When Dr Simon Corbett, a British entomologist, arrives in the Mexican rainforest in 1973 he has two goals in mind: first, to study the rare mantids that live there – and also to try to make contact with Penelope, the woman he loved. However, both of these things prove very difficult. The mantids live in the sacred ceiba trees and Simon’s guide is reluctant to let him touch them. As for Penelope, she’s dead and Simon is hoping to obtain a special Mayan drug that will allow him to summon her spirit. No one seems prepared to cooperate with him on this either, but Simon is determined to get what he wants, one way or another.
Rainforest is written entirely from Simon’s perspective in the form of diary entries. He tells us that his doctor has advised him to keep a journal to help him cope with the ‘thoughts going round and round like angry wasps’ – although this doesn’t seem to work, as Simon’s thoughts simply become more and more unstable and obsessive as the book progresses. Simon is a man consumed by grief, remorse and guilt, yet he’s such an unlikeable narrator I found it impossible to feel any real sympathy for him. He’s also not being completely honest with the reader, even in his own journal, because the impression he initially gives of his relationship with Penelope is very different from the truth that emerges later in the novel.
This is the second book I’ve read by Michelle Paver, the first being Wakenhyrst, a Gothic novel set in the Suffolk Fens. Although I enjoyed Wakenhyrst, I remember being surprised that it wasn’t scarier, having heard her previous novels Dark Matter and Thin Air described as very creepy horror novels. Rainforest is also not a particularly scary book, despite the cover claiming that it’s a ‘terrifying supernatural tale’. I think it’s best to know that going into it, as some people may be disappointed that it’s not more terrifying, while others will be pleased! Like Wakenhyrst, though, it is still very atmospheric; the rainforest is beautifully described – Paver mentions in her author’s note that she has visited rainforests herself – but, seen through Simon’s eyes, it becomes an oppressive, claustrophobic, menacing place.
Rainforest is a fascinating novel in many ways. As well as the setting which I’ve already mentioned, Paver also explores the arrogance of the white explorer and the lack of respect for the environment and the indigenous people – referred to specifically as the Yachikel, a term Paver says she made up and based on other Mayan peoples. I also learned more about Simon’s beloved mantids than I ever knew I needed to know! Simon being such an unpleasant character, though, meant that I struggled to care about what happened to him and this stopped me from engaging with his story as much as I would have liked. Despite this, I did enjoy the book overall and will catch up with her earlier ones at some point.
Thanks to Orion for providing a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
She Reads Novels 
I was one of the people who found Dark Matter scary – so terrifying, in fact, that I couldn’t finish it (I read mostly last thing at night, and I hate bad dreams!). Thin Air less so, largely because there was a dog. However, Michelle Paver has also written many other books, and I would highly recommend her Wolf Brother series. Ostensibly for children, they’re set in the Paleolithic, at a time when the Ice Age affected Europe, and they’re extraordinarily convincing – apparently Paver lived in Lapland for a while, to see the conditions at first hand. And even though they’re for children, she doesn’t gloss over the harshness of the lives the people live, and the lengths they have to go to, to survive. I also much enjoyed one of her earlier novels, A Place in the Hills, a dual timeline story which links characters in Ancient Rome with a present day archaeological dig. It’s long out of print, I think, but well worth a look. I have a copy on my ‘keeper’ shelves.
If I do read Dark Matter I’ll try to avoid reading it late at night! I’ll definitely consider reading the Wolf Brother series – the setting does sound interesting and I find that most good children’s books have a lot to offer adult readers.
Ooooh… THAT sounds interesting [adds to ‘interest’ list]. Plus, another beautiful cover!
BTW – I started ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ this morning. Its not *quite* what I expected but I’m really enjoying it so far. Review in about 2 weeks.
Yes, it’s a lovely cover! I haven’t read Lessons in Chemistry yet, but I’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying it.
That ‘terrifying’ strapline is so misleading, isn’t it? I don’t see the point – it’ll put off people who don’t want to be terrified, and will disappoint people who do. And as you say, there’s plenty of other stuff in the book to keep it interesting without that. This wasn’t my favourite of her books, but I did enjoy the late colonial stuff and found the forest nicely atmospheric.
I agree – it doesn’t make sense for publishers to mislead potential readers like that. I’ve noticed the same thing with a few other books recently and it just means the book ends up getting worse reviews than it might otherwise have done. I’m glad you liked this one anyway, even if it wasn’t a favourite.
I have this one on my list from some recent event. I haven’t tried her yet, though.
I hope you like it!
I probably mentioned this when you read Wakenhyrst – that I liked a trilogy she set in Jamaica which begins with The Shadow Catcher. I also read a time slip called A Place in the Hills, which sounded great but I seem to recall was disappointing.
Her children’s books were very popular. It is rare for someone to manage to write in so many genres that well!
It seems she’s written a lot more books than I was aware of! I’ll look out for The Shadow Catcher. That does sound like an interesting trilogy.
I love a book thats written in diary format so Im very curious about this one. And even though you found it hard to relate to the character I sometimes find unlikeable ones fascinating so I could definitely still see this one working for me. I probably will try Wakenhyrst by the author first though as I’ve been meaning to try that one for a while now.
I did like this book, but the unpleasant main character was definitely a bit of a problem for me. I hope you enjoy Wakenhyrst if you decide to try it. I thought it had a very atmospheric setting.
Dark Matter (especially) and Thin Air are much scarier than Wakenhyrst or Rainforest!
Yes, I’d heard that Dark Matter and Thin Air were scary books, so I was surprised when I read Wakenhyrst and wasn’t very scared at all!