There’s an immersiveness to Bohjalian’s work that is only possible because of the incredible work that has gone into ensuring the verisimilitude of both setting and social dynamics.Īmong the many methods in which Bohjalian aspires to crafting a complete world is his use of fictionalized press clippings to open each chapter. The author’s commitment to research is readily evident, both in terms of the picture painted of the African experience and that of the Hollywood machine. That depth of characterization serves to invest us in the people involved, which in turn deepens our investment in the story itself. “The Lioness” offers typically great storytelling from Bohjalian, a rich and intertwined narrative that advances with twisting inevitability even as the wide cast of characters is rendered with a fullness of dimension that would be difficult even with a much smaller list of dramatis personae.
And as these different perspectives are stitched together, a greater picture begins to come into focus – a picture that illustrates just how difficult it is for any of these people to truly understand those closest to them, even as the specter of death looms ever larger. Who are their captors? What do they want? And what – if anything – can Katie and her friends do to ensure their own survival?Įach chapter offers the perspective of an individual involved in these events, combining their experiences in the moment with instances in their pasts that inform the ways in which they’re dealing with their brutal and frightening circumstances.
As these new players demonstrate their ruthlessness and willingness to commit violence, the group is fractured, with each individual forced to confront not just the events of the present, but the whispers of the past that echo in their psyches throughout.Īs more and more members of the group fall victim, whether to the guns of their kidnappers or the teeth and claws of the deadly inhabitants of the Serengeti, questions continue to swirl. What begins as a grand adventure, a “photo safari” wherein the only shooting is done by cameras, quickly turns terrifying when a group of mysterious armed mercenaries kidnaps the entire entourage. In the mix are Katie’s agent and publicist and a few others as well, all led by a legendary hunter and his team of native assistants. Also along for the ride are Katie’s best friend and fellow actress Carmen Tedesco and Katie’s controversial co-star Terrence Dutton. It’s Katie and David, of course, as well as Katie’s brother Billy and his wife. In addition, she wants to bring along a collection of the important people in her life. To celebrate their union, Katie wants to honeymoon by going on safari in Africa. Hollywood star Katie Barstow has just married David Hill, a gallery owner and childhood friend. Told via a constantly shifting perspective, with each chapter moving to the point of view of a different character, “The Lioness” uses the vagaries of Hollywood culture and the brutal beauty of the Serengeti to explore the meaning of perception – how we are viewed by others and, crucially, how we view ourselves. However, when the adventure takes a deadly turn, the group is left facing dangers both animal and human … and not everyone will escape with their life.
#The lioness movie#
His latest is “The Lioness” (Doubleday, $28), a midcentury story revolving around a Hollywood movie star who embarks on an African safari for her honeymoon, bringing friends and professional associates along for the ride. His depth of research results in books that, no matter their subject, make for compelling and propulsive reads.
There are relatively few writers in the realm of popular fiction who possess the range that Bohjalian has brought to his oeuvre over the past few decades. Chris Bohjalian can write just about anything.