Dark, weird, sharply funny, and surprisingly emotional.

On the day Hester turns forty and is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she walks away from her high-powered New York life and sets out for California with one mission in mind: find her estranged father. Along the way, she picks up a hitchhiking environmentalist and the two end up traveling through superfund sites, luxury hotels, and cultish compounds. What starts as a revenge trip slowly becomes something messier involving grief, connection, and a lot of unexpected detours.

I wasn’t sure where this one was going (in the best way), but the writing hooked me, and the ride made it even better.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the ARC

I love this book! Bad Nature is a fantastic character-driven book with a recent cancer diagnosis and a revenge plot. With the writing, I was able to fly through this book. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the unreliable narrator genre, and I love a tale of vengeance. This scratched both those itches. I found the social and environmental commentary on the US to be particularly timely and apt, however I found the sexual aspects a little heteronormative and superfluous. I enjoyed Hester's introspective passages, a lot to unpack there. The ending missed the landing for me but the rest of the book was worth the read. All in all, I would recommend to anyone who enjoys dry humor and thrillers, this was a fun book to blast through. I would definitely read this author again.

Early reviews of Ariel Courage’s debut Bad Nature painted a portrait of a deeply flawed character, who, shortly after a terminal cancer diagnosis, embarks on a cross-country drive to kill her estranged father.

The picture I had in my head of this story was much funnier than the book turned out to be. There are laughs, to be sure, but the story of 40-year-old Hester’s road trip is gripping and dark. It swerves into a weird buddy-film comedy when she picks up a young hitchhiker and environmental activist named John. He too, is on a quest – to document environmental depredations created by big energy companies. The two connect in a way that Hester has never really been able to do before. They are an odd couple; a younger, disheveled environmental activist and an uber-wealthy, polished New York attorney who has defended some of the very businesses that are scarring the land.

Along the way Hester also confronts a few other people she attempted to connect with in her younger years, including an ex and her best friend. Hester’s wry observances made me wince upon occasion, but even when some of her behaviors were so troubling I had to put the book down, you can bet I picked it right back up.

Little details resound; when she first receives the diagnosis from her oncologist, she is understandably unmoored. When most would call a loved one for support, Hester has no deep connections and instead goes on an aimless drive through Manhattan (which is a small foreshadowing of her cross-country trip). Here, she’s stuck at a traffic light, unable to continue through the intersection, though the light has gone through several cycles:
“A car drove in front of me across the grid, a sedan with a family inside, mother and father and girl about seven. I had a brief disorienting moment of imagining the family reconfigured and jumbled like some impossible puzzle, the girl in the driver’s seat and the mother in the back and the father strapped to the roof like a Christmas tree.”

Although not really likeable, Hester is compelling in her honesty and her desperation. Perhaps the most cynical character I've read in a long time, her moments of vulnerability and optimism are lovely, and Courage manages to make this rather unlikeable person so compelling, it’s a feat. The description of the ravages on our earth are like the emotional wounds that Hester carries and metes out wherever she goes. Readers who enjoyed Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce will find themselves in good company with Hester.

Loved this, and absolutely loved Hester. Nasty, bitter women antiheroes are few and far between, particularly so brilliantly done. The tone and the prose are both spectacular and hilarious. The only element that fell flat for me is the very last paragraph, otherwise perfect.

When Hester is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she quits her corporate law job and sets off on a road trip to do what she’s always wanted to do… kill her father. Along the way; she picks up an environmental activist, John.

I loved this one because when I think of road trip books, I usually think of upbeat and happy stories. This one is definitely not that. The main character is a major grumpy. Yes, she’s been diagnosed with a terminal illness but it’s also her personality and I just loved it. She had major IDGAF attitude. Her friendship, if you could call it that (probably not) with John is perfect and I couldn’t get enough of their conversations. I loved the ending as well.

“I knew I was going to kill him the same way you know that sooner or later it’s going to rain. It was a natural fact.”

Bad Nature comes out 4/1.

Wow. This is definitely a dark and heavy read. Hester is simultaneously hateable and relatable. I found her journey with John my favorite part of the book, and wish they remained close at the end, and that Hester could have been more open with him even though it's not in her "nature". After receiving life altering news she decides she must kill her father. She wanted to do it when he left her family as a child, and now is the time. She starts a journey from NYC to CA and meets old and new "friends" along the way. I would definitely check trigger warnings and know this is not a happy ending for anyone. That being said, I loved Ariel's writing. Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for this ARC.

