Justin Pickard reviewed Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
Tense, pacy, and demanding eco-thriller
4 stars
The first third or half of this novel is close to perfect, an expertly judged ratcheting of stakes and tension that hooks the reader and draws you in. Appreciated the sensory, embodied descriptions, rooted in a specific set of experiences, and a particular viewpoint. Beyond that halfway point, as the complexity increases, it gets a harder to keep on top of all the moving parts, interested parties, and newly-discovered information. Dramatic set pieces are compelling on their own terms, but feel detached from the bigger picture, with bursts of action and mystery-solving unfolding on seperate planes, only sometimes intersecting.
Some violence, unpleasant in parts, lingering after the book is closed and put away. The use of setting and worldbuilding is striking, effectively depicting a near-future fragmentation. And whatever my quibbles, VanderMeer sticks the landing.