I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I loved this novel. Let's start there. The author elegantly paints a woman's grieving process. A woman whose childhood did not uplift her soul but instead drove her to success to counteract the memories. A woman who, by many people's standards, led an empty life driven only by a desire to succeed without much else to fill that void.

Hester isn't terribly likeable in the beginning (which is kudos to the author as well) so it's slow going to invest in her story. Her prose is excellent though; she demands attention. We read as her story devolves from empty, time-filling activities to a discovery of late stage breast cancer, and the subsequent decisions she makes in the pursuit of "justice" in the name of her mother and her childhood. Hester's relationship with herself, her cancer, and the hitchhiker, John, is endearing to experience. Over time, she grows an attachment to all three and, as the book states in the summary, you begin to wonder what her final decision will be. While the book's premise is outlandish, it's still a wonderful reflection on what we may think, feel, or do when faced with our mortality. It's a look into the people and the relationships we've filled our life with. It's also a reminder to keep our hearts and minds open to new thoughts and activities because you never know what you don't know, what your unconscious biases are, or what might surprise you.

I honestly don't think this book was for me. I appreciated it's readability, but unfortunately, I didn't feel the need to keep returning to it. At one point I found myself avoiding it. The main character was unlikeable in a way I didn't want to read and the plot didn't hook me.

it drug on at times but overall I liked the dynamic between the two main characters. Hester was a typical unlikable character but in a well-fleshed out way

3.5 rounded up

At the beginning of this book, I was skeptical. It felt too snarky, too black and white, to sustain for a full novel. It felt like a short story at best. But as the story unfolds, so does Hester. I was moved and even a little surprised by the climax.

This would be a great vacation or airport book. Quick and satisfying, interesting but not too terribly deep.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

This book and it's dark humor will definitely stay with me!

When forty-year-old Hester gets the news that she's terminally ill, she decides to set off on a cross-country road trip to kill her father. Embarking from NY to California with the goal of shooting him and then killing herself.

There is so much to unpack with this book. First, I have to say that the writing was incredible. Sharp, darkly witty, insightful, descriptive - this was a meticulously crafted novel with so much care and attention to detail.

The settings of small town America, seen through the eyes of a cynical dying New Yorker, were so visual and resonant. And the character development was so strong - Hester truly felt real in all her complexity. She is intentionally unlikeable, at times fully unhinged, but as you get to know and understand her more deeply, you can forgive her for that. It also helps that we also got to see her through the lens of her friendship with John, a hitchhiker she picks up who is a genuinely good person traveling the country photographing Superfund sites - locations in America that have been contaminated by toxic pollutants.

I thought the Superfund sites, which looked normal but were toxic right below the surface, were a poignant metaphor for the cancer spreading through Hester underneath her skin - and her refusal to cope with what was happening to her.

This is a dark book. I would stress that though there is a humor to the writing, it is not at all a light book. It also felt like the road trip was maybe a little slow at times - though I don't think I can really stand behind saying that, because every scene contributed to us getting to know Hester in one way or another a little more deeply.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for this ARC to read and review.

This was such an interesting read. The psyche of the main character kept me invested throughout. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Ariel Courage’s Bad Nature is a brilliantly subversive and darkly humorous novel that takes readers on an unforgettable journey across America. This debut novel is a masterful blend of road trip adventure, revenge tale, and poignant social commentary, all wrapped up in a narrative that is as gripping as it is thought-provoking.

The story follows Hester, a forty-year-old woman who, upon receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to abandon her life in New York City and embark on a cross-country road trip to fulfill her lifelong dream of killing her estranged father. Along the way, she picks up John, an environmental activist with his own agenda, and together they navigate a series of bizarre and often darkly comedic encounters.

Courage deftly explores themes of revenge, moral ambivalence, and the possibility of redemption. The novel also serves as a lament for the ongoing ecological crisis, weaving in environmental themes that add depth to the narrative without overshadowing the central plot.

Hester is a fascinating protagonist whose caustic wit and unflinching determination make her both relatable and compelling. Her interactions with John and the various characters they meet along the way are richly detailed, providing insight into her motivations and the complexities of her character. John, as a foil to Hester, brings a contrasting perspective that enriches the story and highlights the novel’s thematic concerns.

Courage’s writing is sharp, witty, and often darkly funny. The prose is engaging, with a pace that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The novel’s structure, with its episodic encounters and detours, mirrors the unpredictability of Hester’s journey and adds to the overall sense of adventure and discovery.

