Laurence Gonzales

Deep in the Congo, a renegade scientist alters the genetic makeup of a bonobo ape, with whom he then (artifically, I hope) inseminated with his own reproductive cells, to create Lucy. Jenny, who is also a scientist that studies bonobo, finds Lucy alone in the jungle; her mother and father have been shot by guerrilla warriors. Lucy looks human. She has faculty of her thumbs, language, and morality. But she also has strong nature intuitions and is physically super-strong; she later becomes a regional high-school wrestling champ. At first Jenny and Lucy try to keep Lucy's heritage a secret. But then of course they fail. People hate, fear, and chase Lucy.

Both Lucy and Jenny are written as extremely soulful and likeable characters. Even their respective best friends are cut of the same kindred cloth. So really, it's a book about how the rest of the world is all fucked up.

I recently learned of Nancy Pearl's four "Doors". There are four: Story, Character, Setting, and Language. This one is definitely a wide Story door.… (mere)