Ida's disappointment at failing to reach the summit of the Brocken in the Harz Mountains serves as a catalyst for a shift in her perception of landscapes. Embracing a more playful and imaginative approach, she sees landscapes as both inspiration and as living systems, with their own vitality and stories. Defying her tutors, the Brothers Grimm, she sets her sights on Ireland, drawn there by her dead father's connection to the country and her own aspirations as a travel writer. Ida's experiences on the Beara Peninsula in Cork, further shape her understanding of the interconnectedness of landscapes and human society. Her chance meeting with Marie Elizabeth Dillane, a local miner, sparks an exchange of ideas and perspectives. Through their exploration of geology, literature, and potential landscapes of the future, Ida's outlook evolves. She begins to recognise the power of her privilege in society and as someone who can disseminate her words through print. As Ida and Dillane explore the coastal terrain together, their relationship deepens from a transactional acquaintance to one of genuine camaraderie and mutual respect. Ida's revelation about experiencing landscapes in states of distress resonates with Dillane's understanding of the slow life of rocks. This leads to a newfound appreciation for the interconnectedness of human and geological time scales. As a result, Ida's decides to channel her creativity to the writing of speculative fiction focused on the natural landscape.
—Michelle Deignan