Abandoned by her husband after the birth of their child, Jane Dixon’s world is defined by her autistic son and the research she does to find a cure for his condition. She knows her work on animal intelligence may hold the key. She also knows that the research will take decades to complete. None of it will ultimately benefit her son.
All that changes when a lab rat named Einstein demonstrates that he can read and write. Just as her research yields results, the U.S. government discovers her program. The army wants to harness her research for its military potential. The CDC wants to shut her down completely. The implications of animal intelligence are too dangerous, particularly when the previously inert virus proves to be highly contagious.
She steals the virus to cure her son, but the government discovers the theft. She must now escape to Canada before the authorities can replace her son’s mental prison with a physical one.
I received an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review
The blurb of the book was enough for me to actually be interested in reading this book. It had so many things I am interested in – Animal Research (albeit the ethical one!), Autism and Government being the jackass it usually is!
This book has multiple POV’s (which you would know makes it all the better read for me :P) – but the interesting part was that the POV’s included those of Bear, the dog and Einstein, the infinitely rude Rat with a superiority complex!
The multiple POV’s (including those of the animals) was a brilliant stroke by the author – where in you understood that even when animals become Sapient beings – they do not loose their in born characteristics! Animals researches after all, do say that each animal has their own personality which is clearly outlined in the plot and has been taken advantage of!
Autism has always interested me at a professional level, so I was highly interested in reading this book – But while the writing itself was brilliant – the never ending twists and turns frankly exhausted me by the end.
Not to mention, halfway through it started to feel exactly like the plot of a Hollywood Movie and while I do like those action filled movies with the villainous government agencies and the Russians – I actually like my books to be a little more original.
But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it. I honestly did! The multiple POV’s kept everything interesting for me – enough that I completed the book within hours of starting it!
⭐ star: ⭐ .5
If you are in a science fiction mood – pick this book up! Especially if you are interested in the viewpoint of a dog and a rat – they did keep the book interesting after all!
For The Love of Fictional Worlds 