Zoo City
Encyclopedia
Zoo City is a science fiction
novel by South Africa
n author Lauren Beukes
. The book was first published in 2010 by Jacana Media, and won the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award
. The cover of the 2010 British
edition of the book was awarded the 2010 BSFA Award
for best artwork, and the book itself was shortlisted in the best novel category of the award.
, in which people who have committed a crime are magically attached to an animal familiar
– those who receive such punishment are said to be "animalled". The novel's chief protagonist, Zinzi December – who was "animalled" to a sloth
after getting her brother killed – is a former journalist and recovering drug addict, who is attempting to repay the financial debt she owes her drug dealer by charging people for her special skill of finding lost objects, as well as making use of her writing abilities by drafting 419 fraud emails. The book's plot focuses on Zinzi's attempts to find the missing female member of a brother-and-sister pop
duo for a music producer, in return for the money she needs to fully repay her dealer.
. The distinction between moral and legal culpability is unclear, as is the threshold which triggers animalling; however, being responsible for the death of another human is one of the definite causes.
Every animal gives its 'owner' a different psychic power; however, the owner must stay within range of the animal at all times, or be subject to debilitating panic attacks, nausea, and other withdrawal symptoms. The animals are not limited by the normal lifespans of their species, but can die by violence; should the animal die, the owner will be torn to shreds by a mysterious dark cloud within minutes.
– hired a fixer to help her meet contacts in Hillbrow, the inner city suburb of Johannesburg in which much of the book is set, and spent days walking around the area.
draped over her shoulders to the award ceremony in London, mimicking Zinzi December's animal familiar. The cover of the 2010 British edition of the book, which was designed by Joey Hi-Fi, won the 2010 BSFA Award on 26 April 2011 for best artwork. The book itself was shortlisted in the best novel category of this award, but lost out to Ian McDonald's book The Dervish House, which at the time was considered the favourite for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. The book also received The Kitschies Red Tentacle for being the 2010 book that "best elevates the tone of geek culture".
In South Africa, the novel was short-listed for several prizes, including the 2010-2011 University of Johannesburg
Creative Writing Prize, the 2011 M-Net Literary Awards (English Category) and the Nielsen's Booksellers' Choice Award 2011. It was also long-listed for the 2011 Sunday Times Fiction Prize.
On 28 July 2011, the book was nominated for the World Fantasy Award
for best novel.
to Zoo City. Beukes will write the film script, and Spring will offer the project to a shortlist of directors. Beukes's literary agent said that "Helena outbid all the others in a spirited auction for film rights to this extraordinary book: she had an extremely proactive, writer-friendly approach to working with Lauren and offered an imaginative and creative proposal that was irresistible."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n author Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes is a South African novelist, short story writer, journalist and TV scriptwriter. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and her daughter.- Books :...
. The book was first published in 2010 by Jacana Media, and won the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award
Arthur C. Clarke Award
The Arthur C. Clarke Award is a British award given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year. The award was established with a grant from Arthur C. Clarke and the first prize was awarded in 1987...
. The cover of the 2010 British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
edition of the book was awarded the 2010 BSFA Award
BSFA award
The BSFA Awards are literary awards presented annually since 1970 by the British Science Fiction Association to honor works in the genre of science fiction. Nominees and winners are chosen based on a vote of BSFA members...
for best artwork, and the book itself was shortlisted in the best novel category of the award.
Plot
Zoo City is set in an alternate version of the South African city of JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, in which people who have committed a crime are magically attached to an animal familiar
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
– those who receive such punishment are said to be "animalled". The novel's chief protagonist, Zinzi December – who was "animalled" to a sloth
Sloth
Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South...
after getting her brother killed – is a former journalist and recovering drug addict, who is attempting to repay the financial debt she owes her drug dealer by charging people for her special skill of finding lost objects, as well as making use of her writing abilities by drafting 419 fraud emails. The book's plot focuses on Zinzi's attempts to find the missing female member of a brother-and-sister pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
duo for a music producer, in return for the money she needs to fully repay her dealer.
Animalling
Being animalled is described as an automatic consequence – not just in South Africa, but for all humans worldwide – of bearing a significant amount of guiltGuilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
. The distinction between moral and legal culpability is unclear, as is the threshold which triggers animalling; however, being responsible for the death of another human is one of the definite causes.
Every animal gives its 'owner' a different psychic power; however, the owner must stay within range of the animal at all times, or be subject to debilitating panic attacks, nausea, and other withdrawal symptoms. The animals are not limited by the normal lifespans of their species, but can die by violence; should the animal die, the owner will be torn to shreds by a mysterious dark cloud within minutes.
Development history
Beukes began writing Zoo City after signing a two-book deal with the British publisher Angry Robot for her first novel, Moxyland, and a subsequent book. While she spent four years working on Moxyland, Zoo City took just over a year to complete. To research Zoo City, Beukes – who was born in Johannesburg but currently lives in Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
– hired a fixer to help her meet contacts in Hillbrow, the inner city suburb of Johannesburg in which much of the book is set, and spent days walking around the area.
Publication history
- 2010, South Africa, Jacanda Media, ISBN 9781770098183, publication date 1 June 2010, Paperback
- 2010, United Kingdom, Angry Robot ISBN 9780857660541, pub. date 2 September 2010, Paperback
- 2010, eBook, Angry Robot ISBN 9780857660565, pub. date September 2010, eBook
- 2010, United States and Canada, Angry Robot ISBN 9780857660558, pub. date 28 December 2010, Mass market paperback
Explanation of the novel's title
"Zoo City" is the nickname given to Hillbrow in the novel, which is home to Zinzi December and many other animalled people, as well as refugees and the dispossessed.Awards and nominations
Zoo City was awarded the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award on 28 April 2011. This award is given to the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year, and is considered the most prestigious British science fiction award. Beukes wore a fake slothSloth
Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South...
draped over her shoulders to the award ceremony in London, mimicking Zinzi December's animal familiar. The cover of the 2010 British edition of the book, which was designed by Joey Hi-Fi, won the 2010 BSFA Award on 26 April 2011 for best artwork. The book itself was shortlisted in the best novel category of this award, but lost out to Ian McDonald's book The Dervish House, which at the time was considered the favourite for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. The book also received The Kitschies Red Tentacle for being the 2010 book that "best elevates the tone of geek culture".
In South Africa, the novel was short-listed for several prizes, including the 2010-2011 University of Johannesburg
University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg came into existence on 1 January 2005 as the result of a merger between the Technikon Witwatersrand and the Rand Afrikaans University . Prior to the merger, the Daveyton and Soweto campuses of the former Vista University had been incorporated into RAU...
Creative Writing Prize, the 2011 M-Net Literary Awards (English Category) and the Nielsen's Booksellers' Choice Award 2011. It was also long-listed for the 2011 Sunday Times Fiction Prize.
On 28 July 2011, the book was nominated for the World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for best novel.
Planned film adaptation
In November 2011, South African film producer Helena Spring won the film rightsFilm rights
Film rights are the rights under copyright law to make a derivative work—in this case, a film—derived from an item of intellectual property. Under U.S...
to Zoo City. Beukes will write the film script, and Spring will offer the project to a shortlist of directors. Beukes's literary agent said that "Helena outbid all the others in a spirited auction for film rights to this extraordinary book: she had an extremely proactive, writer-friendly approach to working with Lauren and offered an imaginative and creative proposal that was irresistible."