Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Language of Kin” by Lynne Hugo, Blank Slate Press, July 11, 2023, Get Red PR

WOW! Lynne Hugo, the author of “The Language of Kin,” has written an exemplary, outstanding, and intriguing novel. The theme is animal and human communication. I love how Lynne Hugo compares and contrasts communication between chimpanzees and humans. The author also discusses how deaf people can communicate and how mute people, who can hear, can communicate. The author writes about an autistic helper and how he relates to the world around him.

The author vividly describes the landscape, habitats, scenery, and her characters. I was fascinated, and I feel that I was able to learn about signing and communication. Also mentioned is poaching and how Eve, a chimpanzee taken by poachers, views humans. Changes in the environment also cause problems for the animals.

The author describes the human characters as complex and complicated. Kate and Marc are co-workers at the Dayton Zoo. Both have different perspectives on animal habitats and the environment. They both do share the stressors of handicapped mothers and also the stressful work environment. The Dayton Zoo is making accommodations for Eve, a chimpanzee that had been isolated and experimented on. They are trying to acclimate Eve to the zoo. There is a push to socialize Eve with the other chimpanzees for publicity and profit. Will Kate and Marc be able to make that work? Through Eve’s narrative, the reader gets to see her reactions.

I am impressed with the research that the author has done, and I also found that there are many layers to this wonderfully complex story. I highly recommend this novel to other readers.