Book #7 of 2020: Orphaned

[thistlechaser]

Orphaned by Eliot Schrefer
Traditional or self-published: Traditional
Rating: Liked (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)



When I started this book, I described it as a talking animal story, but that turned out to be wrong. Even when they're very realistic, the animals in those stories aren't true animals. This book was about true animals; it was about gorillas living in prehistoric times. Told (experienced?) though the eyes of Snub, a young female gorilla.

There isn't much plot to describe. Early in the story, a volcano explodes and so Snub's family group has to relocate. Late in the story, they encounter not-gorillas (early humans). Mostly it was about how gorillas live in the natural world.

I completely believed Snub's voice. Her thoughts, behaviors, and interactions felt completely true to me. The author included repeated use of four gorilla noises (each noise defined in the header of chapter one). Like hoo meant peacefulness. mrgh meant readiness to attack. The four word sounds were used extensively through the story and really helped with the feel of it.

The author did another great trick: The header of each chapter had a little illustration telling you which gorillas were in it. I quickly enough learned to glance at it and check to see who would be there. At the end of the book, the author explained he did that on purpose, to give the reader the same awareness that a gorilla would have of its family.

If this was such a perfect animal book, why did I rate it a liked instead of loved? Two reasons:

1: There was basically no plot. About a third of the way in I was bored and ready to move on to something else. It was very good, but without an overarching story, I didn't feel driven to continue.

2: The larger issue. It was written in prose. Freeform poetry. I'll open to a random page and quote how it looks.

Skitter-scatter of rocks
shards tumbling into the canyon,
sending the gorillas clutching one
another--
except Silverback,
up on two legs and roaring.
Sharp line the ledge above.
Darting, grunting.
Maybe these are new gorillas.
Silverback beats his chest,
wragh.

When I first started the book, I spent so much time troubleshooting it and my Kindle. I thought something was making the lines break oddly.

Is prose nice? Does it fit in this story? Yes! But it was way, way, way too disruptive to read a whole book in it. I couldn't get lost in the story at all, because I never lost awareness of the writing.

I did save a quote I loved:

The little body in her aching arms is
the courage she needs.

Is this a good book? For sure! It's really well written and a great read! I just wish I had enjoyed it more.

Comments

[jeane nevarez (from livejournal.com)]

Sounds like a series I would REALLY like. I have only read a few books that were entirely in verse. It takes some getting used to. I think in this case it might keep me cognizant of how differently an animal's thinking process is from ours?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Even though this is book #4 (and the final one) everyone says that it's the one you should start with. If you need a copy of it (or any book I review), just let me know!

Yep! That's why the author did it. He said it was perfect to show the differences in how they think. And it really did it successfully! I just couldn't get used to it, sadly.