The Zoo at the Edge of the World by Eric Kahn Gale (review)

As the son of Roland Rackham, one of the nineteenth century’s most famous explorers, young Marlin feels the pressure to live up to the Rackham name, but his stutter prevents him from being the dynamic individual his father desperately wants him to be. Marlin would rather care for and talk (confidently and stutter free) to the animals at his father’s expansive South American resort, the Zoo at the Edge of the World, where Roland parades his various conquests and captures in circus-like shows for wealthy British travelers. One night, however, an encounter with a jaguar gives Marlin the ability to communicate directly with the animals, and he must face the fact that these creatures are captives, his beloved father is their jailer, and their treatment is getting worse as Roland demands increasingly dangerous shows to impress his elite guests. The animal story here has more of a Life of Pi sensibility than that of Dr. Doolittle, with Marlin’s gift allowing him to see the beauty and brutality in nature and their reflections in humanity. The devastation he feels when he discovers how cruel his father has become is palpable, but the author still allows sympathy for the older man, particularly in the final pages as Roland realizes what his actions have cost him. The mystique of the jaguar is appealingly enigmatic without being overwrought, and the animals themselves offer distinct secondary characters that run the gamut from amusing to villainous. An entertaining adventure with some provocative elements, this might draw in young fans of Kipling and those whose interest in zoos goes beyond the spectacle.