Snowflake

Earth is on fire, both literally and metaphorically. Environmental degradation, including air, water, and soil pollution, and extinction of wildlife and habitat destruction is just the tip of the iceberg. Global organizations, NGOs, nations, and citizens have created a global community fighting for the planet’s fate through awareness campaigns, donations, environmental regulations, and laws, but there are those who believe that more drastic measures should be taken.

Enter Ben Wallace or Benji for short, the story’s protagonist. He’s an 18-year-old scholarship student at a fancy private high school who is dealing with his own personal demons. He’s a loner, isolated from others by choice. In the pages of his journal, he finds solace—even if it’s for a short time. While he watches the other students being completely ignorant of what is going on in the world, as far as climate change is concerned, and reading articles and studies that lead him to dark and darker places, he makes a stunning discovery: killing the President of the United States of America will make the world a better place, according to his way of thinking.

So, for the next weeks, he orchestrates a plan to accomplish his purpose. It may seem like an unorthodox and mentally problematic plan but Ben, during his journal entries, analyzes everything—his decision and actions—and he even provides accurate data to support his cause. Some might describe him as an environmental activist, some a terrorist or a threat to national security, some might call him mentally ill. For him, he’s doing the right thing, and nobody can persuade him for anything less.

Snowflake is a fast-paced Environmental Contemporary Thriller. The writing is impeccable, the plot well organized, and the end stays with the reader long after the book is over. Turning the pages one after the other to find out what happens next is a success that author Arthur Jeon takes all the credit. Ben could easily be any 18-year-old living anywhere in the world. He’s so authentic as a character, and that is exactly what makes Snowflake so unique. It’s a story that speaks of the hard, cold truth. Sometimes we need that in order to see the world more clearly and for what it really is.