Eva.... what can I say? Brilliant, intense and immersive. What a story. Already a huge fan of Lynne Hugo, this just increased her standing with me.

TITLE: LANGUAGE OF KIN
AUTHOR: Lynne Hugo
PUB DATE: 07.11.2023 Now Available

I enjoyed reading Jane Goodall’s The Book of Hope and her life story in Untamed.
Stories about animals intrigue me, as well as, the people whose life’s work revolves in caring and saving these animals - they are heroes to me. Chimpanzee’s have always had a special place in my heart as I watch nature shows - and I can already hear David Attenborough’s voice in the background.

Language of Kin was such an engaging read that grabbed my heart for Eve - an orphaned chimpanzee who was taken by poachers and abused in a lab - but now at the Dayton Zoo - where we are introduced to two characters, Kate and Marc. Their story arc weaves themes of language and the way we communicate and listen in more ways than one. This powerful and emotional novel was a treat to read, and I enjoyed it slowly and with purpose, stopping many times to jot down my thoughts. I find that this book would work well in a book club as it naturally compels readers to discuss and dig deep within to see how this story affects them in many positive ways.

A compelling read that is impeccably written with a huge heart and love in its core. Pick this one up now and I hope you love it as much as I have.

This book is beautiful and heartfelt. I had to pace myself and read it a little each night because even though it was a heavy read it was one I wanted to spend time with.

The book begins as Eve, a chimpanzee, has her own point of view as her mother is killed in the wild and she is forced into a life of captivity. That first night I only read and reflected on that chapter.

The book not only tells Eve’s story, but also how two employees in the primate area of the Dayton Zoo must deal with their own personal and professional challenges.

Kate is frustrated that the zoo doesn’t have her same philosophy on primates. She also deals with a mother that has lost her ability to understand words and uses pictures from magazines to communicate.

Marc is Kate’s coworker and is tasked with helping Eve acclimate to the zoo after coming to them from a medical testing facility. He worries that he doesn’t have the experience necessary to help Eve. Marc has always cared for his mother who is deaf and mute.

The book sheds light on varying animal care philosophies which would make for an interesting point in a book club discussion.

The concept of language being more than the spoken word, family bonds, love, and acceptance in both the human and primate world make this a powerful read as well as one that made me shed multiple tears.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I always love when an animal is the central character of a story. Eve’s story broke my heart and made me look at labs and zoos in a different light. Both Kate and Marc made very valid points on their stance about animals in zoos. I kept going back and forth on who’s side I was on. Communication was a huge issue between them at times and it cause some stress to their workplace and personal life. At first, I was nervous about a hint of a romance but after the story started to develop, I liked that it was there. I thought it was heartwarming how Marcs mother came out of her shell after learning her background. Some of my favorite parts were with her. There were a couple different times I would have loved Eve’s thoughts about a certain situation. It would have been great to get her perspective a little more, but I absolutely loved this book.

Thank you @lynnehugoauthor @netgalley, Blank Slate Press and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

I’ve been fascinated with apes since the story of Koko and teaching her to communicate through sign language.

This is such a piquant sad read exposing the cruelty of animals. While I realize the close dna between apes and humans and the lives enhanced or saved, but at what cost to another living being?

It is beautifully written and I was drawn in from the start. I loved the zookeeper and ape relationship and the building of trust.

This was a powerful and emotional read that will stay with me for a long time. I’m especially sensitive where animals are concerned and have to choose books, movies, etc. related to animals very carefully. Admittedly some parts of this were hard to read but I am so glad I pushed through. The story was compelling and eye opening and Eve was an unforgettable character. It was fascinating to read about different perspectives related to integrating animals into zoo type settings and I always appreciate books that shed light on topics I don’t know enough about.

𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Omg, I loved this story so much; I love animals and I fell in love with Eve since the first pages. The Language of Kin is a beautiful written novel about love, loss and humanity that will capture your heart.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗶𝗻 by Lynne Hugo Reader's Page released July 11, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

This was a compelling and intense read. I didnt want to put it down. Thought provoking.
Many thanks to Amphorae Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

Wow! What can I say? If that cover didn't already grab you, then the story certainly will! The story of Eve (a traumatized research chimp), the story of Kate and Marc (zoo employees where Eve us sent) and the story of their mother's, Ria and Dorothy. Parallel stories about communication and relationships. Human and animal. This book has it all! It's a fictionalized story that reads like it could be non-fiction. The research that must have gone into this book is just incredible! This is an intense story filled with likable (and some unlikable characters), wonderful character and relationship development, and a plot that will keep you reading and not be able to put this book down! I'm not quick to hand out 5 star but this one definitely qualifies!

