Scarlett Thomas’s new novel opens with the death of Oleander, grand matriarch of the Gardener family and owner of Namaste House, a yoga retreat favoured by celebs.
She leaves an odd inheritance for her family – mysterious seed pods, rumoured to be both lethal and the source of all enlightenment, the former claim not quite as far-fetched as it might at first seem, given that four of the family disappeared in the 80s while on an expedition looking for a miracle plant on an uncharted lost island.
Fans of Thomas’s work won’t be disappointed with this, her ninth novel; she has woven her distinct brand of mystery and intrigue into a complex family saga peppered with meditations on nature – and plenty of sex.
But as the plot thickens and the connections and confusions multiply, it all begins to feel a bit like the sensory overload of a bad trip. I felt in need of a weekend at Namaste House myself by the end of it.
The Seed Collectors is published by Canongate, £14.99. Click here to buy it for £11.99
