Reviewed by Jessica Landry (published May 21, 2013)
The title of this novel could cover a broad spectrum as far as plot goes. A reader might think it could be a tale of enlightenment where characters fight their way through many a challenging obstacle to realize they had this beautiful truth within them all along, or perhaps it could play out as a tale of desperation, love, loneliness, social acceptance and other complex emotions, and how we as humans deal with these complexities and with what life has to offer. Yes, this novel is about all of those things.
But this novel is about a chimpanzee.
The situation Walt and Judy Ribke find themselves in is tragic–Judy is unable to have children due to a cyst in her womb which has caused her uterus to collapse. With adoption being too costly and lengthy a process for her, she finds herself lost, treading through life without much meaning, often wondering what her purpose could be.
They bought paintings and a car and a dog named Murphy, but with every purchase and passing Sunday was a feeling that life was a collection of gestures and habits and it was hard to find surprises when most surprises were planned.
Quite the surprise occurs when Walt stumbles upon an issue of Life magazine featuring an article entitled ‘Conversations with a Chimp’. He discovers a photo of a baby chimpanzee in a diaper and reads that other chimps have been taught sign language and are able to effectively communicate with humans. At that moment, Walt is infected with an idea that occupies the heart of A Beautiful Truth – adopt a chimpanzee, start a family. And why not start the search at a circus?
Without telling Judy, Walt makes the executive (and somewhat illegal) decision to acquire a chimpanzee from Sierra Leone. Enter baby Looee.
From the moment Judy sees Looee, they are mother and son. In both their eyes, there is no difference between them in terms of colour, language or species. An instant connection is forged and it’s this which ultimately leads to the cloud hanging over both Walt and Judy’s better judgment. Their grief, despair and yearning for someone to love other than themselves have left them susceptible to the idea that what was once a wild animal is now a well-behaved boy, and the consequences of this are inevitable.
Simultaneously playing out during the story of Looee is the equally compelling tale of Mr. Ghoul, a chimpanzee held in what can only be described as the penthouse suite of a research lab. Living with a few other chimpanzees in a jungle-like enclosure, he spends most of his days associating with his human friend Dave, trying to master the art of inter-species communication. Although his introduction in the second chapter is a bit disconcerting and brief, as the novel goes on, there is more to Mr. Ghoul than I originally thought.
What makes this novel so compelling is that the intertwining stories are told from the perspective of both human and chimp. This inspired twist makes the reader more emotionally involved in the characters’ actions, thoughts and sequentially, their fates. As the different misfortunes transpired, it was difficult to not get a little teary eyed and ponder what was yet to come. Keep in mind, this novel is not entirely heartbreaking. There are moments of pure elation, moments that will bring a smile to your face and cause you to give a slight chuckle.
Being unfamiliar with Colin McAdam’s previous works proved to be a bit of a disadvantage at first. His writing style does take some time to become accustomed to, especially when the thoughts of a chimpanzee are displayed or when a human character speaks:
He pulled Dave’s hands off her whenever he could.
When she touched, it didn’t tickle.
I missed you Mr. Ghoul.
During the day, Ghoul would say
? Where Julie.
And Dave would say
Julie later.
And those were the days when Ghoul didn’t need to eat M&M’s when he made sentences.
Dave taught her to talk on the machine sometimes.
? Ghoul want nature.
Nature was a movie about trees.
However, McAdam’s words do flow with ease and his descriptions of surroundings show seamless effort. Even during one of the most important events in the novel, his words are brief, yet there’s still enough thought in the world he’s created that your mind effortlessly fills in the blanks.
The dust jacket design is as open-ended as the title. Sitting comfortably amidst a sprawling gloomy countryside lies a quaint home with a few main floor windows lit. Although it’s difficult to see what exactly has come to pass through these windows, there is a clear distinction of colour between them. The windows on the right display a sense of openness with light greens and yellow popping through in what could easily be a dining room or living room. The stark contrast with the windows on the left is overpowering, as they appear to be leading into several indistinguishable rooms with what could be deep crimson walls.
This novel will not be what you expect. From joyous to cautious, from hopeful to purely devastating, A Beautiful Truth touches on so many different aspects of human emotion, it’s easy to forget that the perspective is often that of a chimpanzee.
