Absolution: A Southern Reach Novel by Jeff VanderMeer
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Absolutely Insane
I do not even know where to begin but will start with, LONG LIVE THE TYRANT, LONG MAY SHE REIGN. I will give no further explanation. Read the book. Once again we return to AAX or Area X for short. The novel is broken up into three sections and while each has a similar unsettling beauty they are wildly different. If you are looking for answers to things left in the original trilogy you will be either pleasantly surprised by what's given or extremely upset by twhut is not. Part 1, Dead Town, is (for lack of better terms) f***ed. It is wildly interesting, disturbing, beautiful, and grotesque. It is the start of insane things to come and really plays on Centrals willingness to do anything and everything possible to reach their shadowy means. You shift through the accounts with Old Jim and alongside him become enveloped by the bonkers story being told. There is no way that could have happened right? Part 2, The False Daughter, is my personal favorite. A psychological thriller following Old Jim as his life and mind seem to unravel. Puppeted by his "old friend" and boss Jack. This sections twists and turns were exciting. The unsettling feeling the deeper into it you got was anxiety inducing. Old Jim and Cass are great characters and their chemistry was perfect. It started pretty straight forward and ended in insanity and brutality. Honestly, I could have a whole novel around this section and would have been happy. Part 3, The First and the Last, follows Lowry. Who, if you're familiar with the series, you'll know but not at all like this. A drug induced stream of consciousness told you by a real piece of work who in his drugged state can't stop thinking and saying F**K. It is a lot at first. Like every other word is f**k. No issues with the f**ks but makes sentences a bit wonky. It does cool down a bit and the first exped/mish goes by fast and in a blur. Area X and VanderMeer's writing in general is always an exciting challenge but make sure you pay extra close attention here as this is Area X newly born and at its most opaque. Beautiful and haunting visuals, reality distorted even more then I expected, hallucinations that make no sense but also all the sense? Lowry not my favorite character or narrator but think that's kind of the point. By the end you'll probably feel a little hollow and that's not a bad thing. At least to me. Area X is a phenomenon not known fully to anyone and should (to me) remain a mystery. A cosmic horror of such an abstract nature you can only let it wash over you. You can only ACCEPT it. See what I did? Silly aside, I do feel that way and is that not what we do everyday in life anyway? Thanks to NetGalley and MCD for the ARC of Absolution. Cannot what to have a physical copy in my collection.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
This was fine
Wow he likes the word frick! This was my least favorite of the Southern Reach series. I just didn’t care about any of these people and was kind of confused most of the time.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The best Speculative Fiction of the year
Could you lose your mind to an unanswerable question or just your soul? Jeff VanderMeer's Absolution is a masterful addition to the Southern Reach series, deepening the chilling narrative of Area X while preserving the eerie ambiguity that defines it. The novel unfolds in three interconnected parts, each enhancing the overarching mystery. The first section, "Dead Town," recounts an expedition of biologists exploring the forgotten coast two decades before the Area X border was established. Here, horror and suspense intertwine as unsettling creatures and strange occurrences create an atmosphere thick with dread. Next, "The False Daughter" shifts focus to Old Jim, a familiar character from Acceptance. VanderMeer shines in his character development, crafting an emotionally charged and suspenseful narrative that resonates powerfully. Finally, "The First and The Last" offers Lowry’s firsthand account of his harrowing journey. This standout section is rich with dark humor and disturbing imagery, perfectly balancing the horror and absurdity of the experience. VanderMeer's prose alternates between lyrical beauty and unsettling horror, exploring the dual cruelties of nature and humanity. His haunting imagery and pervasive sense of déjà vu draw readers deeper into the story. Absolution answers lingering questions while introducing new ones, fueling the intrigue that has captivated fans of the series. This installment expertly combines dark comedy and unsettling moments, taking readers on a beautifully terrifying journey that leaves them both satisfied and yearning for more. VanderMeer continues to solidify his status as a master of contemporary speculative fiction.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
beautifully unsettling, brilliantly bizarre!
