Thomas Nelson Books, January 24, 2017.
Three Stars
A Harvest of
Thorns opens dramatically on a garment factory fire
in Bangladesh – the fire kills hundreds of workers, especially young girls and
women working for little pay in the unregulated industry. In the aftermath of
the fire, a shocking photo goes viral. It is the image of a teenage girl who
jumped out of a factory window and lies broken on the ground, with a piece of
clothing worn as a mask over her face in a futile attempt to protect her from
smoke. The clothing clearly shows a label from Presto Corporation, one of the
biggest retailers in the U.S.
Across the globe, at Presto’s headquarters in
Virginia, the company’s lawyer attempts to do damage control after the photo is
released to the public. Cameron starts an investigation into the disaster at
the factory, and attempts to find out who was supposed to be monitoring the
working conditions in Bangladesh. His research reopens the company’s
controversy about sweatshops, labour rights and the ethical implications of
globalization.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., disgraced journalist
Joshua receives a tip about the fire that includes confidential information
about Presto Corp. The details he learns could expose the company and force
them to accept culpability for the deaths of the Bangladesh workers. For Joshua,
this story could be his shot at redemption – but while he starts out simply
trying to salvage his tarnished reputation, he ends up building a case that
will provoke the conscience of the fashion industry and change the way
consumers feel about cheap clothing.
Addison uses his background in law to write a novel
that explores the hidden costs of low-priced fashion. In a globalized world, we
often don’t know where the products we buy are coming from, or how the workers
have suffered to make them for us. The fictionalized Bangladesh factory fire is
based on real events from 2012, in which a factory with no fire code became a
death trap, and the cheap fabric fueled the flames.
The plot is very relevant, fast paced, and clearly
researched by the author. Despite its length, it was a fairly quick, thrilling
read. However, it is almost entirely plot-driven, and the characters lack any
real complexity. The story is intellectually stimulating, but I was unable to
empathize with the characters, which leaves a barrier between the reader and the
book. If you enjoy the thriller genre, this is an exciting, political story –
an entertaining novel that also makes you think.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson Books and
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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