Book Review: Absolution

 

Image: the cover of the book is a black background with a grotesque illustration of a  alligator whose body is breaking off into various pieces which are morphing into plants. There is an oil slick rainbow sort of coloring throughout that is also the color of the lettering. Across the top reads "absolution -  a southen reach novel - new york times bestseller" and the bottom "author of Annihilation - jeff vandermeer."

I am not alone in my love of Jeff Vandermeer's works. I was pleasantly surprised to see this 4th volume come out, adding new dimensions to the ever creeping terror and unease that I often feel in strange places that remind me of the series. Absolution functions as a prequel of sorts, taking us back to expeditions of previous generations that lead to the Area X we encounter in the original books. The way this book functions is exciting because it gives some answers, but also creates new questions. It leaves me hoping that the Area X series will end up being one of those science fiction collections like Revelation Space where quality offshoots just keep coming and growing over time. 

I really enjoyed seeing a new side of Vandermeer's writing. I have admittedly not read every book of his, so I do not know if he has done this in others. I felt like he really captured the whole MK Ultra era and used it well in the story. It's something that has been referenced in so many stories, fiction and non, at this point that I initially worried if I might become bored. However, here it felt appropriate and natural. I found myself even seeing the drab tan, brown, and orange of the time in my head. We also get a different level of technological interaction with area X which is interesting.

The characters were well written but not always my favorite taste wise. I cannot quite put my finger on why. They did fit into the stories well though. However, be warned that one section is full of F-bombs and I imagine those listening to an audiobook without headphones may find themselves turning down the volume lest they scandalize their neighborhood.

The atmosphere was there. I felt drawn back to the original stories from a decade ago. The world of manipulation of nature in ways that are supposed to be impossible. It is interesting that in Area X, said manipulation is successful, with horrifying results. Unlike many other "scientific" endeavors of the same history that were unsuccessful, also with horrifying results. There is something uniquely attractive about scifi and horror that manages to bridge that sort of impossibility without feeling like pure fantasy. I don't need everything to be hard scifi or whatever, but I do appreciate something that feels very real. Vandermeer's world continues to feel real. 

This book left me yearning to return to the others. There are so many books in the world that I want to read and never enough time. I think I will have to fit in a reread of the trilogy after this though. Hopefully we will be in for more surprises from Vandermeer. If not with Area X, than with some new found horror that feels too close to home, creeping up beside us, and changing us into something else before we know it.

This was also posted to my goodreads and storygraph.