Helpful Score: 2
Sophie's husband Thomas left in search of the holy grail of butterflies, but he has returned a changed and altogether incomplete man. From his mysterious wounds to his inability or unwillingness to speak, it is clear that his travels were wrought with trauma and brutality.
It started out as a slow read, and I found it difficult initially to immerse myself in the identities of Sophie & Thomas. But before long, I was eagerly following the dual points of view, slowly discovering with Sophie the reason for her husband's frightening transformation, and reliving with Thomas the disturbing events of his time in the jungle.
The story is filled with acute & thorough descriptions of even the most insignificant details, mentally illustrating vibrant scenes and evoking complex yet common emotions. The Edwardian restraint of Engliand is smartly juxtaposed with the fierce primitiveness of the jungle, essentially creating two additional subtle yet fundamental characters in the story.
In the end, it is a tale of mystery, interspersed with love, deceit, brutality, and violent history. While it lacks some depth, skimming over points that might have added more interesting dimensions to the story, I found it a fast and entertaining read.
And thank you, Harper Collins (publisher), for the advanced reader copy & opportunity to review it early!
It started out as a slow read, and I found it difficult initially to immerse myself in the identities of Sophie & Thomas. But before long, I was eagerly following the dual points of view, slowly discovering with Sophie the reason for her husband's frightening transformation, and reliving with Thomas the disturbing events of his time in the jungle.
The story is filled with acute & thorough descriptions of even the most insignificant details, mentally illustrating vibrant scenes and evoking complex yet common emotions. The Edwardian restraint of Engliand is smartly juxtaposed with the fierce primitiveness of the jungle, essentially creating two additional subtle yet fundamental characters in the story.
In the end, it is a tale of mystery, interspersed with love, deceit, brutality, and violent history. While it lacks some depth, skimming over points that might have added more interesting dimensions to the story, I found it a fast and entertaining read.
And thank you, Harper Collins (publisher), for the advanced reader copy & opportunity to review it early!