Terese Svoboda's Cannibal can best be described as haunting.Its terse prose is well written. Cannibal tells the story of awoman's trek through Africa; following the man she loves. As their journey unravels she begins to suspect that he is not what he appears to be, and in fact he may be starving her. The story is told from inside the woman's head. It is all reflective dialogue; in this case it works, and keeps the reader's attention. If you are interested in Africa, and like dark psychological discourse in literature; then this book is for you.

The published reviews focus on how dark this book is, and indeed it is dark. But you cannot escape the humor that peppers the pain and keeps the book afloat. The title novella contains abuse, sorrow and madness, but the characters are so full of life and devoid of self-pity that you are taken with them, while still maintaining an observant distance. Svoboda is a poet, and her language here is sharp and vigorous. Her tales are about family and loss, told with a sharp eye and a sharper tongue. Each is like a shot of espresso -- a brief but complete experience, which you savor in reflection. For anyone who values power and economy in their fiction, this book will be a treat.

One of the greatest aspects of the book is its length. I don't mean that to sound sarcastic, but the plot is so weighted by metaphors, symbolism and inuendos that if it were any longer, I for one would have chosen to abandon it. In addition, the first half of the book, the word "sex" is used so often and metaphorically, that it only makes her message even more complex, when it shouldn't be. Once I got used to her style of writing, I did discover a decent story, I just wished I didn't have to work so hard to uncover it.

This is a great story set in the world of make believe. I recomend it as a great book to read and pass along. Even the intrigue is fast paced as you feel every drop of persiration.