Borne (novel)

Borne
Paperback edition cover
Author Jeff VanderMeer
Country United States
Language English
Genre Science fiction
Publisher MCD
Publication date
 April 24, 2017
Media type Print
Pages 336 pp
ISBN 978-0-00-815918-4

Borne is a 2017 biotech apocalyptic novel[1] by American writer Jeff VanderMeer.[2]

Plot

In the ruins of a nameless city of the future, ruled by a giant grizzly called Mord, a woman named Rachel lives as a scavenger, collecting genetically engineered organisms and experiments created by the biotech firm the Company. Hidden in Mord's fur, she finds a sea anemone shaped creature she calls Borne.[3]

Background

VanderMeer had for a long time considered writing about growing up in the South Pacific, where he lived as a child. One day the image of a sea anemone came to him, along with a hand which he knew belonged to Rachel, that reached out to grab the anemone from the fur of a giant bear. From that image, the rest of the city assembled itself. Mord was influenced by Richard Adams's Shardik, and his never explained ability to fly was inspired by a character in Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus.[4]

Reception

The novel was highly praised, with The Guardian saying "VanderMeer’s recent work has been Ovidian in its underpinnings, exploring the radical transformation of life forms and the seams between them."[1] Publisher's Weekly said the novel reads "like a dispatch from a world lodged somewhere between science fiction, myth, and a video game" and that with Borne Vandermeer has essentially invented a new literary genre, "weird literature."[5] The New Yorker said the novel plunges the reader "into a primordial realm of myth, fable, and fairy tale."[6]

Sequels and possible film

In August 2017 VanderMeer released the novella The Strange Bird: A Borne Story.[7] The stand-alone story is set in the same world as Borne but features different characters. He's also reportedly working on a story called "Three Dead Astronauts", based on the dead astronauts mentioned in Borne.[7]

Paramount Pictures has optioned the film rights to Borne.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Borne by Jeff VanderMeer review – after the biotech apocalypse" by Neel Mukherjee, The Guardian, June 15, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Borne". Goodreads. goodreads.com. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  3. ↑ Jeff Vandermeer's new dystopian novel 'Borne' is lyrical and harrowing; Elizabeth Hand reviews
  4. ↑ For Florida author Jeff VanderMeer, giant flying bears are all in a day's work
  5. ↑ "Starred review of Borne by Jeff VanderMeer," Publisher's Weekly, February 06, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Jeff VanderMeer Amends the Apocalypse" by Laura Miller, The New Yorker, April 24, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Four Questions for...Jeff VanderMeer" by John Maher, Publisher's Weekly, August 01, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Paramount and Scott Rudin Team on Next Novel From ‘Annihilation’ Author (EXCLUSIVE)" by Justin Kroll, Variety, October 18, 2016.
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