While Bad Nature is a compelling read, some readers may find the novel’s dark humor and bleak outlook challenging. The narrative’s focus on revenge and the protagonist’s terminal illness can make for a heavy read at times. However, those who appreciate a novel that tackles difficult themes with honesty and a touch of humor will find it deeply rewarding.

Bad Nature is a stunning debut that showcases Ariel Courage’s talent for blending dark humor with profound social commentary. It’s a novel that challenges readers to confront their own beliefs about revenge, redemption, and the human condition. Courage has crafted a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a must-read for fans of literary fiction and dark comedy.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy dark humor, road trip adventures, and stories that delve into complex moral and social issues. This novel will particularly appeal to those who appreciate a blend of sharp wit and deep thematic exploration.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Bad Nature follows lawyer, Hester as she learns about a cancer diagnosis that spurs her on a cross-country journey to settle the score with her abusive and absent father. Because sometimes murder is cheaper than therapy.

In the first few pages, we are given an example of the premise of what this dark satire novel reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk's "Invisible Monsters", is truly like. The biographies no one ever mentions - the train stations or waiting rooms that we'd consider boring - are pivotal to this story. This foreshadowing is expressed throughout the rest of the novel as we go along for the dark ride. At the same time, she unpacks family trauma with an unrelenting honesty towards the world and disdain for her father.

There were a lot of aspects of this book that I enjoyed. At times, she seems callous, but Hester carried such a realism to the world around her that felt relatable. Her decision to forgo treatment to get rid of Beryl (her cancerous little tumor she so lovingly named) and to use it like an atom bomb to hopefully cause more pain to her father is dark but showcases a vulnerability. It just screams how Hester, after all those years, wants to be seen and noticed by her father. No matter in what shape or form that takes.

Hester relationship with John - reading how it progressed through the novel - was another rewarding aspect of this story for me. Hester carried this vulnerability - her need for people in whatever shape or form she could have them - throughout this cross-country drive while also sharing that time with John and his extracurricular activities. Outside of that, reading their discussions and the progression of their relationship hit a lot of key high notes for me and seeing Hester begin to care for someone, truly care for them in her own way, was a touching point for me.

Bad Nature's macabre satire opened up wonderful introspective monologues that were incredibly relatable at times, and deeply thought-provoking in the most messed up way possible. My only qualm I have with this novel is its end. It's lackluster. It lacks the depth that we received throughout the main portion of this novel. I can understand the sudden change of heart - the realizations that come - but it all felt rushed, but ended with Hester's rebirth.

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage is a visceral and thought-provoking exploration of humanity's relationship with the wild, both external and internal. The collection of essays navigates themes of environmental destruction, survival, and personal growth, blending nature writing with raw, emotional introspection. Courage’s prose is both poetic and grounded, capturing the beauty and brutality of the natural world with a stark honesty. Each essay draws the reader deeper into the complexity of human existence, offering insights into resilience and the wildness within us all. Bad Nature is a powerful and immersive read for those who appreciate both nature and personal reflection.

I was not expecting that I would follow Hester in such a unique quest. Traveling west, while dying, to kill her own father. I was also not expecting that I’d laugh so much along the way.
Ariel’s writing is smart, witty, erudite but not pedantic. Hester is supposed to feel like an unlikable character, but I love her “bad nature”. I don’t know if the book title refers to her ill disposition with everything or just her own body turning on her in such a vicious and devastating way, maybe that’s for her reader to decide.
I will be rereading this book as soon as it’s released as an audiobook and I hope someone buys the rights to adapt it into a movie. Great lines, with beautiful American scenery on the back- and foreground.
I’ll be following Ariel Courage for more works. This was a damn good book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Holt’s Catalogue for letting me read an ARC!

I laughed the whole time I was reading this book. This was like the Kill Bill version of when you have nothing and everything to live for, would you seek the vengance you've been dreaming of? What would happen if you just.. went for it? As equally eye opening as this was about environmental issues, I also enjoyed our main character's slow spiral into coming to terms with her cancer, and her heart througout.

I am unsure how to describe this one.
It does have a plot that progresses, and it also reads like a crazy stream of consciousness.
Hester is a curious character and the whole book reads like a dark comedy TV show episode.
3.5 stars rounded up.

Ty to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!

