Review by Jill Hedgecock,
author of Between Shadow’s Eyes and Rhino in the Room
“Into the Jungle” (Gallery/Scout Press, 2019, paperback, 352 pages, $10.06) by Erica Ferencik is a literary thriller that will keep readers turning the pages.
Nineteen-year-old Lily Bushwold is a survivor. She fled her latest foster home to take a job in Bolivia. When her teaching post falls through, Lily remains adrift in Cochabamba, living on stolen bananas until she meets handsome Omar. Omar is a hunter from an indigenous tribe who wants to learn English so he can become a jungle guide in the tourist industry. When Lily agrees to teach him, the two become lovers. But when Omar’s nephew is killed by a jaguar, his family asks him to return to his remote home deep in the jungle.
Omar thinks Lily will not adapt to the rigors of living in the rainforest. But spunky Lily, who has lived as a wild child most of her life, believes she has what it takes to assimilate into an undeveloped jungle community. She shrugs off that there is no electricity, no running water, and no roads. Lily insists on taking the perilous flight into the remote village and Omar acquiesces.
Lily gets her first wake-up call when, upon arrival, she discovers tarantulas have invaded her hut. To make matters worse, the inhabitants of Omar’s tribal village of Ayachero are less than welcoming. Even after a few of the residents warm to her, Lily soon discovers how hard and dangerous daily life in the rainforest can be. The novel does not back away from difficult topics, such as the vulnerability of indigenous women when the men are off hunting, or the problems caused by greedy Westerners intent on extracting natural resources that are critical for the continued existence of the indigenous residents.
Lily and Omar are both complex characters, but For God’s Sake, a Tatinga tribesman, and the poachers, Carlos and Dutchie, are memorable additions to the story. For God’s Sake is torn between loyalty to his native tribe despite that they have shunned him, and the Ayachero people who employ him as a river driver. For God’s Sake’s adorable habit of concluding his statements with “over” is sure to endear readers to him. Carlos and Dutchie represent all that is wrong with people who lack a conscience and who view money as more important than morality.
“Into the Jungle” is more than a coming-of-age thriller set in an exotic world. The novel takes a hard look at the impact of colonialism on native tribes.
Erica Ferencik is the award-winning author of two other thrillers, “The River at Night” and “Girl in Ice” which “The New York Times Book Review” declared hauntingly beautiful. Her work has appeared in “Salon” and “The Boston Globe”, as well as on National Public Radio.
About Jill Hedgecock
Jill Hedgecock is a local author of a Doberman trilogy series: “Between Shadow’s Eyes” (Book 1) and “From Shadow’s Perspective (Book 2) and “In Shadow’s Reflection”. (Book 3). Her books are available on amazon.com and www.jillhedgecock.com
About the Author
