We join Dr Forle and his colleagues at a remote research station tucked away in the virgin tropical jungle. Following a bereavement, he throws himself in to the study of ants and the 'Devil's Gardens' they create, hoping to unlock secrets which will challenge the very principle of human existence, the theory of evolution. However, the life of Dr Forle and his crew is turned upside down when the sinister Colonel and the eccentric Judge take up residence at their station, using the cover story of registering the indigenous population for the vote. He soon finds himself drawn into the murky criminal underworld where it is never clear where government policy ends and organised crime begins.
One of the main obstacles getting in the way of me enjoying this book is Dr Forle - He is a one-dimensional and colourless character who inspires no loyalty or empathy in the reader at all. He even comes across as a coward at times, hiding in the shadows when bullies pick on weaker individuals. Where he could seem mysterious and haunted he comes across as introspective and gloomy, making me tire quickly of his narrative voice.
In fact, all the characters suffer from the same lack of personality, making it hard to tell them apart and even harder to care what happens to them. To make matters worse, most of the dialogue is clunky, contrived and unnatural. I get the impression that Docx uses dialogue between the characters to air his anthropological musings, but people simply don't talk like that. All he succeeded in producing was constant artificial and synthetic dialogue which made me disconnect at once.
I also found the plot messy and strange - Who the Colonel and the Judge work for and what they are trying to achieve is never really cleared up, which made the whole thing seem rather pointless. I still don't know if the conflict was created by organised crime from cocaine barons, a corrupt government trying to clear away local tribes so they can move loggers in, or if it has something to do with oil or if it's simply just the tribes fighting amongst themselves. Either way, we are treated to some graphic scenes of grotesque violence which seem gratuitous and unnecessary.
Despite all of this, the one thing I loved was the jungle. Without a doubt the jungle is the main character - a huge, hot, living, breathing thing constantly humming in the background. Every paragraph dedicated to the jungle is intensely atmospheric, it practically buzzes and simmers with strength and ruthlessness. And it is filled to the brim with insects which I could practically feel creeping on my skin.
What an amazing book this would have been if Docx had applied the same talent throughout! But unfortunately he has not, and the result is boring and disappointing.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
