Euphoria by Lily King Book Review
Monday, January 12, 2015
I first picked up
Euphoria after seeing it raved about on NPR. Research
indicated that it was based on the adventures of Margaret Mead on the
Sepik River so I knew Euphoria would at least be an
interesting way to pass some time. Interesting is an understatement.
I now understand why this book has such accreditation, and why it was
in so many “best of” lists for 2014. Euphoria is a cunning
book taking place in 1930s New Guinea that manages to have two main
characters in the throws of anthropology: depressed Andrew Bankson
and best selling author Nell Stone. Her husband, Fen, is jealous of
her success and constantly on a quest to outperform her in the
anthropology world, even to the point of degrading and abusing Nell
emotionally.
Nell and Fen had
previously been studying the Mumbanyo tribe, a group with violent and
even cannibalistic tendencies – actions which fascinate Fen.
However, Nell becomes ill and insists on leaving this tribe much
earlier than they originally intended. Fen holds this against her for
much of the book, as he was after a secret artifact to trump her
success with his own. However, while the three scientists are each
working on their own projects they discover themselves to have made
many lifelong friends among the natives and even work themselves into
an enthralling, disconcerting love triangle full of passion,
jealousy, and discontent. Characters become selfish to the point
where you want to choke them, and so selfless that you want to cry
with them on the New Guinea beaches. The simplicity of the natives
tribes is breathtaking and as the trio spends more time with studying
these groups, we begin to realize just how basic is human emotional
spectrum.
Furthermore, as
if I haven’t rambled enough on how much I loved this book, I’ll
drive the point home by mentioning that the New York Times said this
exquisite novel was “about the rewards and disappointments of
intellectual ambition and physical desire.” I could not have
applied a better description. After all, every human can related
ambition and desire.
Without giving
spoilers, all I can say is run, don’t walk to the library to find
this book. Euphoria is story that will truly leave you gasping for
breath.
