I received a review copy of this book from Pushkin Press via NetGalley/Edelweiss for which my thanks.
Sally Jones may be a gorilla but it won’t be an exaggeration to say that she is one of the most endearing fictional heroines I have met—kind-hearted, talented and with many skills she acquires on her journey (she is first-engineer on a ship, able to read and write, play chess and was even trained as a jewel thief by an unscrupulous character in the past), a wonderful friend that anyone would want standing by them, and intrepid when the occasion calls for it. While Sally first appeared in a relatively short graphic novel, The Legend of Sally Jones (2008), The Murderer’s Ape is a full-length tale (at 588 pp in the print copy), which not only involves a proper mystery and adventure that keep one engaged but also thoroughly warms the heart. First published in 2017, the English translation by Peter Graves appeared in 2021. While this book is classed as children’s/middle-grade fiction and published under the Pushkin Children’s imprint, I felt its subtleties and the emotions it evokes would be much better appreciated by adults (not to say that younger readers won’t enjoy it).
The story is told in Sally’s voice (written by her on her Underwood typewriter, in fact) in retrospect. She tells of how when she was serving as First Engineer with her friend Henry Koskela, a Finnish sailor also known as the Chief, aboard his ship, the Hudson Queen, the acceptance of a seemingly simple cargo consignment when they were going through a bad patch leads them into plenty of trouble with the assignment going wrong and Koskela eventually accused of murder in Lisbon. Not only is Sally now alone, she is also hounded as the ‘Murderer’s Ape’, forced to keep out of sight. Eventually she finds a friend in Ana Molina, a young girl with a beautiful voice who works in a shoe factory. Ana’s landlord, Senor Fidaro who makes and repairs musical instruments, is initially disdainful but tolerant of Sally; over time, though, he too becomes a good friend. Sally’s hopes that the Chief will soon be found innocent are dashed when he is convicted. Must she wait all those years to see him again? But then Sally stumbles onto a clue which might just help clear the Chief—but what should she do? How can she track it down? The search for answers to clear the Chief’s name brings Sally face-to-face with many dangers and also takes her on many adventures including back on the seas and half way across the world.
The Murderer’s Ape was a story that captivated me right from the start and stayed that way all through. Had it not been for the length (or had it been a weekend when I read), I’d have finished in a couple of sittings. Jacob Wegelius has crafted a wonderful tale where Sally, without being anthropomorphic or magical in any way, is extraordinary is so many ways. Granted the author has equipped her with exceptional skills which real-life gorillas wouldn’t likely have (trained ones, I mean), but that doesn’t make her any the less believable. And it isn’t these skills alone that make her truly special—it is her character and her kind heart as you will see when you read; one can empathise and connect with her emotions.
This isn’t a fast-paced tale by any means but even though the action and important plot developments aren’t constant, at no point does the reader feel like the story is too stretched out or dragging. I enjoyed every page and every moment of this well-plotted and wonderfully written book and considering lately I haven’t been in a mind to read very long books, the fact that the nearly 600 pages of this didn’t feel so has much to say about its readability. While danger and challenges confront Sally at every step, the author handles these subtly with no unnecessary drama or melodrama, something I especially appreciated.
Sally’s journey in the book takes her places—on ships and planes, even trains—to among others, Egypt and a longer period in a princely state in Colonial India. In Lisbon (where Koskela is imprisoned) and on her travels Sally becomes the target of enemies, either for greed or for other reasons but no fault of her own. Alongside, she also makes a number of friends, even unexpected ones, and these one can entirely credit to her own character and appeal. I haven’t gone into too much detail in my description of the plot both because so much happens and it would be most enjoyable to simply read on and see how things unfold, but I can safely say that the book is full of warm moments sure to melt one’s heart.
A wonderful story with a mystery, excitement and adventure as also plenty of charm, likeable characters and numerous heartwarming moments, this is one I enjoyed thoroughly. (Can’t wait to pick up the next one; in fact part way through reading the book I ordered myself print copies of this and the next book). The book is also illustrated by Wegelius with its cast of characters also introduced through illustrations; I also absolutely loved the end papers which were colour maps tracing Sally’s journeys!