CN: colonialism, racism, sexism, animal testing, child abuse, sexual assault, abuse in adoption

This is a “compelling” literary thriller. It is well written and compelling. But I wish I’d never started it & hope *never* gets made into a film. It’s a manual of atrocities. A colonial horror story I could do do without

No BIPOC folk should read this book unless they desparately want to. It’s for white people, highlighting “crimes” committed under the guise of science and enlightenment. Someone is going to position it as a “visceral cautionary tale” and adapt it and they really mustn’t.

The narrative includes lot of savages savagely savaging. The point of view is meant to be problematic but is presented almost exclusively without another voice so... some people will read this without irony or information and that will be ... very bad. Just ... ugh

The last chapter is in REALLY bad faith. Like, I know what she’s chosen to do and why but there is really no excuse for putting a child rape scene in as some narrative clincher after you’ve “finished” the story. Guh. I’m so tired and mad.

Also, it’s doubly triggering because there is NO recourse for almost all of the atrocities perpetrated and I don’t think that this lack of consequences (for the character) is acknowledged. I feel like she goes *AND he’s a paedophile* so let’s move on to that. Awful. Awful. Awful.

This book is like if someone wrote *Get Out goes on safari* entirely from the vantage point of the white family.

Which no one needs.

Or wants.

Don’t buy this book.

Love the representation and art but this volume is a lot less fun and peppy than the first one.