It took me a while to read this one. I'm not entirely sure why.

The premise of the story is indeed different and interesting. It delved into the world of GMOs, farming, and the complex politics that surround it. I found myself learning a great deal about these topics as I read.

The characters in the book are great. However, in some parts, they seemed a bit flat. This might be because there are so many different points of view (POV) presented. With so many POVs, it can be challenging to fully develop each character.

I would have really loved to have some chapters from Will's POV. I think it would have added another layer to the story and given me a better understanding of his character and his motivations. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but there were definitely some areas that could have been improved.

After finishing A Tale for the Time Being, which I adored, I had high hopes for more of Ozeki's work.

As expected, the prose is quite good.

However, unfortunately, everything else is rather bad. As a character-driven novel, it fails because not a single character undergoes any change. There are a plethora of characters (more on that shortly), yet none of them have a fulfilling arc, or even an unfulfilling one. It's just static, meaning both "unchanging" and "a lot of noise".

Part of the problem is undoubtedly the excessive number of characters vying for the emotional lead, and yet, as I mentioned, none of them truly experience significant growth or change for the vast majority of the novel. Granted, a few major changes occur in the last 50 pages, but it was so contrived that I hardly think it overturns the impression of stasis. While we're on the topic, I believe it's a bit unfair to refer to them as "characters" because, truth be told, it's more like a gallery of clichés and lazy writing. The mouthy punk kid, the down-to-earth farmer, the evil corporate drone, the yoga-loving hippie goddess - not one of these caricatures had any unexpected depth, complexity, humanizing aspects, or idiosyncrasies.

Another issue is that I think the novel couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be. Was it a family drama about an estranged woman coming to say goodbye to her dying father and facing the demons of her small-town past? Was it about broken kids torn from their Hawaiian home to rural Idaho and the narrow-minded abuses they endure while their mom neglects them? Was it about a conclave of hippie anarchists confronting small-town conservatives and arguing about GMOs and the future of American food? Was it about a farm wife grappling with regrets and loss and receiving an unexpected grace? The answer is yes, yes, yes, and yes. You see, any one of these on its own could have been a decent novel if handled with Ozeki's skill, but attempting to mash all of them together left me longing for a much simpler (and shorter) idea explored more deeply.

Finally, and this is really just a minor complaint, I really disliked how inexplicably Yumi's chapters would jump around between first, second, and third person, while everyone else was in third. I'm all for playing with traditional structures, but it has to be for a reason. This just felt like poor editing.

Tldr; Too many protagonists, insufficient plot, and yet also too much plot.

I have a deep affection for Ozeki's other two books, which is precisely why I was filled with excitement when I discovered this one at the bookstore.

However, upon reading it, I didn't have the same level of connection as I did with her previous works. Certain parts truly struck a chord with me, particularly those regarding the seeds of resistance and Cass. I even highly appreciated the in-depth exploration by Ozeki of the environmental issues and pressures that farmers are currently facing, as well as the intricacies of being anti-GMO and pro-organic, among other things.

I believe my main issue with this book was that I really had a hard time liking Yumi. I mean, I could empathize with her and understand her motivations and character, but she is just extremely unlikable, especially when compared to all the other characters in this book. Since the book focuses so heavily on her story and her experiences, it was at times difficult to get through.

Moreover, I also think that in her other books, Ozeki has crafted characters that are complex, challenging, and realistic, but for some reason, that wasn't the case with Yumi. I'm not sure. I truly desired to engage more with this story, and in some aspects, I did, but I feel as though it was lacking something quite fundamental.

All Over Creation, a novel penned by Ruth Ozeki, was first published in 2003.

Surprisingly, this book gives the impression of being written recently. It offers a wealth of knowledge about the origin of Genetically Modified foods and how the normalized status-quo fascism and surveillance have contributed to their growth.

However, this was not what I initially expected. The novel's protagonist, Yumi Fuller, who is affectionately called Yummy by her peers, seems to have little direct connection to the overt political relevance of the book. Nevertheless, her identity and life are themselves a political feat.

Set in the early seventies, Yumi is a 14-year-old half-Japanese, half-white girl living in Idaho. Once a daddy's girl, she quickly falls in love with her passionate hippie history teacher. Their relationship progresses from intense eye contact to staying after school, standing too close, and eventually skipping school so he can pick her up in his car and staying out late. This continues until her father discovers who she has been spending her time with, and she runs away. She doesn't return until her early 30s, only to say goodbye to her dying father, Lloyd, who never replied to her letters over the years.

This book is a beautiful exploration of love, pain, and the people who cross each other's paths, leaving lasting imprints on each other's lives. It is written in a way that is neither too cerebral nor corny. This is the third book I have read by Ozeki, and she constantly reminds me that the often calculated craft of storytelling can still be authentic and true. Ozeki's diverse and complex cast of "minor" characters showcases her remarkable talent for capturing the essence of humanity. I am truly in love with this book! Oh my, I already miss these characters.

Green protesters have more depth in their concerns than one might initially assume.

Twenty years prior to Brother Mendel's publication of the first inklings of genetic research regarding the peas in his garden, Nathaniel Hawthorne was already sounding the alarm about the perils of interfering with nature. In 1844, the Concord writer, ignorant of genes, cloned sheep, or bug-zapping corn, nonetheless published a strange short story titled "Rappaccini's Daughter." Besides potentially inspiring the mouthwash industry (given that Rappaccini's daughter could kill people with her breath), the story stands as one of the earliest American protests against meddling with an organism's traits.

Today, Monsanto and other biochemical companies are intensively focused on genetically modified food, while simultaneously spraying herbicide on mandatory labeling laws to keep consumers unconcerned. Hippies shouting about "Frankenspuds" are relatively easy to dismiss, but a new literary threat may prove more challenging for the industry to suppress.

Hog farmers are being harshly criticized in Annie Proulx's "That Old Ace in the Hole." And now Ruth Ozeki takes a swing at genetic engineers with a wonderful new novel called "All Over Creation." Alongside Barbara Kingsolver, these politically oriented authors form a persuasive trio. Their immense popularity among sophisticated women readers and book clubs means that the consumers who are most valuable to food manufacturers are being exposed to a diet rich in anti-industry sentiments.

While Proulx's latest novel may seem like blatant propaganda, Ozeki masterfully balances intimate and global concerns. She tells the story of Yumi, a frustratingly irresponsible woman who ran away from her parents at the age of 14. A history teacher had seduced her and then pressured her into having an abortion. When her father, a fundamentalist potato farmer, discovered what she had done, it shattered their relationship and sent her fleeing.

Now, 25 years later, upon hearing that her parents are near death, she returns for the first time to Liberty Falls, Idaho. Her Japanese mother has succumbed to the fog of Alzheimer's, and her proud father is grappling with the ravages of cancer and heart failure.

They are desperate for help, but Yumi也曾如此, and coming home reopens old resentments on both sides. "People said I was the apple of Lloyd's eye, the pride of his heart," Yumi recalls, "until I went rotten." Returning to this conservative farm community from Hawaii with three children from three different fathers, she immediately feels that old sense of condemnation: "I was a random fruit in a field of genetically identical potatoes."

Cass, her best friend from middle school, has remained in the area, married a hardworking farmer, and gradually taken on the responsibility of caring for Yumi's parents. Now that their medical needs are so extensive, however, she expects Yumi to fulfill that familial duty herself. But it's clear that Yumi has no aptitude for geriatric care, child care, or even self-care. After a series of miscarriages, Cass has to suppress her resentment towards this old friend who treats her own kids so carelessly. The battle of love and candor between these two women is just one of the many exquisitely portrayed relationships in this novel.

Yumi's reckless life is a testament to the lasting effects of broken affection. Having nursed her hatred for her father for so long, it's not easy for her to care for him. At first, they both see what they are convinced they will see: a promiscuous woman determined to flaunt her offensive lifestyle and a Christian control freak full of condemnation.

Gradually, though, Yumi is amazed to discover that her father has evolved into someone far more complex. As potato farming declined during her absence, her parents became increasingly involved in specialty seeds, running a mail-order business dedicated to preserving rare and antique plants in the face of the march of monoculture.

Just when Yumi can't fathom how she will manage her parents' medical needs (described here in vivid detail), a group of ecohippies arrives to venerate her father. Calling themselves The Seeds of Resistance, this strange family of Internet-savvy Luddites has been drawn to Liberty Falls by her father's newsletter, a blend of homespun wisdom, rants against genetic engineering, and quotations from the Bible. Rallying from his deathbed, he welcomes this odd crew with open arms. While Yumi reverts to her old self-destructive habits, the Merry Green Pranksters and her Old Testament father plot to save the world.

Ozeki handles all of this with a winning combination of wit and tenderness. It's a complex plot, a literary jungle filled with a riot of species, sown with elements of deadly satire and heartrending tragedy - weaving around kitchen table discussions about family duty and through the international debate on genetically modified food. She is equally adept at the broad comedy of wacky political protests and the terrifying implications of genetic manipulation. She can skewer the industry's PR flacks in one chapter and serve as the midwife for long-suppressed affection in the next. And she tends a thicket of metaphors about gardening, seeds, and biodiversity, describing the promiscuity of plants with as much candor as the promiscuity of her characters.

