What We're Reading: Abby

Ape House: A Novel by Sara Gruen

This story centers around a group of bonobo apes,research subjects at the Great Ape Language Lab where they have learned to communicate with humans through sign language and computers. The lab, spearheaded by Isabel Duncan is suddenly bombed and the apes disappear - only to turn up a short time later on a reality show called Ape House. The apes are alone in the house to do as they please. They order what they want to eat on the computer as their signing is closed captioned for everyone to see. Every single aspect of their lives is exposed and it becomes a huge hit for the man behind the scheme. Meanwhile Isabel, though injured in the blast is trying to figure out who was behind the bombing and subsequent ape abduction. She is trying to save the apes from ultimately being sold to an unscrupulous lab and enlists the help of a reporter and a host of quirky characters to help. You are never sure of anyone's motivations in this very entertaining novel but everything gets tied up nicely at the end.