Another biological apocalypse from Vandermeer, though the setting this time is more contained than the Southern Reach - a ruined city stalked by the monstrous bear Mord, and by children with wasps for eyes; a place where even those survivors who still seem broadly human rely on symbiotic organisms such as diagnostic beetles and surgical slugs. Borne, the title character (though whether he can really be called a character is a recurring question) was salvaged from the flank of the sleeping Mord. Initially part plant and part sea-anemone, never moving when observed, he soon becomes far more than that, and it gradually dawns that this is in large part a story about parenthood in a time of collapse; worrying about the fate of the young in the ruined world they've been left, while also being aware that they may have adaptations to it which baffle and alarm the old. Rachel, the narrator, arrived in the city from an outside world which has suffered a fate no less awful but much less surprising: the flurry of rising seas, resource wars, refugee camps and paranoia already well underway, here poignantly rendered in child's eye view. But that brings me to my fundamental problem with Borne; it’s just not quite odd enough. While this is undoubtedly a strange and shitty future, it lacks that true existential weirdness of the author's Ambergris or Southern Reach books. In places it's how I imagine Margaret Attwood's biotech-gone-wild SF books might be, if I could ever bring myself to read that irksome genre traitor. And sometimes it just feels like it's going on a bit, which in fairness is probably an accurate representation of existence after the end of civilisation, but which for some reason seems particularly pronounced when I read survival horror on my 'phone (I had a similar though less pronounced reaction to The Fireman by Joe Hill, another writer I normally like much more on paper than I did with his Netgalley ARC). Still, while it seems a bit beneath Vandermeer, he’s very good at it all the same, with fabulous lines along the way: "Apparently we’d been richer than we thought, to suffer such continual diminishment and still be alive”. Even if the bit about "no truth I learned struggling back, except that life is struggle” did feel like it had been too accurately mirrored in some phases of the reading experience. Nevertheless, the ending was as moving as the best of what preceded it, and the acknowledgments open with an apology to “miraculous” bears, before proceeding to the few humans who merit comparison with them. I can forgive a lot for that.

Borne is the story of Rachel, a scavenger in a ruined world populated by bizarre 'biotech' - failed experiments left to rampage around terrorising what's left of humanity. Rachel comes across a weird plant/sea creature thingy,names it Borne, takes it in, watches it grow, becomes its mummy and then starts to question Borne's role in her life and in the wider world.

The main strengths of this book are VanderMeer's wild and weird ideas. Early on we are introduced to Mord, a kong-sized bear who wanders around smashing the shit out of buildings and murdering any life forms he comes across. Cool. Oh, and he can fly. That alone should guarantee a 5-star review.

But...the book has problems. I felt pacing was a real issue - after buying in to the world and it's inhabitants early on and being intrigued by what was ahead, I felt things got very bogged down in the middle section and there wasn't a strong narrative drive. I also felt some of the action scenes fell a little flat.

I'm glad I read Borne, and the imagery is strong enough to linger post-read but the slow pace prevented it from being a great read.

This was unfortunately not for me. Somehow the story coudnt grab me, even though I really liked the premise and the general 'weirdness' of the setting.

This is very dreamy , it feels dissociated but yet very specific.
The book reminds me a little of Jeff Noon it continues to move and develop as the story continues. and it is very interesting and very charged .

I felt at times it was too difficult to grab a footing in the text ,but it is propulsive and interesting and will make you wonder which has to be a good thing

This story takes place in an almost derelict city in the future. The Company, through experimentation and biotechnology, has produced monstrosities, including a huge bear which terrorises those still eking an existence there. Rachel, a scavenger, finds a plant-like creature in the bear’s fur and brings it home. She calls it Borne and as it grows and exhibits intelligence, she realises she loves it/him like a child of her own. Other powers are at work in the city but the existence of Borne changes the balance.

I found this book thoroughly gripping from the very first. It reminded me of science fiction stories of my younger days which were able to take me out of my own world and into one completely different, and usually far more horrific. The style was thoughtful, occasionally lyrical and always totally entertaining. Heartily recommended.