But even after traversing all over creation, Ozeki returns to her roots: the love between parents and children, a relationship beyond the reach of microscopes, more complex than any double helix, never amenable to engineering, but always in need of careful cultivation like this.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0313/p1...

This particular book of hers isn't my absolute favorite among all her works, yet it remains a truly great read.

At certain moments, it gives off a vibe that is somewhat reminiscent of Tom Robbins' style. There are those elements and quirks that bring to mind the unique charm of Robbins' writing.

However, as the story progresses and reaches its conclusion, it reveals itself to be a deeply poignant and highly thoughtful narrative. It manages to touch on various emotions and ideas, leaving the reader with a sense of reflection and perhaps a new perspective on certain aspects of life.

Overall, despite not being my top pick, it still has a lot to offer and is well worth the time spent reading it.

I just love this author. Her works are truly remarkable. The character development in her stories is outstanding.

The characters she creates are a wonderful mix of humanity. None of them are quite perfect, which makes them all the more relatable. Most of them have some redeeming quality that makes us root for them.

What I also really appreciate about her writing is how she weaves in science and social issues without being preachy. She presents these complex topics in a way that is accessible and engaging, making us think about them without feeling like we are being lectured.

It is so easy to lose myself in her writing. Her words draw me in and keep me hooked from beginning to end. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

4.5 stars

This is yet another outstanding read from Ozeki. The characters in this book are fully developed, making you feel deeply for them. It also delves into important environmental topics, specifically GMO food. The story not only compels you to keep reading but also makes you think.

It centers around a mixed-race woman named Yumi who fled her home decades ago and is set in the potato-growing state of Idaho. Similar to "My Year of Meats," the novel explores the concept of family and what it truly means, as well as fertility, parenthood, and the conflict between large-scale farming and human and environmental health.

The ending was perhaps a bit too tidy, but it was still satisfying and didn't diminish the overall enjoyment of the book.

Ozeki is an exceptional writer, and I'm disappointed that this is the last of her novels that I have left to read. Ruth, please give us another one soon!

This book truly blew my mind in the most remarkable way.

It delves deep into the concepts of networks, care, and coalition building. And then there are the potatoes! The seeds! It explores the profound themes of life, death, and change. It makes us think about what movements, both in the grand sense with a capital M and also in our own personal moving through the world, truly mean.

The details and the way everything is intertwined are so incredibly intricate. It's like a beautiful web of ideas. Viney!!! And Ruth Ozeki, you are an absolute genius. Your writing has the power to transport readers to another world and make them see things from a whole new perspective. This book is a masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time.

Could this be my new favorite Ozeki book??

“Standing in my mother’s greenhouse that night, I was completely surrounded by mounds of wormy seeds and chaff. The air was thick with the earthy smell of decay and the promise of new life. As I looked around, I felt a strange mix of emotions welling up inside me.

The hopeless beauty of the scene before me was almost too much to bear. The fragile seeds, with their potential for growth and transformation, lay there among the waste and debris. It was a powerful reminder of the cycle of life and death, and of the preciousness of all that exists on this earth.

At that moment, I felt the brittle coat around my heart crack open. I was overcome with a sense of loss and longing, but also with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the natural world. This simple moment in my mother’s greenhouse had the power to change my perspective and touch my soul in a way that I will never forget.

As I walked out of the greenhouse that night, I knew that I would be thinking about this experience for a long time to come. And I couldn’t help but wonder if this was just the beginning of a new literary adventure with Ozeki’s work.

Even after spending 15 hours listening to the audio with Yumi, I still have the feeling that I didn't truly know her at all. It's quite funny actually. The story is told in the first person, yet she remains the hardest to understand. Ozeki gives us glimpses of the characters, but then pulls us away from the most fascinating moments that seem to lie just beneath the pages, always out of our reach. I absolutely loved the ending. I also adored Momoko and Lloyd. The bits about dying, loving, seeds, and the farm were truly wonderful! However, I really couldn't get into Elliot's scenes, nor could I connect with Yumi's character or Cass and Will's neutrality. There's a line that says farming is badly matched with revolution, but I beg to differ. I firmly believe that farming can actually breed revolution.

It's Ruth Ozeki.

The star rating here is rhetorical. It implies that Ruth Ozeki is not just an ordinary figure but someone who stands out and shines brightly.

She is likely a person of great significance, perhaps in the field of literature, art, or some other area.

Her work or contributions might have made a profound impact, attracting attention and admiration from many.

The use of the rhetorical star rating emphasizes her importance and elevates her status in the minds of the readers.

It makes us curious to know more about her, her achievements, and the qualities that make her so special.

Ruth Ozeki is thus presented as a remarkable individual, worthy of our exploration and appreciation.