Hamish Hamilton | 304 pages | $30.00 | cloth | ISBN # 978-0670066360
‘A Beautiful Truth’ by Colin McAdam
Book Reviews
The title of this novel could cover a broad spectrum as far as plot goes. A reader might think it could be a tale of enlightenment where characters fight their way through many a challenging obstacle to realize they had this beautiful truth within them all along, or perhaps it could play out as a tale of desperation, love, loneliness, social acceptance and other complex emotions, and how we as humans deal with these complexities and with what life has to offer. Yes, this novel is about all of those things.
But this novel is about a chimpanzee.
The situation Walt and Judy Ribke find themselves in is tragic–Judy is unable to have children due to a cyst in her womb which has caused her uterus to collapse. With adoption being too costly and lengthy a process for her, she finds herself lost, treading through life without much meaning, often wondering what her purpose could be.
They bought paintings and a car and a dog named Murphy, but with every purchase and passing Sunday was a feeling that life was a collection of gestures and habits and it was hard to find surprises when most surprises were planned.
Quite the surprise occurs when Walt stumbles upon an issue of Life magazine featuring an article entitled ‘Conversations with a Chimp’. He discovers a photo of a baby chimpanzee in a diaper and reads that other chimps have been taught sign language and are able to effectively communicate with humans. At that moment, Walt is infected with an idea that occupies the heart of A Beautiful Truth – adopt a chimpanzee, start a family. And why not start the search at a circus?
Without telling Judy, Walt makes the executive (and somewhat illegal) decision to acquire a chimpanzee from Sierra Leone. Enter baby Looee.
From the moment Judy sees Looee, they are mother and son. In both their eyes, there is no difference between them in terms of colour, language or species. An instant connection is forged and it’s this which ultimately leads to the cloud hanging over both Walt and Judy’s better judgment. Their grief, despair and yearning for someone to love other than themselves have left them susceptible to the idea that what was once a wild animal is now a well-behaved boy, and the consequences of this are inevitable.
Simultaneously playing out during the story of Looee is the equally compelling tale of Mr. Ghoul, a chimpanzee held in what can only be described as the penthouse suite of a research lab. Living with a few other chimpanzees in a jungle-like enclosure, he spends most of his days associating with his human friend Dave, trying to master the art of inter-species communication. Although his introduction in the second chapter is a bit disconcerting and brief, as the novel goes on, there is more to Mr. Ghoul than I originally thought.
What makes this novel so compelling is that the intertwining stories are told from the perspective of both human and chimp. This inspired twist makes the reader more emotionally involved in the characters’ actions, thoughts and sequentially, their fates. As the different misfortunes transpired, it was difficult to not get a little teary eyed and ponder what was yet to come. Keep in mind, this novel is not entirely heartbreaking. There are moments of pure elation, moments that will bring a smile to your face and cause you to give a slight chuckle.
Being unfamiliar with Colin McAdam’s previous works proved to be a bit of a disadvantage at first. His writing style does take some time to become accustomed to, especially when the thoughts of a chimpanzee are displayed or when a human character speaks:
He pulled Dave’s hands off her whenever he could.
When she touched, it didn’t tickle.
I missed you Mr. Ghoul.
During the day, Ghoul would say
? Where Julie.
And Dave would say
Julie later.
And those were the days when Ghoul didn’t need to eat M&M’s when he made sentences.
Dave taught her to talk on the machine sometimes.
? Ghoul want nature.
Nature was a movie about trees.
However, McAdam’s words do flow with ease and his descriptions of surroundings show seamless effort. Even during one of the most important events in the novel, his words are brief, yet there’s still enough thought in the world he’s created that your mind effortlessly fills in the blanks.
The dust jacket design is as open-ended as the title. Sitting comfortably amidst a sprawling gloomy countryside lies a quaint home with a few main floor windows lit. Although it’s difficult to see what exactly has come to pass through these windows, there is a clear distinction of colour between them. The windows on the right display a sense of openness with light greens and yellow popping through in what could easily be a dining room or living room. The stark contrast with the windows on the left is overpowering, as they appear to be leading into several indistinguishable rooms with what could be deep crimson walls.
This novel will not be what you expect. From joyous to cautious, from hopeful to purely devastating, A Beautiful Truth touches on so many different aspects of human emotion, it’s easy to forget that the perspective is often that of a chimpanzee.
Hamish Hamilton | 304 pages | $30.00 | cloth | ISBN # 978-0670066360