Chloe Benjamin's third novel, Under Story, is a riveting story of grief, love, and science that spans time and universes in an utterly original (and mysterious) way.
Under Story follows Laurel Salter, a fungi scientist who flees Madison, Wis. (where she once had a family and husband) to Antarctica, where she takes a job as a dishwasher at McMurdo Station. Once there, she finds herself fascinated by an unexplained phenomenon called the Arc--a glowing dome that's visible from the station. Soon, her ex-husband, Eli, arrives at McMurdo with a group of scientists assigned to study the Arc. An old theory of Eli's--that of a universe in which time moves backwards--seems within reach to prove. The pair become obsessed with the idea of trying to change their past, taking risks that could end their lives in pursuit of saving what was lost between them.
A careful, wonderfully thorough researcher, Benjamin includes beautiful passages on topics as diverse as neutrino physics, apple orchard cultivation, extreme cold water diving, and Antarctic marine life. And she meaningfully entwines that information with characters who show Laurel the warmth of found family amidst grief and loss. Benjamin (The Immortalists; The Anatomy of Dreams) continues to explore a potent theme readers will recognize from her previous work, namely the concept of free will versus an ordained future (or past), and how one reckons with a lack of control in life and death. Under Story is a luminous exploration of what makes us human.--Nina Semczuk, writer, editor, and illustrator