I would give this book a more interesting cover. I never would have given this book a second glance while on one of my thrift store book buying sprees, there are so many possibilities other than this one.
I had no idea what to expect from this book. The synopsis seemed interesting so I entered to win a copy for a review. After I got over the excitement of receiving a free book, I started reading, and I have to say I was immediately hooked.
I’ll admit, I read this 8 books ago, so the details aren’t as fresh in my mind as I’d like, but I do remember enjoying this book. It is wonderfully written and quite imaginative.
The main character, Arnold Brinkman, is very relatable, he’s just trying to get through life without any major catastrophes. He loves his wife and has a passion for gardening. He is referred to as “the botanist” and has even written cookbooks for ingredients found in the wild, this factoid comes to play later in the story when he discovers a fan, and when he is forced to use his skills for survival.
The main theme begs the question, how far do you go to prove a point? The Botanist is misunderstood when he doesn’t stand up for the song God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch of a Yankees game he didn’t even want to be at.
Protesters gather in front of his house daily along with the media demanding an apology, but he isn’t sorry. Not because he hates America, he’s just sick of having to go along with what everyone else is doing.
His nursery business is vandalized, his backyard garden is destroyed, and he becomes the top hated person in the country. He finally leaves his loving home to spare his wife the embarrassment he caused.
I felt this novel building up to a climax that never happened, the author left it up to the reader to decide what Arnold finally told the media in order to go back to life as normal. I found it a little frustrating that he never plead his case, because he had a good one.
Regardless, Jacob M Appel has gained a new fan in me, I liked this book much more than I expected, and I’m happy to have found a new author to follow.
Pool of Life. 