The Language of Kin is a beautifully written and emotionally novel that highlights the potential of human compassion to overcome barriers of all kinds. It explores the significance of love, understanding, and the universal language of kinship that unites us all. Lynne Hugo's storytelling prowess shines through in this touching and unforgettable tale that will stay with readers long after the final page is turned.

Eve is a chimpanzee that was captured by poachers at a young age. She was then used for experiments in a medical lab. When she comes to the Dayton Zoo, she is scared and leery of humans. Kate and Marc are both working to integrate Eve into the general chimpanzee population, but they have different ways to go about doing this. They must work together despite some personal issues they are dealing with. Will they be able to set aside their differences in order to help Eve?

This was such a beautiful and moving story. I really enjoyed it and thought enjoyed how it was written. I loved how it dug into the communication between humans and animals. This book is very emotional and made me tear up at times, I just felt so much for Eve. I enjoyed how the conflicts in communication style between Kate and Marc was handled. They acted like adults and took ownership of their actions. This book explored how horrible humans can be to animals, and that was so moving and made me think. I just can’t believe how cruel some things are in this world. Ultimately the ending of this one was perfect. It wasn’t exactly where I thought things were going to go, but it was wonderful and wrapped up nicely.

I received a kindle copy of this book free as a winner of a Goodreads giveaway. I entered the giveaway because the cover caught my eye. I love primates, especially chimpanzees. Central to the story is Eve, a chimpanzee that was sent to a zoo after being used for medical experimentation and the zoo personnel who take off her. The story itself is heartbreaking and I found I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to find out what happens to Eve. I give this book 4.5 stars. I wish there was more from Eve’s perspective and it would be a solid 5.

WOW! Lynne Hugo, the author of “The Language of Kin,” has written an exemplary, outstanding, and intriguing novel. The theme is animal and human communication. I love how Lynne Hugo compares and contrasts communication between chimpanzees and humans. The author also discusses how deaf people can communicate and how mute people, who can hear, can communicate. The author writes about an autistic helper and how he relates to the world around him.

The author vividly describes the landscape, habitats, scenery, and her characters. I was fascinated, and I feel that I was able to learn about signing and communication. Also mentioned is poaching and how Eve, a chimpanzee taken by poachers, views humans. Changes in the environment also cause problems for the animals.

The author describes the human characters as complex and complicated. Kate and Marc are co-workers at the Dayton Zoo. Both have different perspectives on animal habitats and the environment. They both do share the stressors of handicapped mothers and also the stressful work environment. The Dayton Zoo is making accommodations for Eve, a chimpanzee that had been isolated and experimented on. They are trying to acclimate Eve to the zoo. There is a push to socialize Eve with the other chimpanzees for publicity and profit. Will Kate and Marc be able to make that work? Through Eve’s narrative, the reader gets to see her reactions.

I am impressed with the research that the author has done, and I also found that there are many layers to this wonderfully complex story. I highly recommend this novel to other readers.

An emotional read connecting humans and animals in the best way. A thought provoking and heart rendering novel. Loved the science woven in.

Thank you to @letstalkbookspromo @berittalksbooks for the #gifted copy.

Powerful, raw, emotional… This one kept me up all night.

I have been fascinated with apes for as long as I can remember so I didn't hesitate when I received the opportunity to read this book!

Eve has had a traumatic life. Her mother was shot and she was taken from the rainforests and put in a lab. For years, she underwent testing and was at the mercy of humans in white lab coats who made her hurt. After 11 years, the lab is ready to get rid of her and turn her over to a zoo. Shortly, after Eve arrives they uncover a twist that makes caring for Eve a little more difficult. Coworkers at the zoo, Kate and Marc, have very differing opinions on how Eve should be integrated into the group, but also how to communicate with her. Eve has to learn to trust humans. Kate and Marc later bond over having to care for their mothers. Relationships though are complicated. They ebb and flow. Having the ability to communicate is a powerful one. Don't miss out on this fast paced, heartfelt read!

I love the cover of this book and the premise, but something didn’t work for me in the execution. I think I am not the right audience for this one.

Review
The Language of Kin
By Lynne Hugo
Advance Reading Copy

I’ve come to expect unique, well-developed storylines and endearing, unforgettable characters in Lynne Hugo’s award winning novels. She definitely does not disappoint with The Language of Kin.

I sailed through this one glued to every page. I was taken down an avenue into modern day science, the inevitable conflicts of interest, the sad story behind lab experiments conducted on chimps, and the awful prices being paid.

A timely, well-researched and beautifully written novel about the struggles between science and the relentless progress of humans. The discrepancies, disagreements and belief systems lost in translation, without a clear path or language to heal and move forward.

The story begins in the rugged interior of a jungle where a baby chimp is torn from her mother by poachers to sell to researchers. The frightening intensity pulls the reader in fast, unable to turn back, committed to finding out what happens to baby Eve.

