My score would be 1 and a half if possible. I think this book has an interesting premise, but I found the first half boring (0-1 *). Rosemary's endless 'almost going off the rails but not quite' was irritating (and unnecessary?) and felt like that of a young and inexperienced writer (which I don't think is the case). The 'reveal' was a surprise to me - I was going down the Rain Man type route mentally. I was about to give up until Lowell came back into the picture, so stayed with it to find out more, but even that was dragged out and puffed up (did the Travis/Harlow get together add anything to the story?). After Rosemary and Lowell's meeting in the cafe when we are given some back story, I began to enjoy it slightly more (2 * only though). It's sort of wrapped up in a happyish ending, but, as many of those chimps did not get their own happy ending, I am in two minds about it. Satisfying as a reader, but not really representative of animals used for research.

On a side note, what was with Madame Defarge doll/dummy? I wondered whether she was a metaphor for Rosemary feeling out of control and doing risque things or was she supposed to be Fern? Again, what did it add?

I think the author could have done with a bloody good editor who hacked out all the unnecessary fluff and made her rewrite and improve some of it. Shame because it should be an interesting and unusual story.