New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.
195 p. ; 20 cm.
Annihilation is a different kind of science fiction, dystopian horror/thriller. The telling of the story is low key, which makes the occasional violence and unnatural events that much more frightening and shocking. Furthermore, a lot of the weirdness and creepiness of the novel is achieved with psychological and atmospheric touches instead of theatrical events and plot twists. In this novel of a research expedition gone awry - people suddenly disappear, the fatal events of past expeditions are gradually revealed, and the biological weirdness of Area X is sometimes directly narrated (a strange plantlike growth that spells out an enigmatic message or a dolphin with eyes that look unsettlingly human).
A lot happens in this short and creepy little novel. There is hypnosis, strange creatures, government lies, death, and deception. It works as a stand alone and yet intrigues the reader to continue with the Southern Reach trilogy of which it is a part. I'm glad to see that the book has received positive reviews and I would recommend it to readers looking for a fresh take on the horror genre.
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