Written from different points of view, a traumatized Eve is placed in the Dayton zoo, after having endured countless and painful medical experiments in an American lab. The main characters, both highly educated scientists and zoo employees, struggle to help Eve, especially when met with opposition from higher-ups, and their own conflicting ideologies regarding her care.

They fall for each other despite obstacles and later separate, but not before helping each other through language barriers with their own mothers and finding common ground on how to help Eve. The ending left me breathless. A modern love story not to be missed and one which shows the healing powers of the universal language of love.

This was an intense, emotional story that I really did enjoy. I never really thought alot about what into helping animals and this was eye opening. Highly recommend.

Thank you for my gifted ARC!

A man. A woman. A chimp. Each carries secret pain. Each must learn to trust, to communicate, to find healing.

Kate and Marc work for the Dayton Zoo, specialists in primates, both peers and rivals. Kate’s time in the field convinced her of the importance of habitat protection and naturalization of chimpanzees. Marc argues that zoos are “a finger in the extinction dyke.” They don’t trust each other, and are attracted to each other.

In comes Eve, a chimpanzee violently taken from her mother when a baby, then used as a lab animal. She is traumatized, unsocialized, and pregnant. Kate wants to quickly socialize Eve with the gentler chimps. Marc wants to give Eve time to trust and adapt. Marc’s gentleness and care is making advances, teaching Eve to communicate through sign language.

The zoo director is concerned about the bottom line. He pressures the staff to quickly advance Eve’s introduction to the pack so he can use her and her baby as promotion for financial profit. It brings conflict between Marc and Kate, threatening their new relationship.

Communication is a central theme. There is Marc communicating with Eve. Marc’s mother is deaf and mute; sign language was his first language. His mother has retreated from the world, overly dependent on him. He rushes home from work so she isn’t alone after the day help leaves. Kate’s mother has primary progressive aphasia, unable to communicate in words. The assisted living care facility doesn’t know how to cope with her limitations.

It takes time for Marc and Kate to trust each other with their stories. To trust each other at work. When they do, it impacts both their families in a positive way, Marc’s mother showing Kate’s mother a new way of communicating.

This is how we fail, again and again…but language is what we have and if we give up and let it fail, there is nothing left.
from Language of Kin by Lynne Hugo

Our family has adopted puppy mill breeder dogs. The females spent years in cages, giving birth, and the male lived outdoors, suffering from untreated broken bones, frostbite, and allergies. Like Eve, shut down and scared when she arrives at the zoo, our Suki hid in a corner, untrusting and fearful. It took days of sitting and talking with her, caring for her, before she would come to me in the evening for doggie cookies. It took a year before she began to act like a real dog, and even into her senior years, she shyly came from her corner in the evening, smiling, to shake and roll on her back and beg for treats. We had adopted Kara, the male dog from a puppy mill, so she could socialize with another dog. When he came and snuggled next to her, she was uncertain. But they bonded, and Kara taught Suki how to play.

So I understood the methods employed by both Kate and Marc, the need for an animal to socialize with their own kind, and the need for them to learn to trust those who care for them.

I read this book over 24 hours. The original setting, the central issue of how to deal with Eve, and the deep understanding of human nature elevated the story and kept my interest.

I received a free book from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

This story is so powerful! I settled into it and next thing I knew, it was 5AM. I just could not put it down until I finished it.

This is a beautifully written story of the healing power of language across species. The first three pages are hard to read, and some may want to skip those pages. It describes the scene of Eve, the chimpanzee at the center of the story, being ripped from her mother by poachers and later sold to a medical research lab. Eve eventually is sent to the Dayton Zoo in Ohio. Primate keepers Kate and Marc, despite their difference of opinion of what the job should entail, are assigned to integrate Eve into the zoo’s chimp community.

Kate and Marc do find common ground. They each are caregivers for their mothers. Marc’s mother has been deaf her entire life, and after the death of her husband, she has isolated herself. Kate’s mother has aphasia as the result of a stroke. Aphasia has affected her ability to process, use, and/or understand language. This connection challenges them as they continue to clash on how Eve should be handled, especially as they recover from a crisis at the zoo that puts them all in danger.

My favorite parts of the book are when Marc is working alone with Eve, trying to earn her trust, teaching her to communicate with him. I also enjoyed the few scenes written from Eve’s perspective. These portions of the book displayed extreme sensitivity in the use of words to make me feel the emotions I did as I read. The characters, with all their flaws, are likeable, realistic.

This book was well-researched, and I enjoyed learning new things from it. I have always disliked the use of animals for various kinds of research. I did not realize though that apes are used because their DNA matches that of humans so closely.

I received an advance copy of the book. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.