Read if you like...
Cancer stories
UNHINGED FMC
Adventure & road trips
Revenge plots

Wow, I feel like I need a minute after the last few chapters. This book has me up at 2 A.M., dying to finish it to see if Hester actually kills her dad or not (spoiler free review) While chasing l'appel du vide or what the French call: “the call of the void”.

This was absolutely gritty and dark and edge-of-your seat exciting.

Hester is a forty year old woman recently diagnosed with breast cancer, who sets out on a road trip to kill her dad and met an unexpected friend acquaintance along the way named "John". The author had to have done SO much research for John's character.

Hester was COMPLETELY freaking unhinged, and I was here for every minute of it. She was gritty, rude, impulsive, daring, dark and I really enjoyed seeing who she was through memories as well as on her road trip with John.

The only complaint I have is the ending, maybe. It kind of felt like the ending of a chapter and not a book.

However, I still loved reading this one. It was quite the wild ride!

Oh, I just love an anti-heroine with a one-track mind and a fuck all attitude. Hester is not necessarily someone I would want to spend time with, but she is someone I like reading about.

I really liked this book!
read if you like..... Last wishes, unhealed trauma, finding community.

#NetGalley

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage is a anti-heroine's journey of self-discovery and snark. A compelling yet dark tale. Hester is a very single, very cynical, rich lawyer. She's not even the good kind of lawyer, her practice helps no one but keeping billion dollar corporations powerful and cash-flush. Nothing to tie her down, she is driven by hatred and shielded with botox. When she gets a terminal diagnosis, she completely blows up her life. Quits her job and packs her luxury jaguar with some clothes and her handgun and heads from Manhattan to California to kill her father.

Hester is a self-proclaimed irredeemable a-hole, and seems nearly sociopathic at times. For the majority of the book, she is supremely unlikable, to the point where you aren't even really sorry she has cancer. But she is always compelling. Over the course of the trip you learn about her ex-boyfriend, ex-friends, and the life she had at the firm that shaped who she is. And that no matter how damaged someone is, a mother that loves you unconditionally will always have an imprint on your life.

Painfully well-constructed sentences, a road trip journey with a FOIL that allows for haunting conversation, and settings that span the rust belt, bible belt and everything in-between. I am typically determined for a happy ending, and although you won't find a "Joe Vs the Volcano" redemption arc, there are some satisfying surprises at the end. I promise she doesn't "grow a heart of gold" and no cheese melts in this tale.

Questions you will ask yourself, "What if you had nothing to lose?" "How do you problem solve when you have motivation but no future?" Hester's situation gives her a perspective that allows her to make the most unusual observations that will keep you thinking.

Thanks to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the ARC. Book to be released April 1, 2025.

First and Foremost, thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review.

This is a book that is hard for me to place, because I think I liked it, but it was so unrelentingly dour and brutal that it is hard to say how I feel about it. And this is a good thing. Ariel Courage created a character in Hester that is so cynical and pessimistic that it is hard to reside within her mind for the entirety of this book, but at the same time her point of view is fascinating because of that same cynicism and pessimism. Her life of struggling to connect to anyone or anything provides an insight into people that do exist, and people that are so often left to slip through the cracks. Many people like Hester fall into addictions, and for Hester, that addiction appears in the way she interacts with the world and interacts with the people around her. She is so attached to pain and anger, with nothing else to drive her, that she struggles to trust others at all times, which is why her relationship with John becomes such an oddity. I think that this book is well worth a read, even though it may leave you feeling emptied out, because as much as it is a tale of depression, detachment, and grief, it is also a reminder that having hope and faith in others is one of our best ways of fighting back at the systems that oppress us.

I really enjoyed this book and the dark humor within it. I found this book to be very unique and different from other books I have read. The plot is very interesting and I loved the dual timelines. This book is well written and the author did a great job.

This was a very interesting, black comedy type novel that I enjoyed very much. Look forward to more by this author.

What a fantastic premise - I knew I had to read this as soon as I saw the blurb. Hester is a compelling lead and it’s easy to root for her even as her goal is to remain prickly and friendless. She has a dark sense of humor and enjoyed a glimpse of her inner monologue.

The writing is lovely and the pacing is relaxed even though there is a sense of urgency as Hester wants to get to California as soon as possible and as her diagnosis is bleak. Not everything is tied up neatly but there is a satisfying conclusion. Overall, this is a strange (a compliment!) and intriguing read.

Thank you very much to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.