Powerful and graphic depiction of the suffering animals endure at our hands, presented through interviews with an ape who can communicate with humans using sign language.

The gruesome reality of so many everyday and perhaps seemingly innocuous practices is brought home, viewing for example zoos, fox hunting and poaching in detail, through the eyes of the animals as well as the people who find themselves in an impossible situation where they have to perpetuate these barbaric methods to survive.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

"To this day memories of my family are vague, for I was very young when they were killed. Even now I cannot tell you what I felt when I lost them, for there are no words in my language, or yours, which can convey my grief."

After finishing Interviews With An Ape I felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness. Normally after finishing a book this would be best described as 'a book hangover' but in this case the sadness was because while the book may be a work of fiction the cruelty we inflict on other species is not.

Interviews With an Ape is written in the form of a series of interviews by Dr Sadiq and "my colleague, Einstein, a male silverback, Mountain gorilla." The interviews were communicated via sign language.

The book also contained chapters from the points of view of multiple animals and also the humans involved in their lives for good or bad.

Interviews With An Ape is violent, harrowing and all the more harrowing for containing real life practices, the sections on bear bile in particular were tough reading.

It was a disturbing read but I am glad I read it.

"If you humans do not change your ways your children will wake up one day and find their world emptied of all the abundant life that once thrived. They will pore over their picture books and read their stories and look about them and wonder what happened to that paradise you call earth. And then they will look at you, their parents, and grandparents, demanding answers you cannot give. Do not worry for me. Worry for them."

One of the most powerful books I’ve read, had me thinking long afterwards about the subject matter and how we humans treat animals in general. Quite a dire subject matter and the stories themselves are sad, not sure how I can say you’ll enjoy it from what I’ve wrote 😂 but you will….so get the book cos it’s one that should be read by all!

I was interested due to the title and the synopsis. But its very miss leading.

An interview wouldn't be one dimension discussion, yet the stories seem to be that way. It seems to be very focused on humans abusing animals, and showing little 'good' humans. I get there is people who do horrible things to animals but this seemed to go to the extreme which made it hard to actually read, but also i wouldn't be recommending for this reason. Even the animals are steretyped and they don't have an animal voice feel which again was disappointing.

This book was a lot bleaker than I initially expected from the whimsical premise. A signing ape called Einstein conducts a series of interviews with different species of animals (and later, with various humans too). Through the course of these interviews, the author lays bare the various horrific cruelties inflicted by homo sapiens on the natural world and its inhabitants.

We see the perspectives of a hunting dog, a captive orca, an orphaned elephant, a breeding sow, a poacher’s daughter, a journalist, and every single thread reveals an unrelenting tapestry of misery and viciousness. So at first, I floundered a little, in the kind of discomfort you feel when unexpectedly faced with a graphic PETA ad. (I need to note that this discomfort is important in facing the issues in question honestly and is definitely a valuable and effective technique in raising awareness and in calling to action).

I found my footing in this novel when the various individual story threads began weaving together to form more of a coherent narrative – instead of the initial disparate tales of woe – and those connections enabled me to fully invest in the main characters, forcing me to confront previously ignored realities about how we treat the other (non-human and human) inhabitants of our world.

This wasn’t easy to read, but it was extremely well-written, and the important message within is delivered with graphic and memorable clarity. I feel like this should be on the curriculum for everybody to read, as a unique and fresh perspective on a well-worn global issue.


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Fallon has written a powerful title! Giving animals a voice, this book reveals how humans have truly tortured animals. This book just highlights the dire need for us to act and speak out for these poor animals and treat them as equals

Einstein is an ape who communicates through sign language. An interesting premise.

This book really had me thinking about the arrogance of Man and the extent to which animals depend on and are affected by Man's cruelty.

I wasn't sure whether this was my kind of book but I really enjoyed it and found a lot to think about as I read.

The irony that it takes a human to give the animals a voice is a painful reality to bare.

Overall, a great read I highly recommend.

Interviews with an Ape by Felice Fallon is about the relationship between animals and humans and gives animals a voice.

Wow, amazing, wonderful, stunned I don't know what to say
A delightful book, well written and thought provoking.

I had no idea what to expect from this book. But having just finished it I'm blown away by the power of its words.

Written from the perspective of animals suffering at the hands of humans, as well as from some of the humans' perspective, this is such an important message.

Written so cleverly, with a narrative about Einstein the gorilla, weaving its way through, I defy anyone not to be incredibly moved, and at times, ashamed, of how we treat wild creatures and destroy lives.

Political, philosophical, moving and powerful, this book needs to be read.

This book really brought to light the suffering of animals at the hands of humans and really makes you think. An interesting perspective written from the animals viewpoint. Recommended.

Sublime, sad, joyful, poignant. A timely novel that says a lot about the way humans interact with the animals we share this planet with, never more uneasy a relationship than when we have to share it with our cousins, the apes. We lack empathy to such a degree. Thank god novels like this exist.

A really interesting and emotive read. Reading the animated voices of each animal highlighted what we all know deep down to be the truth of the injustice many animals face at the hands of humanity. Interviews with an Ape makes it so that those realities can be experienced and never forgotten

What an extraordinary premise for a book that I fear will go under the radar publicity wise.

It begins with a gorilla , Einstein, who has learnt sign language to communicate with humans. We then hear the stories of a variety of animals who have been ill treated /exploited by humans. It would have been easy for the author to portray this in a one dimensional way, butt she addresses the complexity in which humans who are themselves struggling for survival make choices that many will not agree with.

It's bold in its concept and should be pressed into everyone's hands to make them consider where we for in the ecosystem and our corresponding responsibilities .

Foxhound, starved in order to chase foxes, Sow, kept in inhumane conditions to provide cheap food, Elephant, orphaned for tusks, and Orca forced to perform for humans. Their despairing and harrowing stories told via Einstein, an Ape that can communicate with humans. 'It takes a long time for people to change their ways, a single thread cannot become a chord, a single tree does not make a Forest, however a single spark can make a great fire'...
What a unique tale, written with such emotion. No psychological plot twist, a genuine raw book about good versus evil, right versus wrong, life versus death. Excellent

A painful, gut-wrenching read that is fundamentally important in its subject matter. In Interviews with an Ape we meet a number of animals who have had their lives disrupted from nature's intended course by humans. All are brutal narratives and heartbreaking. As an animal lover I struggled through more than one of tales. But, I persevered and was next introduced to the humans who inflicted themselves on these animals. Some were cruel, yes, but most were victims of difficult life circumstances and had to do what they needed to to survive and feed their families. A thought provoking section that showed that animals were not the only casualties in this novel. The next set of people we met were the ones actively working to better the lives of the animals by bringing hope to the cruel situations of the animals we, by now, know rather well and care for.

This is a story of man's cruelty but also one of hope. We can make a difference in the choices we make, in the food we eat, in the medicines and products we buy. We, as humans, are intelligent but must ensure the power, knowledge and reasoning we possess is used to the betterment of animals and the wider world rather than using them to fulfill our own selfish ends. Interviews with an Ape is a thought-provoking read that makes me view things differently and hope it opens the eyes of the masses to the plight of animals globally.

This book is such a timely read. We never as humans really acknowledge the hurt we inflict on animals. Starting with Einstein the ape we understand how he lost his family and what his life was like after he was taken by hunters. Throughout this very sensitive read I was getting quite upset and felt emotionally connected throughout.

A heartbreaking and horrifying portrait of the abuse and exploitation of animals by humans. From poaching to vivisection, our total disregard for the pain and distress we inflict and the destruction of habitats and species is laid bare. Told from the point of view of the animals and also the human protagonists, we see that poverty and desperation can sometimes result in unspeakable horrors. That said, as long as we treat the natural world with such casual indifference and arrogance there will always a market and willingness to continue.

This is one of the best and most inventive books I’ve read in a long time. If you had any doubts about how animals feel about their treat by human beings this should set the record straight. I defy you to read it and not cry - it’s so moving and it’ll be a long time, if ever before I forget about Einstein. This is a book not to be missed.