Isabel is a scientist running a language lab with 6 clever bonobos that are like a family to her. One night the lab is bombed and the bonobos set free by presumably an animal rights group. The attack leads to the closure of the lab and disappearance of the apes, until their reappearance in the most unexpected place of all, the TV.

The bonobo storyline is clever and I expected much of the book, but it didn't quite deliver. Much the same way (if not quite to the same extend)as Water for Elephants, the main characters left me quite baffled. Their motives (especially Peter's) aren't explained and many of the twists in the story seemed irrelevant and out of place (like the methlab explotion). Or did Gruen want to make a point about our humanity, in comparison to that of bonobo's who we consider less human? Not a bad book but more about the bonobo's, less about the people and this would've been a much better book.

I seem to have a habit of picking on the not-so-relevant in books, in Ape House I was surprised no one pointed out that the bonobo's, despite being well treated, were still lab animals who did not live in bonobo environment but that of human, something animal activist groups surely would have a thing or two to say about.

Will be mailed to the next reader tomorrow.
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Osallistun kirjalla 52 viikkoa vapautushaasteeseen. Näin pitkän loman jälkeen arjen koittaessa huomaa, että pienten lasten hoitaminen on vähän kuin ohjaisi apinalaumaa. Kommunikaatiokaan ei ole paljon sen kehittyneempää kuin bonoboilla.

Thank you so much for this wishlist book! Best of luck to the everyday life! :D