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Natives and Exotics by Jane Alison
Natives and Exotics tells the story of three different generations of the same family. Alice Forder is the 9-year old daughter of an American diplomat in Ecuador. Her nomadic life has brought her to a new place, where she must find her place again in the world of foreign service children while she dreams of staying in this lush and beautiful place. The second story is of her grandmother, Violet, an immigrant with her husband to Australia where they try to put down roots by removing native vegetation so they can grow the crops they want. Violet's grandfather, George, left Scotland for the Azores to become a citrus farmer, before a virus destroyed the orange groves. He then emigrates to Australia. Jane Alison explores the effect of the movement of people around the world, and its cultural and natural effects on both natives and exotics. Natives and Exotics has received mixed reviews with Curled Up With a Good Book saying, "The characters personify each era touched upon in the novel, rapidly altering continents grappling with change, political and economic, alive with the moment, attuned to the beating pulse of history."
