A review by donnamariestewart
Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer

2.0

I have read and enjoyed previous works by VanderMeer and was excited to dive into his latest. For those that have read the Southern Reach trilogy, this book differs. I would describe it as a speculative eco-thriller set in contemporary times. The beginning of the book drew me in, but it quickly lost momentum and turned into a sluggish mystery with frustratingly incomprehensible character motivations throughout. It did pick up towards the very end, but it was a struggle to get there. There were moments when VanderMeer’s vivid writing leapt from the page, but these were too infrequent. Still, I appreciate the VanderMeer’s ability to create a wholly new story that refuses to be neatly categorized in a genre and look forward to more of his thought-provoking imaginings.