The New Wilderness

by Diane Cook
The New Wilderness cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic
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Paperback • £8.99
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Format • £12.34
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Technical
  • ID: 1721
  • Added: 2025-10-08
  • Updated: 2025-10-08
  • ISBN: 9781786078223
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 2020-07-30
  • Formats: 11
  • Reviews: 3

The New Wilderness is a gripping exploration of maternal love and environmental collapse. Bea's daughter, Agnes, is dying from the polluted air of their overcrowded city, forcing Bea to seek refuge in the forbidden Wilderness State. This novel delves into the lengths a mother will go to protect her child, even as the world around them crumbles. /n/nCritically acclaimed and longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, this novel is a powerful commentary on climate change and human resilience. It blends brutal realism with poetic prose, offering a haunting vision of a future where nature reclaims its dominance.

Reviews
Reader's High Tea · 2021-08-16
captivating 4.00

The reviewer enjoyed the book immensely, finding it captivating and sometimes scary, while appreciating the beauty of the story's setting.

The reviewer shares their enjoyment of the book, highlighting its captivating and sometimes scary narrative. They appreciate the beautiful portrayal of the wilderness and the emotional depth of the mother-daughter relationship. The reviewer finds the story both thrilling and thought-provoking, making it a standout read. They commend the author's ability to create a vivid and immersive world that stays with the reader long after the last page.

Quick quotes

    I enjoyed a lot reading The New Wilderness! It was a captivating and sometimes scary story that made me appreciate even more the beautiful ...

    The mother-daughter relationship is beautifully portrayed, adding emotional depth to the dystopian setting.

    The novel's exploration of climate change and overpopulation is both timely and chilling, making it a must-read for our times.

Literary Elephant · 2020-10-28
intriguing 3.50

The reviewer finds the writing intriguing and easy to fall into, though they do not consider it their top choice for the Booker Prize.

The reviewer appreciates the author's writing style, finding it intriguing and engaging. They mention that the book is easy to fall into, with a narrative that draws the reader in. While they do not consider it their top choice for the Booker Prize, they acknowledge the book's strengths and the author's skill in creating a compelling story. The reviewer finds the exploration of motherhood and the dystopian setting to be particularly noteworthy, making it a memorable read.

Quick quotes

    The New Wilderness is not my top choice for the Booker win this year, but I did find Cook's writing intriguing and very easy to fall into.

    The novel's exploration of motherhood in a dystopian setting is both poignant and thought-provoking.

    Cook's prose is evocative and engaging, making the reader feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.

The Guardian · 2020-09-04
dazzling 4.50

The reviewer praises the fast-paced narrative and the thought-provoking questions it raises about society and humanity. They find the story thrilling and impactful, making it a standout debut.

The reviewer is captivated by the novel's fast-paced storytelling and its ability to tackle complex, unsettling questions about our world. They appreciate how the book immerses readers in a dystopian future, making them question the choices and values of society. The reviewer finds the narrative thrilling and the characters compelling, highlighting the book's ability to provoke deep thought and emotion. They commend the author's skill in blending suspense with social commentary, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Quick quotes

    Cook takes command of a fast-paced, thrilling story to ask stomach-turning questions in a moment when it would benefit every soul to have their ...

    The novel is a dazzling debut that combines a gripping narrative with a haunting exploration of what it means to be human.

    Cook's writing is sharp and unflinching, making the reader confront uncomfortable truths about our relationship with nature and each other.

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