Beautiful Animals

Hydra. Using finely written prose, Lawrence Osborne thrilled me with the contrasts he draws in a novel titled, Beautiful Animals. The novel is set mostly during a summer on the Greek island, Hydra, and protagonist Naomi Codrington is both beautiful and animal. When she sets out do something she sees as good for a Syrian migrant, bad things follow. Under the brightness of the summer sun there is darkness. After developing a friendship with a young American girl named Sam, Naomi proceeds to manipulate her. The serpents on Hydra are humans, not snakes, and thanks to Osborne, we see the contrasts in a wide range of human behavior. Readers who like psychological thrillers especially when there’s a moral tilt, are those most likely to enjoy this finely written novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Beautiful Animals from amazon.com.