Laurence Gonzales's electrifying adventure opens in the jungles of the Congo. Jenny Lowe, a primatologist studying chimpanzees--the bonobos--is running for her life. A civil war has exploded and Jenny is trapped in its crosshairs . . . She runs to the camp of a fellow primatologist. The rebels have already been there. Everyone is dead except a young girl, the daughter of Jenny's brutally murdered fellow scientist--and competitor. Jenny and the child flee, Jenny grabbing the notebooks of the primatologist who's been killed. She brings the girl to Chicago to await the discovery of her relatives. The girl is fifteen and lovely--her name is Lucy. Realizing that the child has no living relatives, Jenny begins to care for her as her own. When she reads the notebooks written by Lucy's father, she discovers that the adorable, lovely, magical Lucy is the result of an experiment. She is part human, part ape--a hybrid human being . . . Laurence Gonzales's novel grabs you from its opening pages and you stay with it, mesmerized by the shy but fierce, wonderfully winning Lucy. From the Hardcover edition. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

When anthropologist Jenny Lowe brings Lucy, the teenage daughter of a murdered colleague, back home with her to Chicago from the Congo in Gonzales's glib biological thriller, Jenny puts the girl's behavioral quirks down to unfamiliarity with the world outside the jungle. But when Lucy shows uncommon strength, agility, and sensitivities typical of animals, Jenny is shocked to realize that Lucy is a "humanzee": half human, half bonobo. Lucy soon becomes a magnet for the controversy that has colored debates between creationists and evolutionists for decades, as well as an object of interest to a clandestine military think tank. Gonzales (Everyday Survival) condenses considerable topical discussion of evolution issues into his narrative, but his underdeveloped characters are little more than one-dimensional mouthpieces for the viewpoints they espouse. A tidy, anticlimactic ending fails to do justice to the many controversial points the novel raises. 100,000 first printing. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Primatologist Jenny Lowe barely escapes warfare in the heart of the Congo, but she manages to save the teenage daughter of a murdered fellow researcher. The orphaned Lucy is a revelation to Jenny: Lucy's mother was a bonobo, or pygmy chimpanzee. The idealistic Jenny essentially adopts her well-educated, tree-swinging young charge, and they settle in Chicago. The remarkably articulate and resilient Lucy adapts to high school, sometimes exhibiting unique skill sets. But a DNA test betrays her and when the unbelievable truth comes out, Lucy's survivalist instincts kick in. Is there a place in our world for a hybrid girl? The story alternates between adventure and scientific treatise, and is a good choice for those missing Michael Crichton's speculative fiction. Sometimes poignant, sometimes corny, Lucy still manages to examine cultural standards with fresh eyes. VERDICT Those intrigued by what-if scenarios will find Lucy's search for a quality life-is she human or ape?-compelling. It is totally appropriate for the YA audience and will appeal to those who like to debate bioethical issues. [100,000-copy first printing.]-Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib, Fairfield, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information