Tree Crime
Melody Kemp
Proverse Hong Kong: 2022
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Like the many warnings about climate change and environmental destruction that are shrugged off with little concern, even an interesting Southeast Asia–based eco-thriller has largely gone under the radar. Released at the end of April 2022, Melody Kemp’s debut novel, Tree Crime, came out at a distracted moment when many countries in the region were gearing up for their post-pandemic reopening. After two years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, people were fixated on getting flights out for holidays and visits, with little concern for their carbon footprint.
The content of this dark young-adult fable is very real for a part of the world that’s grappling with the challenges of climate change, facing the prospect of flooded coastal cities and the rapid devastation of precious ecosystems. Besides being one of the few contemporary ecological thrillers written on Laos, Tree Crime is relevant as a bold reminder of the effects of globalisation and human greed in Southeast Asia.
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- Tags: Issue 31, Malaysia, Marco Ferrarese, Melody Kemp