"The Lioness" was my first Chris Bohjalian novel, and it won't be my last! The setting alone for this story was incredible--beloved hollywood movie star Katie Barstow and her small, close-knit entourage embarks on a guided safari in the Serengeti in the 1960s. What begins as an idyllic escape into the African wild for Katie and her guests quickly (and I mean within the first few pages quickly!) anything but.
Right off the bat, "The Lioness" will command any reader's attention with how fast the action kicks off, and what ensues is a tense, emotional, and beautifully-written story of survival against not only the African elements, but much more, that never loses its plausibility. Each chapter focuses on just one perspective of the safari guests (Katie included), and bounces back and forth between past and present; in this way, Bohjalian masterfully builds his characters even as the present action is taking place so that while the story unfolds, readers will (likely) feel a strong emotional attachment to them. He paints just enough back story and humanness into everyone that in a way, he writes two stories at once.
What I loved most about this title was that from the first page to the epilogue, it felt as though I was reading a screenplay. At certain points, I felt the pacing of the story could have been quicker, as it dragged on for me a bit toward the end. Perhaps more so than anything else I've read this year, this story would translate beautifully to the big screen because of its dazzling setting in the 1960s Serengeti, its intriguing cast of characters that Bohjalian occasionally ties to real-life stars, and the suspenseful layers to its action. This is so much more than a "Hollywood tour group vs. African wildlife" story, and it made for a really fantastic read.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Publication Details: Out Now, Doubleday Books
Huge thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my review copy!
