Let me start by saying a few words about the author, in case you’re not familiar with his work.
VanderMeer is, in my opinion, but also more broadly acknowledged, one of the most important voices in contemporary fiction. He’s widely known and appreciated, considered one of the pioneers of the New Weird genre, and has been active since the mid-1990s, so we’re not talking about a newcomer.
His Southern Reach series, Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance, and Absolution, garnered significant attention, particularly following Alex Garland’s cinematic adaptation of the first book, which served as a gateway for a broader audience to engage with VanderMeer’s work, something I consider an undeniably positive development, not only because it expanded his readership, but also because it allowed more people to experience a kind of storytelling that, while often challenging and far from easily accessible, ultimately proves deeply rewarding.
His prose demands a reader’s full attention, as it unfolds with deliberate complexity, steeped in allegory and densely layered with symbolism and abstract imagery, which do not merely embellish the narrative but actively shape it.
What stands out most, however, is the thematic core that runs through his writing—a profound and sustained sensitivity to nature and ecological systems—that never feels superficial or ornamental but instead operates as a foundational element of his storytelling, even as his narratives constantly strive beyond it, reaching into philosophical, emotional, and often existential territory.
In Borne, the setting is a world, presumably a post-apocalyptic future, where humanity has severely compromised its environment through biotechnological experiments. Survival has become difficult, and the world is largely uninhabitable—or at least, barely livable.
Our protagonist, Rachel, a former biologist and now a scavenger, is our first-person narrator. She lives in a ruined city with Wick, a former scientist from the mysterious entity known only as “Τhe Company”.
What is the “Τhe Company”?
I won’t spoil that for you, it’s worth discovering on your own.
Back to Rachel, the central figure of the story.
She finds Borne, a strange, undefined creature, and gradually forms a maternal bond with it. But it quickly becomes apparent that Borne is growing, evolving, and changing, eventually developing self-awareness and, inevitably, defiance. All of this is filtered through Rachel’s perspective, which is important to keep in mind.
The novel touches on many themes, but I think the central one is loss. Ethical dilemmas, psychological trauma, and—on a more abstract level—the concept of legacy and what remains after us are also addressed.
It’s worth noting that VanderMeer doesn’t hold back. He doesn’t romanticize situations or shy away from detailed, often disturbing descriptions. The book includes violence and eerie scenes full of unsettling events.
Having read six of his novels, I can confidently say that VanderMeer creates images that stay with you. They imprint themselves on your memory. I still think about what was happening in Veniss Underground from time to time.
That’s all for now.
Until next time — be well, and keep reading.
It’s important!
Accompanying Notes:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6vPTfm9OSpKXtuol28w4OX?si=8w4MlrCpTySVbd7guzx6HA
https://cryochamber.bandcamp.com/album/fabled-machines-of-old
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