Reviewed by Wayne Ng
Alarmists foretell today’s young inheriting a bleak world. Yet, it is a motley crew of seasoned and decorated writers ringing the alarm bell in Green to Grey: An Environmental Anthology, edited by Ian Thomas Shaw and Timothy Niedermann.
As part of Guernica Editions' "Essential Anthologies Series," this anthology brings together diverse voices that address, question, and mourn the environmental toll of modern life through fictional storytelling.
Green to Grey is a well-curated collection that combines lyrical prose, satire, and speculative fiction to engage readers in meaningful reflection. One of the anthology’s strengths lies in its ability to address heavy themes with subtlety and force, leaving readers with a lingering sense of urgency and introspection. This anthology is essential for those interested in environmental literature, as it reminds us of fiction’s power to bring awareness to our world's fragile state and inspire action, one story at a time.
The anthology is divided into two thematic sections: "Green," which focuses on contemporary environmental realities, and "Grey," which ventures into speculative futures shaped by ecological collapse. The initial section’s stories occur in the present, with clear and often tragic links to the recent past. Shaw’s opening and closing stories, “Green-ish” and “Grey-ish,” bookend the anthology with sharp critiques of disheartening political inaction and the personal contradictions inherent in environmental activism. Shaw's sardonic humour and keen insights set the tone for the collection, which continues to explore these themes eclectically.
From Caroline Vu’s poignant “Endangered Species,” which recalls the haunting legacy of Agent Orange, to Sang Kim’s “Wild Geese,” which merges the struggles of immigrant life with reflections on pollution and resource depletion, each story in Green to Grey paints a picture of the interconnectedness of human and environmental suffering. These narratives also reflect broader issues, such as the abandonment of traditional values, personal disillusionment, and the myopia and emptiness of modern consumerism. They are also reminders that the micro seeds of environmental decay were planted long ago, often in far-off continents and distant wars.
Jerry Levy’s “The Anarchist” captures youthful anger and rejection of middle-class privilege and questions the effectiveness of violent rebellion versus constructive action, illustrating the protagonist's and our own internal conflict.
Tim Niedermann’s “Trash Day” and “Green Toe” offer a satirical look at middle-class environmentalism, critiquing the limited impact of micro-activism in the face of more significant systemic problems. Yet, Niedermann’s latter piece gives environmentalists something in short supply—hope.
Cora Siré’s “Patagonia” and Matt Murphy’s “Tio” transport readers to Latin America, where environmental degradation merges with social inequality, showcasing the jarring and, at times, visually disturbing disparity between the privilege of tourists and the gritty realities of local communities and the horrors of mining.
The “Grey” section of the anthology introduces speculative elements, painting a bleak vision of the future. Ursula Pflug’s elegant “Found Divination” and Michael Mirolla’s crushing “Hothouse Love” portray worlds in which environmental degradation has irrevocably altered human existence, with lost starlight, collapsed, annihilated societies in cautionary tales set against dystopian landscapes.
Shaw closes this collection with sardonic humour, and mockery, once again pulling no punches on today’s political leaders, particularly Justin Trudeau. Given the bleakness of the road ahead, this final hit of ridicule is a necessary chuckle.
I received an advance copy just before climate deniers won the U.S. presidential election. With the results, Green to Grey becomes even more urgent, even prescient. Some of the stories, such as Sire’s second offering, Saving Morro and Mirolla’s speculative piece, send a chilling warning implicating fascism and misinformation with the pathway to the destruction and fragmentation of much of the natural and ordered world.
While climate change can appear immense to the point where many are rendered inert, another of this collection’s strengths is its focus on ordinary people. Whether you are a miner, a gardener, a new Canadian, an anarchist, a tourist, homeless, or a curmudgeon, you may be a climate change denier or an activist, or neither. Yet, there is no avoiding our rapidly changing planet. Their experiences offer valuable insights and a relatable perspective that urges readers to take action—however imperfect—toward a greener future.
Green to Grey is a compelling and urgent collection that encapsulates the growing tension between human activity and environmental decay. It challenges us to reflect on our actions and where we must go.
It is a call to arms and a necessary reminder that while the challenges are significant, individual contributions can still make a difference in the fight against climate change.
Green to Grey: an Environmental Anthology is published by Guernica Editions.
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