The Evolution of Jane

Stumbling out of a reckless six-month marriage, Jane Barlow Schwartz is sent on a recovery trip to the Galapagos Islands by her parents. A fan of Charles Darwin since she was a little girl, Jane is captivated by the surreal islands of green sand, red-throated frigates, blue-billed boobies, black marine iguanas — but disconcerted by her group's tour guide, who is a long-lost childhood friend and distant cousin. The mysterious family feud plot is a trifle pat, but Cathleen Schine's exacting language, on-the-mark portraits of adventurous Americans abroad, and frequent mentions of the infamous Galapagos turtles make The Evolution of Jane a pleasure cruise. B+