In the Palm of Darkness: A Novel [Paperback]

Mayra Montero (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 1998

The quest for an elusive amphibian in the mountains of violence-torn Haiti brings together an unlikely pair of hunters--American herpetologist Victor Grigg and his Haitian guide, Thierry Adrien--whose individual stories unfold and intertwine in a mesmerizing tale of love, sex, and fraternal rivalry; of the propagation and extinction of species in the natural world; and of the mysterious forces of nature that govern the fate of all living creatures.

In the Palm of Darkness is a compelling tale that reads like a murder mystery but also reveals a highly sophisticated and refined literary voice.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

To read In the Palm of Darkness is to hike through a Haitian landscape dense with spirits, loas, mystery, poverty, disintegrating environmental and social structures, and an elusive, near-extinct species of amphibian. Victor, a herpetologist from the U.S., comes to Haiti to find the blood-red Eleutherodactylus sanguineus, but cannot escape the emotional alienation he's left behind at home. For Victor's Haitian guide Thierry, the search is a trip into the heart of the heart of his country, family, and himself. Montero also subtly weaves a larger message of worldwide ecological collapse that may be signaled by the (actual) sudden sharp drops in frog populations. This intelligent and intense novel is the first work by the Cuban-born Montero (currently residing in Puerto Rico) to be translated into English. It should not be the last. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The first English translation for Cuban-born novelist Montero, this short, intense book weaves together the stories and vastly different world views of two men searching for one very significant amphibian. American herpetologist Victor Grigg and Haitian guide Thierry Adrien are on a quest for the elusive and severely threatened blood frog, extinct everywhere but on a dangerous, eerie mountain near Port au Prince. Victor describes their trek as he reflects on his dysfunctional marriage and his scientific obsession. In alternating chapters, Thierry relates his life story, a strange, vibrant history in a land of violence and mystical spirituality. Filled with political, sexual, and religious mayhem, Thierry's story grips the reader, but Victor's relatively ordinary?though still colorful?experience grounds the book and propels the searchers on their fascinating journey. A shocking, absorbing, beautifully written tale from a writer to watch.?Janet Ingraham, Worthington P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (June 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060929065
• ISBN-13: 978-0060929060
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #850,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More than just Haiti and frogs, July 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Palm of Darkness: A Novel (Paperback)

It's a shame that there aren't more English translations of this writer's work. I'm eager to discover what else Montero has to say (A hint to translator Edith Grossman should she ever read this). I found this novel among those listed in the Best Fiction of 1997 compiled by Booklist. Montero's novel certainly is deserving of a "Best of" list being a uniquely constructed story with alternating viewpoints of the two protagonists (the American gets the even numbered chapters, his storytelling Haitian guide the odd) and intertwining reports of the decline of numerous species of frogs throughout the world. I have never come across a work of fiction that incorporated the extinction and threatened extinction of amphibians as a metaphor for the chaotic state of the human condition. Having recently returned from a wildlife tour of Costa Rica, I am well-acquainted with the low or completely absent populations of frogs there. I was astonished to learn from reading t! his novel that the phenomenon of vanishing frogs is a global one. Readers with an interest in the alarming environmental situation of our planet and the mysteries of life should find a copy of Montero's novel and give it a thorough read. It is sure to give some reflection on the fragile state of both Earth and the human heart. The final paragraph is heartwrenching. I gasped before closing the book leaving me with much to mull over.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, extremely hard to follow, there lies the challenge, July 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Palm of Darkness: A Novel (Paperback)

A good novel that keeps your interest. Terribly factual yet absolutely incredible. Ms. Montero has managed in just a few pages to capture the essence of a certain group of Haitians, and an era not so long ago experienced. It has been said that what is happening to these amphibians is forshadowing men's ultimate demise. Let us hope that Haiti's desperate circumstances are not a sign of things to come for the entire planet. Recommended reading because you will not find this story at a theater near you. A factual accounting of the geography, mores, and human relationships in that troubled society.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Life, death, quest ..., August 22, 1998

By 

M. J. Smith (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Palm of Darkness: A Novel (Paperback)

A wonderful read - questions our view of the world , our priorities, our interpersonal relationships in a quiet way. This is a book wrapped in factuality re:the extinction of frogs and in mystery - the zombies, poisons and spirits of the Haitian world. This is tightly constructed story that is never a hard read.