Flight Behavior

Dellarobia Turnbow, a discontented young wife and mother living in rural Appalachia on a struggling sheep farm, stumbles upon an astonishing and inexplicable sight in the forest: a valley filled with what appears to be a shimmering, fiery orange phenomenon. Initially interpreting it as a divine miracle, her discovery soon attracts national attention, revealing it to be a massive, displaced monarch butterfly population, a devastating symptom of climate change. This event propels Dellarobia into a world far beyond her limited experience, placing her at the nexus of conflicting factions—religious fundamentalists, climate scientists, environmental activists, and the media—each seeking to interpret and leverage her discovery for their own agendas. As her understanding of the world expands, Dellarobia grapples with the complexities of faith, science, poverty, and environmental crisis, forcing her to confront uncomfortable truths about her life, her community, and humanity's impact on the planet. Kingsolver masterfully crafts a deeply human story that illuminates the profound challenges of our time.