Play Book Tag discussion

The Lioness, by Chris Bohjalian (2022) takes place in 1964 in East Africa, at a time when there was considerable violence in the continent. Kate Barstow, a wealthy A-list Hollywood actress, has just married David Hill, an art gallery owner, and is on a safari honeymoon in the Serengeti. David’s gallery isn’t doing well, and he knows that his new wife makes far more money than he does. David’s father holds some ambiguous position with the CIA.

Katie has invited, and is funding, several of her inner circle to join her on the safari. Thus, in addition to Katie and David, her brother and sister-in-law, her best friend (a minor Hollywood actress) and her husband, her publicist, her agent, and a fellow actor are in on the African adventure. Their guide is a big-game hunter, who has had to change his focus to leading clients who are more interested in shooting photos of the exotic animals than in killing them.

While there are political uprisings in the Congo, the party has been assured that it is perfectly safe in East Africa. Unknown to them, there are also political rumblings throughout the continent.

After enjoying a few spectacular days on the safari, in which the African porters tend to the company’s every need, things take a turn. Suddenly, they are caught up in a kidnapping gone wrong. While there are political uprisings in the Congo. Russian mercenaries burst upon their camp and separate the American tourists into smaller groups. Immediately, one of their guards is shot and killed.

The novel goes back and forth between the events unwrapping in the kidnapping, and events leading up to the trip. The reader gets to know the background stories behind each of the tourists. Before going on the trip, they learned of the potential dangers of the African plains but have put their lives in the hands of a capable guide.

What is the movie of the kidnapping? Is it money? Who is behind the kidnapping? Who has the most to gain by the kidnapping?

I enjoyed this book, but the ending left me wanting. It was explained away in a manner that didn’t fit the rest of the novel.

3 Stars

I read this one last year and also gave it three stars. It was dark, troubling, and disjointed.