BOOK: ANNIHILATION
Author: Jeff VanderMeer
Publication date: February 2014
Pages: 208
Series: Southern Reach Trilogy Genre
Followed by: Authority
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
A biologist, anthropologist, surveyor, and psychologist cross into an uninhabited area known as Area X. 11 other expeditions have taken place there. This is the 12th. Everyone who has returned, if they do return, is a shell of a person, committed suicide, or died of cancer.
I read Annihilation in one sitting. Maybe that is what caused my visceral reaction. For days after turning the last page, I couldn’t think about anything else, which probably means Jeff Vandermeer accomplished his goal.
A short read, only about 200 pages, Annihilation still managed to not be an easy read. There were times were I had to physically close the book and think of happy thoughts.
Annihilation hits you right in the gut and does not let go. Acidic feelings of fear and frustration will ensue. More challenging: the prose Annihilation is written in is not for the faint of heart. It doesn’t guide you gently into the descriptive language; Instead the language grows bigger and bigger expanding intimately. You get the feeling that you are really reading the honest point of view of a biologist, a weird antisocial yet interesting character, but a biologist nonetheless. Although her opinions are tilted and viewpoint may be unreliable, the biologist’s account does feel real to me or at least real to her.
Despite the complex language, Annihilation isn’t boring. In fact, it’s horrifying and interesting. Many points throughout the novel, I was both too scared to turn the page and too intrigued not too. Screaming at the pages:
don’t go in there you idiots
she’s gonna murder you
why would you sign up for this?
DON’T GO IN THERE
KILL HER FIRST
seriously, why would anyone sign up for this shit?
To that point, I can say with certainty, Annihilation is going to make a killer ass movie. The movie crew should have commissioned Philly artist Distortedd to hit such a disturbing book with some disturbing art. It could translate as a spooky video game too hitting us with some Resident Evil vibes. Vandermeer does a really good job of conveying the surroundings without a visual. It’s atmospheric. The tale of brilliant writing.
credit @distortedd
Did I like Annihilation?
I’m not sure. There were many points that frustrated me where I felt like the text was almost too-personal and therefore, we didn’t really get an honest depiction of anyone else point-of-view or true motives. In the format it’s written that was probably purposeful, but I do think it gave way to some annoying limitations. I also found some of the biologists flashbacks to be boring, others were just plain sad and others made me wonder about her sanity in her previous life.
Another challenge to Annihilation is that since this is the 1st book in a trilogy many questions that were answered lead to more questions that were never answered. I would hope more questions would be answered in the next books. That is an that aspect that did bother me a little and may bother others. On the other hand, the mystery was intriguing and descriptions were well-written and well-thought-out. It’s a wild ride that did keep me interested. While I couldn’t say I liked the characters, but they definitely weren’t typical or boring. Eccentric is a good word for some. Tactician is a good word for others.
Do I recommend Annihilation?
Yes for a very specific reader. If your into atmospheric sci-fi and accounts that may leave you questioning for days, then pick up Annihilation today. This ones not for the faint of heart and easily frustrated.
TLDR: A well-written spooky novel that is very frustrating at points and shines at others. Rating: ★★★☆☆
Did you like Annihilation? Did you hate it? Have you read Authority or Acceptance? Have you reached the Lighthouse? Let’s Discuss in the comments!
Connect with us on instagram @thricedclub and twitter @thricedclub.
Share this:
