The Family Tree

By Sheri S. Tepper

The first sign that Dora has that life is headed in a new direction is that bold and fast growing weed that has popped up in a crack next to the stoop of her house. This is a yard where not even flowers are allowed to grow: too messy. Jared, Dora's husband, likes everything precise and neat and no weeds allowed.
But this new weed is just the beginning because before much longer, it seems like all the plant world has gone loop-da-loop. Not only are new, tough weeds sprouting everywhere, but the trees are growing and taking over, even: blocking traffic, devouring abandoned properties, even making off with babies in families that have more than three kids. Seems like nature has decided that mankind has had its own way for too long and that now the trees are in control.
On top of that, Dora, who is a police officer, is investigating the similar deaths of three local geneticists. Are these deaths related to the new, aggressive and self-aware forests?
Three thousand years into the future, the survivors of an disaster that wiped out most of Earth's people have not regained the technology of those who came before them. A few pockets of knowledge have survived, hidden libraries, but the knowledge contained in these libraries is flawed and incomplete. It is revealed to a few of these people that some new catastrophe is headed their way that could, again, destroy Earth's peoples. This small group heads out to gain the knowledge they need to ward off disaster. Little do they know how far they will have to travel ... 3000 years into the past, back to Dora's time and location. For their very survival is key to the events happening outside Dora's door.

The premise of this book is a little weird and a lot of fun. The suddenly sentient trees taking over the land and pushing people around was scary and fascinating. Isn't it something we would all like to see? Something greater than ourselves who has the wisdom to force us to behave and be decent to our fellows and treat the Earth with respect? Plus the people of the future are a hoot. Tepper gives little clues about these people as you read the book, still, it was so cool when their true natures are revealed. This is a really good and charming story, and even though it is a pretty long book, almost 500 pages, it is never boring and always interesting. I very much enjoyed it.

For another review, see Curled Up with a Good Book.