Author: Gin Phillips
Started: February 13, 2019
Finished: February 15, 2019
Pages: 288
Genre: Fiction
First Sentence: For a long while Joan has managed to balance on the balls of her bare feet, knees bent, skirt skimming the dirt.
Summary: [From BN] The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gate minutes before closing time sends her sprinting back into the zoo, her child in her arms. And for the next three hours—the entire scope of the novel—she keeps on running. Joan’s intimate knowledge of her son and of the zoo itself—the hidden pathways and under-renovation exhibits, the best spots on the carousel and overstocked snack machines—is all that keeps them a step ahead of danger. A masterful thrill ride and an exploration of motherhood itself—from its tender moments of grace to its savage power—Fierce Kingdom asks where the boundary is between our animal instinct to survive and our human duty to protect one another. For whom should a mother risk her life?
Thoughts: I read this book in two sittings. I stayed up WAY past my bedtime... while I was sick... to read those last 50 pages. I simply could not go to sleep until I discovered how this book ended. That doesn't not happen often for me.
The reason this book is so readable is that the story is high drama and takes place over 3 hours. That's it. Joan, our main character, hears gunshots within the first few pages and then we're along for the ride as she tries to keep herself and her toddler son alive until the tragedy is over. The book has to be fast-paced because it gives the reader a heightened sense of tension to go along with what the characters are experiencing.
The text itself is rather plain in terms of prose, but it moves well. The starkness of the scene and character descriptions means you're focused on how the characters act and feel. And that's that strength of this book. Joan has to make difficult and life-threatening decisions. The book never judges her, but the reader does. At the same time, the reader is forced to think about what they would do in a similar situation. I think this book would make a fantastic book club read because there is a lot to talk about.
My only complaint about this book is the final act. It feels a touch out of character for the rest of the novel. Additionally, some of the descriptions get quite muddled. It's hard to keep a mental picture of the scene in mind.
Also, I don't recommend reading this right before you go to bed. I did and it left me with weird and stressful dreams.
Rating: 8/10 [Terrific]
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