Land of Milk and Honey is a literary science fiction novel that brings to life a dystopian world in which a smog has killed off food crops. The unnamed main character is a chef that is invited to take a job at a mountaintop colony in Italy, established by an enigmatic man and his visionary, scientist daughter as a lush Eden for the global elite. What starts as a seemingly simple desire to reclaim her profession soon grows to a reclamation of appetite that digs into the tricky morality of seeking pleasure as the world dies around you.
The story does an excellent job of bringing to life this dystopian world in which food is no longer readily available. The consequences and resulting environment are thoroughly built-out, from the bland food society has adapted to eat, to the lush Eden of a mountaintop colony for the wealthy that the protagonist is hired to work at. The details feel naturally drawn from a capitalist society facing the devastating impact of environmental changes.
Food overall plays a huge role in the story. I loved the way the story consistently leans into food to emphasize sensuality, desire, and greed. Hunger in various forms feels seamlessly woven throughout. Even the protagonist’s eventual entanglement with her employer’s daughter feels less like a love story and more like an extension of her general appetite; it’s peculiar, sensual, but ultimately unfulfilling. It’s a compelling exploration of the question: is there any ethical way to satisfy our hunger while the world is crumbling around us?
The blending of speculative and literary fiction with dystopian elements feels just right for tackling themes like climate change, class, greed, and desire. The two feel balanced so as to not let the speculative elements not drag down the emotional weight of the story. However, while we experience the events of the novel through the protagonist’s eyes, I found there to be somewhat of a distance maintained throughout the story. She is discovering pleasure and embracing her own appetite, and yet, I found I craved more interiority from her. Still, this might be a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys speculative fiction that leans more on the literary side!
