A story of transcendent heart
5 stars
( em português: sol2070.in/2026/09/hummingbird-salamander-jeff-vandermeer )
Hummingbird Salamander (2021, 384 pages) differs from Jeff Vandermeer's recent novels in that it is a standalone story, not part of any epic series. A thriller set five minutes ahead in the catastrophe, with the characteristic ecological incandescence—in both good and bad senses—that has made the writer famous.
I had read it when it came out, and rereading it was one of the most rewarding experiences.
Jane, a security consultant, receives a mysterious package containing a rare and precious stuffed hummingbird, as these birds have become extinct (in our world, we are firmly on that path). Like other countries, the US is crumbling into civil conflicts and a resurgence of authoritarianism, simultaneous to the advanced environmental collapse. Those who are a little more privileged, like Jane, can still afford to pretend to live life as if nothing is happening.
She is …
( em português: sol2070.in/2026/09/hummingbird-salamander-jeff-vandermeer )
Hummingbird Salamander (2021, 384 pages) differs from Jeff Vandermeer's recent novels in that it is a standalone story, not part of any epic series. A thriller set five minutes ahead in the catastrophe, with the characteristic ecological incandescence—in both good and bad senses—that has made the writer famous.
I had read it when it came out, and rereading it was one of the most rewarding experiences.
Jane, a security consultant, receives a mysterious package containing a rare and precious stuffed hummingbird, as these birds have become extinct (in our world, we are firmly on that path). Like other countries, the US is crumbling into civil conflicts and a resurgence of authoritarianism, simultaneous to the advanced environmental collapse. Those who are a little more privileged, like Jane, can still afford to pretend to live life as if nothing is happening.
She is particularly intrigued because the dead hummingbird came with a cryptic message about a salamander, since in a past she prefers to forget, such an amphibian held special significance.
The many similarities to what we are experiencing today are disturbing. What balances this is the growing awe over the natural world. Jane, in a roundabout way, cannot help but feel the call penetrating her deep, multifaceted, insensitive shield. It's not just the world that is crumbling. She confronts her ghosts and difficulties with her past and present family, including her daughter and husband. And the collapse seems to externalize her own life.
While investigating who sent the message, a conspiracy appears to branch out in several directions, involving a devastating corporation, an oligarchic family, anarchists, utopian dreams, wildlife, and bioterrorism.
The prose is sharp like that of hardboiled crime novels or noir, but the cynical nihilism gives way to broader emotions. It's astonishing how Vandermeer manages to alternate his writing style as the story demands, compared to his other books.
Hummingbird Salamander isn't just page-turning cli-fi. Jane's internal conflicts develop a parallel plot, sometimes more central. And the way everything converges is dazzling. It's also a story of transcendent heart, like Vandermeer's other works.