You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
toliver87 's review for:
Annihilation
by Jeff VanderMeer
I made the mistake of going into this book with expectations shaped by the film adaptation. I was excited to read the source material, but the book is very different from the movie. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Where the film leans into surreal imagery and emotional arcs, the book is more meditative and clinical. It reads like a scientific report, which, I think, is entirely the point. One of my favorite aspects of the novel is its use of an unreliable narrator. The story is filtered through her detached, often ambiguous observations, creating a persistent feeling of disorientation.
A standout moment for me was the depiction of the “tower” (or “tunnel,” depending on who’s describing it) as a living organism. That image alone embodies the book’s creeping strangeness. VanderMeer masterfully builds a world that feels unknowable, cold, and alien, and the narrator’s inability—or unwillingness—to make sense of what she’s experiencing only draws the reader deeper into Area X’s mystery.
While I did find myself wanting more character development, I also understand the narrative choice: we only know what the narrator knows. That limitation is part of the novel’s design and reinforces its haunting, cerebral tone.
Annihilation isn’t a traditional sci-fi thriller; it’s something stranger, quieter, and more unsettling.
Where the film leans into surreal imagery and emotional arcs, the book is more meditative and clinical. It reads like a scientific report, which, I think, is entirely the point. One of my favorite aspects of the novel is its use of an unreliable narrator. The story is filtered through her detached, often ambiguous observations, creating a persistent feeling of disorientation.
A standout moment for me was the depiction of the “tower” (or “tunnel,” depending on who’s describing it) as a living organism. That image alone embodies the book’s creeping strangeness. VanderMeer masterfully builds a world that feels unknowable, cold, and alien, and the narrator’s inability—or unwillingness—to make sense of what she’s experiencing only draws the reader deeper into Area X’s mystery.
While I did find myself wanting more character development, I also understand the narrative choice: we only know what the narrator knows. That limitation is part of the novel’s design and reinforces its haunting, cerebral tone.
Annihilation isn’t a traditional sci-fi thriller; it’s something stranger, quieter, and more unsettling.