I'm delighted to be the first person to properly review this book. Because this is a book that definitely deserves proper reviews.
Did I select this one largely because of the monkey/ape appeal? You bet. Give me Planet of the Apes any day. But this is a very different planet and a very different story.
Obscure (and shabbily formatted for Netgalley) like many university presses, this book is a striking, thought-provoking, and utterly unique. Meaning it's both better than and won't gain the same traction as a mainstream book.
And yet, it's haunting. The tale of Doogie, the brilliant chimpanzee at odds with the world around him, will gut you in the end. Whether you read it as an account of a personal journey through a much-changed world or a parable about people messing with nature, the story stays with you.
The author has created a singular protagonist and gave him an accordingly singular voice. (Kudos to the translator - this one couldn't have been easy.)
The narrative can get a bit muddled, but it never loses you. And that ending ... quietly devastating.
A really powerful read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

I’m sad to say that I did not enjoy this books. Right from the beginning and unfortunately, through the end, the sentences are clunky and overstated. I had a hard time keeping my attention on the story and often found myself rereading sentences or even full paragraphs to understand them more clearly. It makes me wonder if this is an issue with the original book or with this translation… I will not be reviewing elsewhere.

I was so unbelievably impressed with the use of language in this book. Just the way the monkey thinks and interprets the world, the words he uses, that creates a level of immersion I don't find often. I was invested in the full journey, feeling guilt, hope, fear, and heartbreak. Very happy I clicked this book.

Memories from the Jungle offers a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between humanity and animal instinct, set in a desolate future where Earth has been rendered uninhabitable by pollution and war. This premise is rich with potential, exploring what it means to be human versus animal, and how one’s environment and experiences shape identity. However, despite the rich ideas and compelling setting, the book’s narrative voice, which is told from Doogie’s perspective, occasionally distracts from the story. The effort to capture a chimpanzee’s voice—though undoubtedly a creative and bold choice—sometimes felt a bit jarring.

The plot was incredibly interesting. Being in the mind of an ape provides a unique perspective on the world and makes the reader reflect on human nature and the absurdity of societal constructs we build for ourselves. The book is almost like a reverse jungle book, and I think it will leave readers with a lot to consider in terms of their actions and thoughts. I thought the writing could drone on at points and was a bit difficult to get through. I liked it but I think other books carry the same message and accomplish it with better writing.