Sometimes you think all the ideas have been done. All the book plots have been written; there is nothing new under the sun. And then, THEN, a book arrives that is about a former-activist-turned-influencer, alone in her flat in a baking hot London, whose solitary grieving is interrupted by a plant left outside her door. The plant’s her boyfriend, by the way. Reincarnated. As a small twiggy yew tree.

So far, so wtf. It gets weirder, by the way, but also it’s brilliant, which is an excellent combination for a book. Fiona (cool protagonist name: the long process of reclamation from the ogre-tinted ravages of Shrek continues) is plagued by flashbacks to the day her boyfriend Ed died. He was the figurehead of a climate activism group, trampled in unnecessary escalations by a volatile police presence ( 👀 ). Since then, Fiona has become submerged by guilt, immobilised in the face of increased climate breakdown and her unwillingness to get re-involved in the activist movement.

The book follows Fiona in her journey to rediscovering her spark, from London to Scotland and back again. On the way, she is thrilled to find that Ed the plant is not only flowering, but speaking to her - surely this is confirmation both of his reincarnation and also her new momentum? - but as things get murky and new threats emerge, his growth stops. With nothing to indicate whether she’s doing the right thing, Fiona feels the darkness closing in again.

There are some real hard-hitters in this book in terms of themes, but it doesn’t feel like being lectured as a reader. The wide-ranging impacts of climate change are front and centre, including in a pretty dramatic final act, but it’s framed within a context of people doing what they can, according to their own abilities, not “we should all be chaining ourselves to each other outside oil refineries” (though if that’s your bag, go for it).

It’s not just about climate concerns, though. Send Flowers explores families, friendships, social media (Fiona’s online persona @foliagefifi has actually been set up as an Insta account, which is a nice touch!), relationships, grief, and the importance of community. Some excellent supporting characters really round out the novel with their own sub-plots; Fiona’s parents and their new relationships are unexpected but somehow realistic, and her former best friend is the perfect foil to Fiona’s struggles.

You might not think that climate-fic is your thing, but I reckon any number of people will enjoy this - there’s enough to get your teeth into no matter your usual reading preferences. Send Flowers is something just that bit different. It’s sharp-edged, acidic, but with an after-taste of hope. Enjoy.