Hummingbird Salamander

Paperback, 368 pages

Published April 13, 2022 by HarperCollins.

ISBN:
978-0-00-829937-8
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4 stars (1 review)

'Jane Smith' receives an unexplained envelope containing the key to a storage unit. And inside that storage unit is a taxidermy hummingbird and directions to a taxidermy salamander. Somehow, this bizarre treasure hunt, that Jane never expected or asked for, sets in motion a series of events that quickly put her and her family in danger.

As she desperately seeks answers, she discovers time is running out – for her and possibly for the world.

1 edition

Tense, pacy, and demanding eco-thriller

4 stars

The first third or half of this novel is close to perfect, an expertly judged ratcheting of stakes and tension that hooks the reader and draws you in. Appreciated the sensory, embodied descriptions, rooted in a specific set of experiences, and a particular viewpoint. Beyond that halfway point, as the complexity increases, it gets a harder to keep on top of all the moving parts, interested parties, and newly-discovered information. Dramatic set pieces are compelling on their own terms, but feel detached from the bigger picture, with bursts of action and mystery-solving unfolding on seperate planes, only sometimes intersecting.

Some violence, unpleasant in parts, lingering after the book is closed and put away. The use of setting and worldbuilding is striking, effectively depicting a near-future fragmentation. And whatever my quibbles, VanderMeer sticks the landing.