Monkey Wars

Starred review from November 10, 2014
Screenwriter Kurti draws from history to deliver a powerful allegory in the style of Watership Down or Animal Farm. Set in Kolkata, this dark fable sees warring tribes of monkeys struggle for dominance: aggressive langurs, led by the fearsome Lord Gospodar, launch a campaign to destroy the peaceful rhesus monkeys, seizing their territory and driving the survivors into cramped ghettoes. Soon, Gospodar is murdered and replaced by the charismatic and cunning Tyrell, who dreams of conquering the entire city, exterminating his foes, and driving out the humans themselves. Caught up in all of this are rhesus Papina and langur Mico, whose friendship defies boundaries, offering a hope for peace or an opportunity for betrayal. The parallels to WWII and Hitler’s rise to power become increasingly blatant as the story progresses, with Tyrell holding his own Night of the Long Knives, for instance, but the novel is no less effective and unnerving for it. Kurti takes creative license with his monkeys’ capabilities and anthropomorphic qualities, but otherwise keeps this effective, memorable tale rooted in reality. Ages 12–up. Agent: Hilary Delamere, the Agency.

November 1, 2014
A real-life conflict between rival monkey species in Kolkata becomes a dark, violent fable of totalitarianism and resistance.Mico is a very young monkey when humans entice his langur troop into chasing the disruptive rhesus out of the city; even so, he knows that this victory is more gruesome than glorious. When the young rhesus Papina sneaks back to discover her father's fate, the two forge an instantaneous bond. Soon, clever, imaginative Mico ascends the langur hierarchy while secretly feeding information to Papina and the other rhesus refugees. As Tyrell, the new langur dictator, grows ever more ambitious, bloodthirsty and paranoid, Mico finds it increasingly difficult to juggle his loyalty to his tribe and his duty to his conscience. With its pomp, pageantry and brutally effective terror tactics, its ghettos and genocide, the langur tyranny deliberately evokes the Nazi regime. As a Hitler analog, Tyrell's frothing villainy overshadows his charisma, but the allure of power-even for the most conscientious-is portrayed with frightening effectiveness. The straightforward prose has a disconcerting tendency to switch viewpoint midscene, yet it also ratchets up the suspense and dread with unrelenting urgency, compelling readers to keep the pages turning. Graphic and implacably grim, the tale does not shy away from the toll oppression exacts from victims, perpetrators, collaborators and bystanders alike. Powerful and disturbing. (Animal fantasy. 14 & up)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-In this debut novel following in the tradition of George Orwell's Animal Farm and William Golding's Lord of the Flies, war and politics shape the lives of several monkey troops. Rhesus monkeys in Kolkata have reportedly turned violent against humans, who then use langur monkeys to keep the rhesus population under control. The langurs drive out a troop of peaceful rhesus monkeys who had been living in a cemetery, establishing it as their power base. Mico, a brilliant but physically unassuming langur, becomes entangled in the political machinations of Tyrell, the brainpower behind the langur takeover, and also falls in love with Papina, a rhesus whose father was killed in that early cemetery battle. As the langurs grow in power, Mico discovers the ruthlessness at the heart of their regime and decides to ingratiate himself toTyrell in order to take him down from the inside. The novel is told in third person, but from varying perspectives. Kurti attempts to create a parable for human tyranny, violence, and complicity. He depicts the primates as almost-human characters with tails and a fruit-based diet. Many of their actions are entirely implausible, and the characters' inner thoughts and monologues generally lean toward overexplained melodrama. An interesting premise that will provide readers with an introduction to fascism and political corruption, but does so without subtlety or complexity.-Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2014
Grades 7-10 British screenwriter Kurti offers an imaginative fable about the nature of power and the responsibility of the individual. In Kolkata, rhesus monkeys have been suddenly and brutally evicted from the prime real estate of a large and peaceful cemetery by langur monkeys. Many rhesus are brutally massacred, and the survivors are forced to live in slums. Kurti focuses on two plot elements: a Romeo-Juliet relationship between rhesus Papina and langur Mico, and Mico's rise to power under the crafty leader, Tyrell. Short chapters with plenty of action contribute to the cinematic feel. For the most part, Kurti skillfully maintains our suspension of disbelief in a world of hyperintelligent monkeys who speak remarkably refined English. It's a lengthy read, despite the fast pace, and judicious editing could have tightened a lagging middle section. A fascinating epilogue describes Kurti's family history in Nazi Germany and explains his motivation in using monkeys as protagonists. Striking cover art shows the red-black face of a monkey, whose eyes reflect skulls. The open-ended conclusion suggests a sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)