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Endangered by Eliot Schrefer is a novel about a fourteen-year-old girl
named Sophie who lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Early on, Sophie
establishes the many ways in which she is different from other young Congolese
women. She is half white, comes from a wealthy family, and is a United States
citizen. Sophie’s mother also operates a sanctuary for
bonobos, a type of chimpanzee that resides only in the Congo and has DNA 99%
that is similar to humans.
When civil war erupts in Congo during the summer Sophie is
there, she chooses not to flee with the other American evacuees. Instead, with
her mother away and her father still in the U.S., Sophie frantically runs away
in order to rescue Otto, the Bonobo she’s connected with. Sophie rescued Otto
from a trafficker and became his adoptive mother; she explains throughout the
novel how sensitive bonobos are, and how they can die of heartbreak if their
mothers abandon them.
Sophie and Otto then embark on a quest to survive in the
war-torn country. They spend weeks hidden away in the Bonobo enclosure in the
sanctuary, where Sophie has to learn to survive in Bonobo society. When the
rebels discover them, Sophie and Otto flee. Eventually, they manage to make
their way to the river to track down Sophie’s mother, who is secluded on an
island and out of contact.
Endangered tackles several very heavy subjects such as war
and human nature in a way that is relatable. The voice of fourteen-year-old
Sophie remains slightly innocent throughout the novel, but her maturity and
intelligence allow the reader to vaguely get a handle on what’s going on. Sophie
isn’t naïve because of her background, but she acknowledges she is not as
accustomed to the life most Congolese lead. Her ability to be both inside and
outside a situation is what moves the novel; in one scene, Sophie dives
headfirst into the city of Mbandaka to save Otto when hunters kidnap him.
Sophie winds up in the middle of the destroyed city. In a town filled with
soldier, Sophie notes the danger of being a girl during the war, “There was no
reason why a young woman should be alive and intact.” This scene offers the
closest look into the war’s effects, but Sophie, despite being aware of the
danger, is able to remain collected. With death as a likely possibility, the
reader continues to see an objective view on what’s going on around the main character.
This is why the reader understands why Sophie fights so hard to keep Otto safe
and alive; because despite what’s happening in the present, Sophie is still
able to evaluate the scenario and determine the consequences. More so, she is
determined to maintain her humanity through her treatment of animals.
While the book could be classified as young adult, themes
like death and war take it to a deeper and more universal level. Overall,
Endangered is an enticing read and will certainly move any reader, especially
if they have equal respect for animals and people.
By Carrie Cabral
