Author, Bridget Heos, sets to hook her readers by comparing and contrasting real spider silk with that in the Spider Man movies. She follows this by going down to the cellular level of spider silk for comparison. While spider silk is extremely strong the practicality of trying to collect it is not easy.

In steps the genetic research scientists to isolate the spider silk gene and implant it into goat embryos, alfalfa, bacteria,  and silkworms. Next they must extract the spider silk milk and be able to turn it into actual silk.

Heos introduces the reader to the scientists and their lives when not engaged in the laboratory work. For example, they raise the goats, playing with them, and giving them a normal goats’ life outside of the testing. Photographer, Andy Comins, gives us a close up of a spider named Piggy Two on page 45. The sidebar reads- ” Piggy Two is taped down so that silk can be extracted. It will make her tired but will not hurt her. She is given a sip of water and a cricket before the process begins.”

Heos brings up the ethical side of genetic research. All of this is done for the betterment of the world. Cruelty is not practiced. But one issue brought up is how others ( non-scientists) see this work. When working with genetically modified alfalfa, what happens when the neighboring farmer’s field is outside the testing area (say the farmer is trying to raise organic alfalfa) but the bees pollinating the field cross the fence line? Now the genetic test subjects are on both sides of the fence, whether that was the plan or not.   Three-quarters of the way through the book, there is a “Be a Part of the Discussion” section.

The ‘quest’ mentioned in the subtitle had not been reached at the time of publication, but this book is thought provoking!