by Sara Gruen ~ Random House ~ Review: Halifax Herald, December 2010
The Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Iowa, studies “language acquisition and cognition in great apes.” Much of their work is with bonobos, a little known, highly intelligent and peaceful cousin to the chimpanzee. During her research for Ape House, Sara Gruen managed to wangle an invitation to visit the Trust. She was introduced to the bonobos and she was hooked. Her author’s note tells us that “most of the conversations between the bonobos and humans in (Ape House) are based on actual conversations with great apes”.
Ape House explores the implications of communications between humans and a species we recognize as highly intelligent but continue to keep imprisoned.
The story follows Isabel Duncan, a scientist whom the bonobos at the Great Ape Language Lab in Kansas City consider family, and John Thigpen, a journalist who is sent to Kansas to find a story. But Isabel is badly hurt when terrorists bomb the lab and kidnap the bonobos, and they become front page news overnight. Even after they are recovered, the university moves quickly to stay away from controversy and sell the bonobos. An under-the -table deal is struck and the bonobos vanish. Isabel is frantic to find them.
Ape House is a fascinating look at the culture of bonobos, and at their astonishing ability to communicate. But it goes much further, looking at the boundaries of ethical research and the treatment of imprisoned animals as well as the implications of imprisoning animals who can learn to communicate with humans.
Sara Gruen was born in Vancouver. She is the author of Water for Elephants which became an international best seller. Ape House is her fourth novel.
