Staff Pick
When Bronwyn realizes she has the ability to change the atmosphere around her, she feels woefully unqualified for the job. How much can she do, and how far can she go, and what is the purpose of this gift? Following her intuition, she boldly takes on catastrophes, but like a doctor, she understands that she must first do no harm. With an unusual storey, Emmons writes a tale full of science, faith, exploration, and maybe even love. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
30-year-old Bronwyn Artair, feeling out of place in her doctoral program in Atmospheric Sciences at MIT, drops out and takes a job as a TV meteorologist, much to the dismay of her mentor, Diane Fenwick. After a year of living alone in Southern New Hampshire, enduring the indignities of her job, dumped by her boyfriend, she discovers her deep connection to the natural world has given her an ability to affect natural forces. When she finally accepts she really possesses this startling capability, she must then negotiate a new relationship to the world. Who will she tell? Who will believe her? Most importantly, how will she put this new skill of hers to use? As she seeks answers to these questions, she travels to Kansas to see the tornado maverick she worships; falls in love with Matt, the tabloid journalist who has come to investigate her; visits fires raging out of control in Los Angeles; and eventually voyages with Matt and Diane to the methane fields of Siberia. A woman experiencing power for the first time in her life, she must figure out what she can do for the world without hurting it further. The story poses questions about science and intuition, women and power, and what the earth needs from humans.
Review
"A riveting tug-of-war between science and intuition, doubt and belief, impending devastation and the hope of survival. Even the most rational among us will find wisdom here, wonder, and truth." Eileen Pollack, author of A Perfect Life
Review
"Bronwyn, the central character in Cai Emmons' novel Weather Woman, comes face-to-face with extreme weather, fire, ice, and the complex social psychology of climate change discourse. As a TV meteorologist she is pressed to lighten up and spin the weather in feel-good ways, reflecting the mainstream media's tendency to deny the inconvenient challenge of climate change. The Siberian tundra is brought suspensefully into focus, and throughout the novel the writing allows us to feel the emotional intensity that comes with connecting with the wild power of nature. It's a welcome feeling in a world being increasingly held captive by climate change. Oh, how I have sometimes wished that I could control the weather! Think of the good I might do by intervening in human-driven climate change." Jason Box, glaciologist and climatologist, dubbed "The Ice Maverick" by Rolling Stone
Review
"Weather Woman tells the utterly absorbing story of a failed graduate student who goes from reporting the weather — she's a singing meterologist — to having a much more complicated relationship with it. As Bronwyn gradually discovers her powers, she also struggles to use them responsibly. In doing so, she finds herself arguing with sceptics and believers alike. Cai Emmons has written a deeply fascinating and extremely timely novel." Margot Livesey
Synopsis
Weather Woman, a realistic novel with a touch of fantasy, is the story of a meteorologist who discovers she has the power to change the weather.
About the Author
Cai Emmons is the author of the novels His Mother's Son and The Stylist and, most recently, Weather Woman. A graduate of Yale University, with MFAs from New York University and the University of Oregon, Cai is formerly a playwright and screenwriter. Her short work has appeared in such publications as TriQuarterly, Narrative, and Arts and Culture, among others. She teaches in the University of Oregon's Creative Writing Program.