Wow! This was truly unhinged in the best way possible. Honestly, I feel for the fmc cause uh same bestie. 😂😂 can’t wait to see what this author has next for us!

Based on the synopsis, I expected Bad Nature to have a bit more substance in terms of plot. Instead, it felt more like a character study, one that prioritized the journey over the destination. While I can appreciate a slow-burn approach, the environmental themes ended up detracting from what was otherwise a revenge story, making it feel somewhat unfocused. The ending, in particular, fell flat for me—leaving me more perplexed than satisfied. Overall, it’s a book that just made me go “hmm” rather than leaving a lasting impression.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didnt love this. The premise was perfect: a woman hellbent on killing her father after a road trip. But she was wealthy so it turns out she just needs two types of therapy: psycho and chemo. Also, I couldn't help but imagine her hitchhiker as Timothée Chalamet's character from dont look up.

And God, yes, I could go into all the subtext. I got it. It still didn't inspire action and my shitty dad still isn't dead despite how much I might want him to be..

Thank you Henry Holt for my free ARC of Bad Nature by Ariel Courage — available Apr 1!

» READ IF YOU «
🚗 love a road trip story with quirky characters
🔪 can get behind revenge and moral ambiguity
🛣️ are here for thoughts, not plots

» SYNOPSIS «
Hester’s 40th birthday gift is a terminal cancer diagnosis — big bummer. So she figures, why not? and embarks on a cross-country drive with a singular, sinister objective: to murder her estranged father. She picks up an environmental activist hitchhiker, and their opposing lifestyles and silly banter carries much of the story. Eventually, Hester will have to confront her past, her choices, and the true nature of her mission.

» REVIEW «
This is a dark comedy with a good bit of introspective exploration — is vengeance really worth what it does to the seeker? The bulk of this book is stream-of-consciousness rambling, which ends up making this story mostly thoughts and very few plots. The road trip and banter with John are amusing, but weren’t enough to save this story for me — it just wasn’t compelling enough for what I wanted in the moment. I did resonate with much of what was being said, especially the environmental components, but the pacing was a liiiiittle too plodding for my personal taste.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A roadtrip revenge story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the mix of dark comedy and thrilling storyline. Definitely will be keeping an eye out for anything else from this author!

Like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles but with less humor and more environmental destruction and murderous intent.

Totally riveting, mildly nauseating, and wholly entertaining, I really enjoyed Bad Nature by Ariel Courage. I'm a sucker for a morally gray character, and a terminally ill woman seeking to kill her father kind of take the cake on that, no?? We follow Hester post terminal breast cancer diagnosis, where she seeks to complete her ultimate bucket list goal and finally murder her father. She meets a host of strangers, friends, and lovers on the way.

I found Hester to be a compelling character. I do feel like she fell a little flat for me, or at times I found myself wondering Hester WYD??

Thanks so much to @netgalley , Henry Holt and Co, and Ariel Courage for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was a pleasant surprise. I went in somewhat blind and this literary fiction story had a great mix of road trip vibes, self discovery, and redemption, with a side of humor (sometimes dark, if I’m honest, but perfect for the story nonetheless).

Hester, our FMC, is incredibly relatable and you find out quickly she is laced with bad luck and a witty, dry sense of humor. The speed bumps and road blocks she encounters on her journey of revenge just make you want to shake your head. Like how could her luck get any worse?

This really read like a memoir. I enjoyed that type of writing style for a work of fiction, especially because the story isn’t so far fetched that it couldn’t happen. Feeling like I’m reading Hester’s journey or sitting in the car beside her kept me into wide start to finish.

The drawback for me was the slow pace of some of the chapters. In some cases, I honestly didn’t know if some of the points being made were necessary or fluff. The nonlinear timeline helped quicken the pace in some parts and overall I enjoyed the book. It had an abrupt ending, but that fit with the tone of the story. Overall, a good story and a moving message of self-redemption with a taste of revenge.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

The Premise: Hester is a 40-year-old lawyer who works at a big New York City law firm. She is transactional in her relationships and has a biting, dry sense of humor. When she gets a terminal diagnosis, she quits her job and leaves her carefully curated life for a cross-country road trip. She’s headed to California to kill her father and take revenge for her childhood. Of course, there are a lot of detours on the way there.

My Thoughts: Do you like books that are a bit unusual? They are my sweet spot so when I read this premise, I knew I had to read it. Hester is a phenomenal character and Ariel Courage writes smart banter like no one else. I loved going on this journey with Hester even when it veered off into unexpected territory.