I absolutely loved this sci-fi horror book! It’s got that wonderfully "deeply weird" vibe that pulled me in and made me feel a little unsettled, in the best way possible. The story is told through the eyes of Old Jim, who works for a mysterious government organisation called “Central.” He’s been through a lot, especially after the heartbreaking loss of his daughter. Now, he’s on a quest to uncover what happened to a team of biologists who vanished in Area X. Absolution was everything I hoped for and more! I felt completely immersed in this bizarre nightmare while answering some questions I never even thought to ask. One of the key storylines follows Lowry, the head of Central during "Annihilation" and "Authority/Acceptance," who is also the only survivor of the first expedition into Area X. By the end, I gained some real clarity—not just about the origins of Area X, but about its mysterious effects on the surrounding landscape. If you're a fan of Jeff VanderMeer like I am, you'll probably find this book incredibly enjoyable; the different storytelling styles kept things feeling fresh. It’s a bit like riding a wave of weirdness—you might feel like you’re just barely keeping your head above water, but that’s part of the journey, right? I know that style isn’t for everyone, though. I'd also recommend it to folk wanting to explore sci-fi, weird lit. The great news is, you can dive into this book even if you haven’t read any of the Southern Reach series. Absolution is beautifully unsettling, brilliantly bizarre!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Lowry, what?
My god. If this is a conclusion to the series, it's a dang good one. I have thoroughly enjoyed each of these books and I finished at 1:05am because I couldn't put Absolution down once I hit Lowry's perspective. This feels like a conclusion, but if it is not, I will happily read all future installments. I loved every bit of Old Jim's story, and love how Jeff VanderMeer doesn't seem to waste a single word (even with Lowry's perspective...all the f***s...but I mean, he was high, so it's forgiven). I love how he is easily able to connect threads from the other books in new ones, so that everything feels cohesive even when the style changes slightly to accommodate new perspectives.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The Southern Reach Continues!
The surprise ! Fourth volume in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach series Promoted as answers to SR and Area X but I am here to tell you that is not the case. That is not to say that you won't enjoy more VanderMeer, you will! But I am a kind of black/white sort of person (I do fight it) and I like it best when I understand things completely. You won't get any clear answers here. However, I did, wholeheartedly enjoy the ride! The 1st SR book scared me so much that I stopped everything I was doing and just read and read. I don't recall that ever happening to me before - not even conscious of what was going on or what I was supposed to be doing. I was very excited for this new novel and it did not disappoint. Absolution is 3 novellas starting with "Dead Town" which presents a chronology of the biologist working in the field. This is proclaimed to be pre-Area X and it certainly seems to be that way at first as certain animals appear and disappear and of course the Biologists themself begin to vanish. In "The False Daughter" is about Old Jim and a secret mission and finally, "The First and the Last" about the first expedition to study Area X, pre the women's' team from book 1. It's a great group of stories linking to the past books and providing hints to the creation and reason behind Area X. Clearly VanderMeer writing, a unique staccato building a desolate yet vibrant world. Area x is still terrifying, unknowable, beautiful and mysterious !
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I Can't Believe It!!!!
Never in my wildest fantasies did I think we’d ever get another Southern Reach book. The Southern Reach series is my favorite series of all time, I will recommend it to anyone who stands still long enough. But the thing is it’s been a minute since I’ve reread it so while I know the overarching story, the intricate details have slipped my mind. This is to my own reading detriment because why did it take me almost the entire story of the first expedition to make a, ahem, certain connection. I don’t want to make excuses for myself but I didn’t ever expect to get approved for this ARC so I hadn’t gotten around to The Great Area X Reread I had been planning on so I feel like I didn’t get everything out of this reading that I could have. As usual with my ARC reviews, I hesitate to say anything of substance because just trust me, read the Southern Reach series because I don’t want to give anything away!! It will change your life!! Unless it doesn’t. People either love or hate this series, there’s no in between. 🤷🏻♀️ Absolution is for the fans and I will give Jeff a crisp high five for this book if I ever get the pleasure of meeting him. I guess the only thing I will say is Lowry’s swearing felt very overwhelming, as an absolute pottymouth myself, I kinda hate too much swearing in books. 😬 Thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus, and Giroix, and MCD for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com