Chimps in the mist (Brazzaville Beach - William Boyd)

Member Name: atarian

Product:	Brazzaville Beach - William Boyd
Date:	10/07/01 (267 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Characters, Some good chimp action

Disadvantages: Typical Boydish writing can put some off

It's been a while since I actually read this book but I see no ops of it yet so I thought I'd have a go.

Brazzaville beach is the story of Hope Clearwater (I have a love/hate thing for Boyd's character's names, they are very emotive but sometimes a bit over thee top)

Hope is an anthropologist and the story is told from 3 periods of her life, including an eventful field assignment in Africa, her marriage and how these events lead to self-imposed exile on Brazzaville Beach.

Boyd speaks as someone who really knows Africa well (I think he was brought up there) and he invests all his characters with depth and personality (even the non-human ones)

He even covers the disparate topics of mathematics and anthropology/biology well.

Like many of his stories the ending is abrupt and some might find it unsatisfying. Those who liked his other books should not be disappointed though.

Summary: