Eva by Peter DickinsonEva's dad is in charge of chimpanzee reseach, and so she has grown up around chimpanzees. When Eva is in sent into a coma after a car crash, her parents opt to have Eva's memories, her self, placed in the body of a chimpanzee, who was formerly named Kelly. Even before being told that she is in the body of a chimpanzee, Eva dreams of trees. And after being told that she is in Kelly's body, Eva knows that the dream of trees is Kelly's dream. Eva knows that part of Kelly is also a part of her. Eva insists on being with the chimpanzees at the reseach center and socializing, and she feels that she is more chimpanzee than human. The son of one of the directors making ads with the chimpanzees convinces Eva that humans have overpopulated the world, are shutting down, and heading towards extinction, and Eva decides to take action to save the chimpanzees.
Of the many interesting premises in this book, some make more sense than others. For example, if suicide has really become so rampant, and people have stopped caring about the future, why are people so fervent about their jobs? The technology used in this book is explained poorly, although the concepts are interesting. Eva is on a lot of dope during her hospital stay, and I don't see how Eva's not the least bit addicted after leaving the hospital. And in Eva's final plan for the chimpanzees, how the chimpanzees get food is not explained well. The general premises are still interesting. How would you feel if you woke up one day to find yourself paralyzed, and as you gained consciousness, found out that you were in someone else's body?
Happy reading.
