The Strange Bird

Mehr zum Buch

The Strange Bird, by Jeff VanderMeer, expands the world of his acclaimed novel, Borne. This unique creature, part bird and part human, escapes from a besieged laboratory where scientists have turned against their creations. As she navigates tunnels and evades capture, she discovers that the sky is not a sanctuary; it is filled with wildlife that rejects her and remnants of human civilization, including satellites and drones. Her journey leads her to the remnants of the Company, a collapsed biotech firm that has left behind both successful and failed experiments, such as networked foxes and a giant bear. Among the various creatures she encounters, it is the humans—desperate and exploitative—who pose the greatest threat, seeing her merely as a possession to be captured or traded. VanderMeer not only enriches the narrative of Borne but also offers a fresh perspective through the eyes of this new creature, who fights for her place in a fractured world. This story challenges our understanding of nonhuman existence and highlights the complexities of survival in a landscape shaped by human actions. VanderMeer’s work signals a maturation of eco-fiction, presenting a vision of the future that is both wild and unpredictable.