In a near-future ravaged by environmental collapse, two zookeepers—reserved Camille and rebellious Sailor—form a complex bond while caring for the last surviving animals at a high-security zoo on Alcatraz Island, where the ethics of captivity, hope for liberation, and the threat of animal-smuggling cartels collide. The novel explores themes of extinction, conservation, and the moral ambiguities of survival, culminating in a risky plan that tests loyalty, trust, and the possibility of a better world.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a near-future world where a mold virus has decimated nearly all flora and fauna, the novel follows Camille, a solitary zookeeper at the last zoo on earth, located on Alcatraz Island. The zoo, retrofitted from the former prison, houses the last remaining animals—chimpanzees, frogs, a jaguar, and others—while the outside world is plagued by environmental collapse, resistance groups, and animal cartels. Camille’s routine is disrupted by the arrival of Sailor, a new zookeeper from Paris with a radical approach to animal welfare and stories of a secret sanctuary where animals roam free. The narrative is primarily confined to the zoo, focusing on the daily lives of the keepers and their ethical dilemmas, with the plot centering on Sailor’s plan to smuggle an animal to freedom and the consequences that follow. The story is told through dual perspectives, with a slow-burn, character-driven approach, and culminates in a twist ending that many readers found unexpected and emotionally impactful.

Readers praised the novel’s atmospheric and vivid writing, particularly the detailed depiction of the zoo’s environment and the animals’ behaviors. The relationship between Camille and Sailor was frequently highlighted as a strength, with their contrasting personalities—Camille’s rule-following nature and Sailor’s rebelliousness—providing depth to their interactions. Many appreciated the exploration of ethical questions around animal captivity, conservation, and the blurred lines between sanctuary and imprisonment. The book’s contemplative tone, focus on animal welfare, and nuanced character development were also noted, as was the effective use of Alcatraz as a setting. The audiobook narration by Suzy Jackson received positive feedback for its clarity and emotional resonance.

Criticisms centered on the minimal worldbuilding outside the zoo, with several readers expressing frustration at the lack of detail about the broader dystopian context, the origins of the blight, and the choice of Alcatraz as the zoo’s location. Some found the pacing slow and the plot meandering, with a focus on daily routines rather than action or external events. The relationship between Camille and Sailor was sometimes described as underdeveloped or lacking emotional depth, and a few readers were disappointed by the absence of explicit queer representation despite hints of a special bond. Others felt the book’s themes around zoos and animal ethics were muddled or presented an overly negative view of zoos, and some found the ending more depressing than hopeful, contrary to the marketing description. There were also comments about unresolved plot points and a desire for more backstory for the main characters.

The book has an average reader rating of 3.61 out of 5 from 363 ratings and 135 full reviews, with a page count of 272. It is categorized as fiction, science fiction, dystopia, contemporary, animals, literary fiction, and audiobook, and is scheduled for publication on August 12, 2025. The narrative is primarily insular, focusing on the microcosm of the zoo rather than the external world, and raises questions about activism, trust, and the ethics of conservation in a collapsing environment. While some readers found the lack of answers and open-endedness thought-provoking, others preferred more concrete resolutions. The book has been compared to works by Téa Obreht and Charlotte McConaghy, and is noted for sparking discussion about environmental decline, animal rights, and the human response to extinction.