Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Contra Costa County Library.
Jul 04, 2019GladstoneReader rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
“…each important moment in life has about it a stillness, an extra beat, and awareness of the edges.” This 397-page slightly futuristic novel, followed by a five page research appendix, begins as interesting and gradually become dangerous in that the reader becomes very emotionally invested in its characters and their fates: Dr. Francine (Frankie) Burk recovering from surgery to correct a life-long illness; David Stotts , the caretaker at an animal research facility not far from Kansas City; and 14 bonobo apes. We get to know all of them quite well. The detailed mating habits of the bonobos initially may be TMI for some readers, but necessary to understanding them. Schulman is quite good (this is her 5th novel) at ratcheting up tension and what little violence does occur is all the more intense due to her skilled manipulation of us readers into investing our humanity into all of the characters. Whether you are a science nerd, a lover of a well-told story, or a reader who likes to be grabbed by the wet-wear between your ears, this novel is for you. May Audrey Schulman continue writing books that remind us of our humanity, tug at our heartstrings, illuminate the creatures we cohabitate with on this lone planet, and emphatically state the wonders and appreciation that science can bring into our lives.