Villordsutch reviews Annihilation: A Novel (Book 1 of The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff VanderMeer…
The first thing I have to say here is that the hardback version of this book is a beautiful trap. You’ve often heard, “Never judge a book by its cover.” Well those that have visited my home have picked up Annihilation and said, “How beautiful it looks!” and “How they’d like to read it to.” Those people have no idea that inside that piece of artwork is a drug that hooks you in so badly you’re damning VanderMeer for making you wait two months (Part 2 is out in May).
Annihilation is a dandelion seed of a book that lands on a concrete path; it may initially look perfectly harmless but rapidly the roots will bring chaos as it burrows and twists its way deep into the path as it blooms.
Our story begins entering Area X (we are to assume that Area X is on the coast of America somewhere), as an old battle worn Lighthouse stands on the beach. Something is not right within the borders of this town and expeditions are sent in after months of screening and numerous moments of being placed into a trance like state to be programmed for hypnotic suggestions. The people within the expeditions are then once again hypnotised before being placed within the border of Area X and given only items which are technologically backward by about thirty years; the expedition we join is the twelfth and they are all female. The expedition is sent in to Area X to catalogue and study the changes that are happening and then to return after either days/months/years depending.
The book is complete devoid of names – even when threatened with death at the end of an rifle, our narrator “The Biologist” still doesn’t give it (her name) as she cannot understand why “The Surveyor” would want it; the closest we ever come to a name for our protagonist is “Ghost Bird” given to her by her husband who was on the eleventh expedition. This lack of true names adds to the hidden horror within this book. You can feel it in the words as the Biologist searches the Lighthouse for the Psychologist, or the reeds for whatever is making the noise – even the eye of the dolphin had me unnerved. There is also excitement and chaos in the book; looking at the beginning it’s fascinating as the narrator takes us back to moments in the panic, then as the story grows darker and the fear sets in the past tales jar in like a drunkard remembering moments of their walk home.
Yet we come to the end and we know not what, nor where Area X is; clues are given though I doubt red herrings are in there but I’m not sure. I’ve combed over my review a fair number of times making sure that I’ve given nothing away that could spoil this story for you as you do need to read it. This is perhaps the start of one of the best science fiction stories I’ve read in a long time.
Book 2 of The Southern Reach Trilogy Authority is out in May 2014
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
Originally published March 19, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
