botanical explorer) as she comes into her own within the world of plants and science. As Alma’s careful studies of moss take her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she starts a spiritual journey which spans the 19th Century.

Characters

Alma Whittaker - The heroine of the novel, she's a dedicated scientist who does most of her research at her home of White Acre.

Henry Whittaker - Alma's father, irrascible and demanding, his own history with botany and Joseph Banks drives him.

Prudence Whittaker - Alma's sister, an abolitionist.

Critical Reception

The reception to the book has been positive with the Guardian calling it "One of the best novels I've read in years." and the New York Times labelling it "a bracing homage to the many natures of genius and the inevitable progress of ideas, in a world that reveals its best truths to uncommonly patient minds."