No Ordinary Apes

It's been a long time since I read a book in one sitting. Which isn't really a reflection on the fact that my reading recently has mostly comprised of text books. I was overjoyed then, that the end of the semester coincided with the arrival on my desk of the new Sara Gruen novel Ape House.

For fans of her previous novel, Water for Elephants, I have to advise that while animals are still a primary focus of Ape House, perhaps even more so than the previous title, the book has quite a different feel. It is contemporary and fast paced, whereas Water for Elephants had a slower pace as befitted life in the 1920's. Perhaps this is a reflection on the hyper activity displayed by the six apes of the title who play are characters in their own right.

The publisher's summary of the plot reads "When a family of bonobo apes who know American Sign Language are kidnapped from a language laboratory, their mysterious appearance on a reality TV show propels scientist Isabel Duncan, together with reporter John Thigpen, on a personal mission to rescue them. An entertaining book that calls into question our assumptions about these animals who share 99.4% of our DNA." Any book that keeps me turning the pages is definitely entertaining. The story behind the book sounds just as interesting with the author having to undertake extensive study and research before getting to meet the real bonobos in Iowa.

I found some of the subplots a little distracting as I was so invested in the story of Isabel, John and the apes. However that is a small detail in a book from this wonderful storyteller. Highly recommended.