Review: Annihilation
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Synopsis
Sometime in the near future, in these nations of America, there is a mysterious region, a piece of land formerly composed of town steads, forest and coastal regions which has been cut off from the rest of the world.
For several decades now, this region, designated as Area X, has been the center of a coterie of supernatural, otherworldly and unexplained phenomenon. Whatever remained of human civilization within Area X, had been taken over by nature. Now, flora and fauna which goes against the established laws of earthen biology roam that land, and even the forces of nature seem to behave in a bizarre manner.
As time passed, slowly but surely, Area X has expanded its domain, encroaching more and more into the land. For purpose of monitoring and investigating the region, the Southern Reach a clandestine government agency had been established. The reach had sent out countless expeditions into the fold for purpose of exploration, but few have returned. They either got lost in the mists, killed themselves in homicidal rage, or returned as short-lived altered creatures, with not a lick of their former self remaining.
The gains of subsequent expeditions were sparse, and even those were kept under layers of secrecy. This time around, we join the members of the 12th expedition, an all female group composed of a Biologist, Psychologist, Surveyor and Anthropologist.
Following some unknown guidelines, they have been psychologically conditioned to leave their personalities, identity and very names behind, to stick to only the title offered by their roles. They must follow the footsteps of their predecessors, and wade into the seemingly idyllic land of Area X, where nature has reverted to a time whence it was untouched by humanity, and filled with creatures which question their notions of logic and sanity. We as the spectators are the fly on the wall for their journey, as each member in turn succumbs to madness, and loss of identity, the more they are exposed to the environment within Area X.
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Review
Jeff Van der meer's Annihilation, first of the 'Southern Reach' trilogy, is a difficult story to wrap your head around. Even if the language is simple, lacking any uber scientific jargon, or the gothic Lovecraftian depravity of the elder gods, it is easy to see where the writer got his inspirations from.
Even so, when we learn later on in the story, that the epicenter and genesis of Area X, is an (view spoiler)Much reminiscent to Lovecraft's The Color Out of Space. as well as the author's The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.
Other inspirations apparent are A Maze of Death by Philip. K. Dick, Solaris Stanislaw Lem, and The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury.
What draws you in, in the beginning, is the command of the world and nature displayed by Van der meer. An Avid hiker and nature lover, he has filled each page to the brim with it, it's overwhelming presence pressing down upon you, and how it is tainted/ mutated due to the omniscient presence of whatever made Area X unique. As the story progresses, we see how the environment has begun to affect each member of the expedition; physically altering them, or causing psychotic episodes of paranoia and confusion. All the while laced with just the bare minimum amount of the supernatural and other worldliness to keep the reader hook.
This rich narrative, almost makes up for the utter lack of any rising events in the story. I mean, stuff happen, people die, but all of it is viewed through a dull muted sense of emotions, perhaps further reinforcing the effect that Area X is having on our characters. But we never feel our blood boiling, or goosebumps being raised in the skin. It's just, unsettling.
With a few exception, much of the action occurs off screen, so to speak. Which may also because of the story's form of narration. We learn as to what happens at some unspecified period of time, as we are reading the journals of the Biologist, who is our sole POV character, as well as her husband, who was lost during the 11th expedition.
As one would expect, this sort of narrows our source of exposition to her. She and the readers have only fragments of information to go by, something which is not completely resolved even in the final chapter.
The story has no definite conclusion so to speak; which is understandable seeing as how it is spread over third book, this being just book 1. But it is nonetheless an unsatisfying ending. I'm more surprised that, despite any strong narrative or plot to drive things forwards, the book managed to keep me reading till the end, mostly thanks to some excellent world building and engaging almost philosophical prose.
Here's hoping that the subsequent stories are more satisfying. I'll give it a 3 out of 5
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