His Book Review: Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer (2014)

Why he read it: finishing the Southern Reach trilogy

Would he recommend it: Yes

His review: I read the first book in this trilogy, Annihilation, after hearing an interview with the author on the podcast Studio 360. It seemed like an interesting and unique take on first contact. I liked the first book, it creation of a unique world with many unanswered mysteries yet centered on a central, appealing character. The second book, Authority, wasn’t nearly as interesting. It had tedious (rather than interesting) characters, didn’t really advance the plot much, and made the unsolved mysteries less interesting. I understand what VanderMeer was doing, but it felt more worked and less inspired.

Thankfully, the last book is much more successful. It pulls together the threads of the mysteries, providing possible answers that give resolution but still keep the unknown alive. I think I know what the Southern Reach is and why it exists, but I also know that there is much about it that remains unknown. The alternating character voices are handled effectively, particularly the inclusion of the lighthouse keeper. I wanted more of his experience—he fades a bit towards the end.

Certainly more ambitious and less tidy than other recent science fiction trilogies, I liked that these were released within months (rather than years) of each other. I’m intrigued that it has already been optioned for movies—I’d like to see how a director visualized the tunnel and the creatures in the Southern Reach, but the lack of a cohesive conclusion works against the standard Hollywood treatment.

Definitely worth reading.