Annihilation: A Novel (The Southern Reach Series, 1)

One of my favorite books to date. I'm very much one for surrealism, existentialism, and introspection in the media I take to, and this is no different. I also heavily related to the main character as someone who's been obsessed with nature for forever and as someone who struggles to socialize since I have a hard time knowing what people want or expect from me and who very much spends my time just watching and observing the world around me while s...read more

- a very cinematic work of science fiction
- not much is truly explained or understood--would have liked more of a resolute ending, although the other 2 books in the series might answer these questions
- intriguing, horrifying, thrilling, all at the same time

If you've seen the movie, you won't be spoiled on the book--at least, not too much, anyway. The title at least makes sense in the book. My only issues were some of the strange ways the author chose to describe what happens to his biologist. Aside from that, this author clearly cares deeply about his characters. They're unique humans with human flaws, each bringing her own perspective to the horrors happening within the contaminated area (focusi...read more

Wow.
When I was an 18-year-old who had just moved to Bloomington, Indiana to begin my music degree, a Bloomington local I met at an open mic night (RIP Max’s Place!) leaned in and told me: “Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.” This quote from Pena Chödrön has hummed within my bones and resonated in my cells ever since… and I endured many types of annihilation du...read more

It's like China Mieville lite had a step child with Alan Moore's Swamp Thing stories. I did quite like it, a rather quick and easy read.