If it hasn’t been obvious from the subject and excerpts I have shared from The Voyage of the Pleiades, plants are a huge part of the book. Not surprising since plants are a major part of my life. Of all of our lives. In creating the world for the book, I knew the container would be plants. By container, I mean the environment in which the action occurs. In England: it is Kew Gardens, the Chelsea Physic Garden, the Holloway House gardens, and the wild spaces and gardens of Linnea’s childhood. The reader and the characters interact with plants in the West Indies, Brazil, Patagonia, the Falkland Islands, and of course, Chile. It was inevitable that I would end up writing about plants, and that my protagonist would be immersed in the world of botany. Some of my earliest memories are of interacting and seeking solace in plants, and they have guided the trajectory of my life.
As you would expect, in the sequel to The Voyage of the Pleiades, plants continue to have a starring role. Book two is set in southern Spain and as I’ve been writing this book during Covid times, I haven’t been able to travel to the locations. I’ve had to rely on my previous travels to Spain which were during the wrong season, and in the northern part of the country. I’ve watched a lot of walking videos and read many, many books, articles and plants lists. But it just isn’t the same. When I was writing the first book, I had tangible memories to draw upon to bring you into the sensory experience of those places. I’ve discovered that I am able to describe and write about places I haven’t personally visited, but it is much more difficult.
I was thinking of all of this while watching the new PBS series The Green Planet. I know several people who worked on the series and I’ve been impatiently awaiting the U.S. release. If you have not watched it yet, I highly recommend it (available on PBS and streaming). There is a scene in one of the episodes that reminded me of the following excerpt from The Voyage of the Pleiades. I hope that you take the time to watch the series. I believe it is more important than ever to acknowledge our kinship with all living beings on this planet. To acknowledge, apologize, and do our part to mitigate the overwhelming damage that has been done.
The Voyage of the Pleiades Chapter Excerpt
We were making slow progress today. I could not resist leaping from Pollita to crawl into the undergrowth at the sight of a vibrant pink flower. Matias laughed at me from his seat on Colocolo. I ran a finger along the elongated flower.
“What pollinates this flower? Moths? Hummingbirds? We’ve seen a Green-backed Firecrown Hummingbird. Maybe it is the pollinator?”
My words ran together in excitement. I opened my sketchbook and created a rough illustration. Matias knelt next to me, resigned that he wouldn’t be budging me any time soon. He fingered the glossy leaves and tapped the flower, setting it swaying, like a bell.
“What drew you to plants? Was it because your uncle studied them?”
I bit my lip and considered his question. “I’m sure that probably had something to do with it. But even before I went to live with Uncle Liam, I was mesmerized by plants. I loved to catch animals as a small child, but there was something extraordinary in the intricate design of plants. I could spend an entire afternoon tracing the cones from the trees or the whorls in the center of a daisy. It is silly, but plants called to me. Like old friends.”
Matias handed me the fuchsia flower. “Smell this.”
“Mmm, mint. I see why it is called menta de árbol. Why were you drawn to observing animals?”
He reclined on his elbows, twirling a piece of grass with his fingers. I continued sketching while waiting for his answer.
“I like animals and find them interesting, but even more so, I find their behavior fascinating. Why do they forage in a particular area or establish their dens elsewhere? How do they treat their young? I find their life stories compelling.”
“Hmm, yes, it’s true. The animals, the plants, they do tell us stories. For instance, this spot has escaped impact from animals or humans.” I gestured to the dense forest surrounding us and the thick understory of plants. “Whereas over there, that hill is denuded of plants, there are plenty of signs of animals. The yellow espinillo tends to grow thick in areas where the soil has been disturbed.” I pointed to the hillside visible in the distance. Matias perused the horizon in the direction I indicated. I went back to my sketch. Lost in the details, an unknown amount of time passed before I looked away from the paper, only to find that he had fallen asleep. I chuckled quietly and rose to nudge him awake so we could find a spot to make camp.
Copyright © 2022 Amy Marie Turner, All rights reserved.
Photos by Amy M. Turner, unless otherwise noted