Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Annihilation

this book hurt to read. don’t read it if you’re struggling atm, it will probably make you sob. anyway, i still loved it somehow, it’s very smart and actually beautifully written, especially the descriptions of the biology of Area X.

Content Warnings

crybabybea's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Indescribable. Literally. This book is beautifully weird. It feels like a fever dream.

I wouldn't say the book necessarily surprised me in terms of plot twists; it was easy to guess what was happening from the very beginning. By about 20% I had a good idea what was going on, but it didn't stop me from wanting to know more. Which is so crazy because that's exactly what happens to the main character, who continually chooses to exhaust her curiosity even in the face of death and danger. And even then, at the end, there are no answers. We don't even know if the story we are reading actually happened how it is told. Our main character is unreliable and almost in a state of dissociation throughout the entire narrative. And, even though it was clear what was going to happen, my jaw still dropped. Many times.

I loved the way this was written. We are essentially reading the journal entry of the main character, written in retrospect after everything takes place. Each event unfolds with uncanny intrigue. We're pulled forward alongside our main character by the unstoppable force that is Area X. The overall tone, yes it's creepy, but in a dreamlike way. We are stuck in, more or less, solitude with our main character as she tries to uncover the mystery of the island.

Naturally, being stuck in solitude lends itself to intense self-reflection. The story of the biologist's journey on Area X is intertwined with her journey in her relationship with her husband. So in a sense the exploration of the force of Area X becomes an exploration of humanity, relationships, and connection. How do we find meaning in life when nothing actually matters? Do we repeat the same cycle over and over again for generations until the sun consumes the planet? Is there a sort of gauntlet we must all pass, an end goal we must all reach, a higher power we must all answer to? What makes us as humans different from the land we inhabit, the invisible ecosystems that live under our noses every single day? The book never answers these questions. But it sure does make you think about them.

I was, however, really surprised by the writing. There are some insanely profound quotes to be found here. Things I reread over and over again. Some lines written by VanderMeer could have found their place in a classic literary novel. His attention to detail makes the land feel immersive. Having a biologist be the main character/narrator was such a genius choice. You begin to see parallels between the biologist's experience in Area X with your own experience as a reader. The biologist's eye for miniscule details gives VanderMeer the opportunity to make the world feel incredibly detailed and real. The imagery used throughout, but especially in the more horror-esque portions of the book are beautifully portrayed.

Despite leaving with more questions than answers, I'm super satisfied by this book.

Content Warnings

guessgreenleaf's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

msladyreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

jstatts's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Annihilation starts off with a series of questions, but its ending does not answer them to incredible effect. The plot centres around an expedition of four scientists who are the twelfth expedition to a place called Area X, where a strange historical event has led to the complete removal of human civilization. What this "human civilization" is replaced with, and what the four uncover about each other, tells a harrowing tale about what it means to be human.

I was recommended this by a friend who was into biology, and I can definitely say it was a worthy recommendation! I read it all in a handful of sittings over the course of twenty-four hours and this was because I could not put it down. Each revelation is followed by something even more tense and terrifying, and the ending leaves so much unanswered...leading nicely into a second and third book. An amazing read, all in all!

Content Warnings

droggelbecher42's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Very trippy book, reads like a fucked up nightmare /positive
There isn't really a strong plot, but the book still manages to build up an incredible tension.
The author definitely knows how to create an atmosphere and his description of certain things created very vivid images in my mind

The inside of the tower is especially clear in my mind. The fucking fleshy walls covered in weird mushroom words. THE FUCK??

The ending is a bit too open for my taste, but maybe the sequels will at least answer some of the myriad of questions that I have right now

Content Warnings

_nem_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There are so many questions left at the end of the book, especially with reading the synopsis of the second book. I'll definitely be continuing the series.

Content Warnings

More...