A Girl With No Name

by Marina Chapman

This is a five star book!!

One of the great stories of our modern era. Not a glittering poetic gem in the night, but well written and undeniably intriguing!

Some of the things I read in this book literally reinvented my perception of the world.

I’ve always been a huge animal lover, but this went beyond what I thought of animals. The personality traits demonstrated by the monkeys in her troop were astounding! Due to the complexities of the emotions and social dynamics involved I believed many personality tics and their faults and graces would apply to humans, but I now understand just how little we know outside of ourselves. These animals go beyond instinct and live in a semi-perfect state balanced between understanding and instinct.

Also, the cruelties suffered because of humanity’s selfish consumption of every resource, especially those we do not control, was terrifying, then and now.

A brief plot overview:

A true story, gathered through years of verbal stories to her daughters, whom then organized into into a book.

In Columbia, her story might be like many others in many ways, but her adventure in survival must be few and far between, a true Mogli story. She was abducted before her fifth birthday from her parents garden before being abandoned somewhere deep in the Colombian jungle.

Can you even imagine? Five years old, abandoned in a strange and dangerous place with the effects of heavy sedative wearing off. No one expected her to survive.

Two days later she came across a troop of Capuchin monkeys.

The friendship consisted of: the monkeys were the first creatures that did not want to eat her or chase her off. She stayed on the outskirts of the group, copying their ways as much as she could.

Making her bed in a hollow tree trunk, she survived on basic instincts, losing her ability to speak, her clothes rotted as she outgrew them, leaving nothing but her long hair to clothe her, as she lost all inhibition with no human contact.

The structure of society, dictated by humanity itself began to fade away as the simian hierarchy becomes more important.

Honestly, everyone should read this book. The story is absolutely mind blowing and will stick with you for years. A tale of true courage and strength from within.

The stories of the monkeys slowly beginning to integrate her into their family is amazing.

One in particular was amazing. I told everyone I saw for a week about it.

It was a fruit: that was toxic when ripen or not ripe enough type situation. Obviously the monkeys could not verbally convey this to the girl, but an older father type monkey saw her eat some and immediately jumped down from his branch and pulled her into a pool of water. She was scared, but the monkey was stronger. Her panic rose as he pushed her face underwater, she was sure she would die here and now.

But he pulled her hair and her face emerged. This happened a few more times, in order to induce vomiting. Which may have saved her life.

 

How absolutely incredible is that??

I won’t give more away, but this book is a top pick for me.