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

2 ⭐️ | This was a pretty hard book to get though and now to review. For having such a strong premise, I was really excited to start this one, and very happy to receive it as an arc. Bu after only a few chapters, I knew it wasn't a book for me.

Bad Nature follows a woman who is diagnosed with terminal cancer on her fortieth birthday. Having nothing and no one tying her to her life in New York, she quits her job and decides to drive to California with one goal in mind: to kill her estranged father. But on her way to California, she picks up a hitchhiker ecoactivist and tags along on his missions.

There is nothing I love more than a scorned woman on a mission. Our main character, Hester, seems to be on a path of self-destruction as well as revenge. I found this book to be boring and hard to get through. It was monologue after monologue of Hester's extreme cynicism, and her constant pissing and moaning about the world and her past. I kept waiting for things to spin around and for Hester o have some self-reflection or possible redemption, but unfortunately that never happened. She only continued on this path with her hitchhiker, making pitstops to see people that played a role in her depressing life and joining this environmental warrior on his path. Everything they do turns out to be pointless in the end. No part of her journey led Hester do to anything but just double down on her original feelings and thoughts when the book began. When so many things happened in this book and there was so much leading up to the ending, it was incredibly unsatisfying to see no change whatsoever.

I felt like I was getting myself through this story and feeling zero emotions about what was happening. I can usually get behind an unlikable characters, but Hester purely horrible with no redeeming qualities or any character growth. I had to force myself to gt through this one and I really wish it had lived up to the exciting promise of the premise.

Thank you NetGalley, Ariel Courage, and Henry Holt and Company for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!


The protagonist in Bad Nature, Hester, is given the crappiest 40th birthday “gift” ever - a terminal cancer diagnosis. She’s made her (very good) living as a corporate lawyer but decides to leave that all behind and embark on a cross-country trip from NYC to California to fulfill her ultimate bucket list activity - killing her father.

On her trip she picks up a hitchhiker who is traveling the country photographing superfund sites. Hester feels that she can take the detour, since this is really her last hurrah. Hester and the hitchhiker find some trouble, bicker and have some philosophical chats along the way, all while Hester keeps her plans close to her chest.

I found the most interesting parts of the book inside of Hester’s head. There’s a lot of heavy stuff going on in there. She even names her tumor and forms a quasi-relationship with it. All on the journey it SEEMS pretty clear she won’t be deterred, but I often found myself thinking… could this change her mind? It was an interesting journey in her head.

Courage has written a good “sad weird girl novel” that will likely resonate with people who enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation, and books of that sort.

Thank you Henry Holt & Co, Netgalley and Ariel Courage for the free early ecopy to read and offer my thoughts on.

3.5
“I always knew I was going to kill my father.”
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At 40 years old, Hester is diagnosed with terminal cancer. With an estimated 6 months to live she decides she is going to kill her father, she has always dreamed of it and now seems to be the best time to do it with literally nothing to lose.
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The concept of this book grabbed my attention IMMEDIATELY. An unhinged 40 year old woman on a quest for revenge against her father like YES SIGN ME UP. I loved reading her journey on the way to her father’s home across the country; however I could never feel fully immersed in the story and my attention kept getting taken away too easily. Hester picks up a young hitchhiker, John, who is an eco activist and he travels with her across country and they stop at a lot of superfund sites. This ends up causing a lot of talk about climate change and environmental issues in this book; which honestly it kind of overshadowed the point of Hester’s journey. I would have also like to explore more about why Hester wanted to kill her father. We didn’t get much on that and would’ve like to delve deeper into that history. I feel like we got more insight on John’s resentment toward his family than Hester and he’s not out for revenge.

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage attraction is centered around Hester, a strong female character, with an unconventional and questionable character. After a terminal cancer diagnosis, she decides to travel cross country to kill her father.

She meets John, an environmentalist who photographs locations across that have been closed due to contamination. During their road trip you gain some insight on Hester’s background, but I do wish they spent more time in explaining her past relationships with her parents and what is driving her need to kill her father.

I had the privilege of having both the eARC and ALC for this book. The narration by Cia Court is well executed, though her male characters did not fell as if they had the same distinction as her female ones. Regardless the narration kept me engaged, and I could seamlessly move between the printed book and audiobook with ease.

Although the ending did not live up to journey experienced in this book, I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to see what comes next from this author.

Rating: 4 Stars
Audio Release and Print Pub Date: April 1 2025

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