The Signature of All Things is the new novel by Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat, Pray, Love fame. It is a big sweeping epic novel spanning the mid-18th through19th centuries, focusing on one family of explorers and botanists.

The novel centers around the life of Alma Whittaker, a brilliant woman born into luxury at the turn of the19th century in America. With a curious mind and the freedom to explore it, she becomes one of the best naturalists of her time, writing papers and books and eventually traveling the world to try to satisfy her need to understand everything.

The novel is filled with many interesting characters, yet I didn’t fully believe in all of them. Half way through the book, the novel seems to take a drastic turn and become another book altogether.

Gilbert is not my favorite writer, however, this is a well researched work and a worthwhile read.