- Format
- Paperback
- Pages
- 288
- ISBN
- 9781951971519
- Price
- $20
- Publication Date
- September 1, 2026
Bonobo
You-Jeong Jeong
You-jeong Jeong braids three lives—a primatologist, a deadbeat, and a trafficked bonobo—in this speculative meditation on communication, control, and what humans owe the animal world.
Primatologist Jini has tried to forget her betrayal: when she found a baby bonobo headed for the abuses of the black market, she failed to set it free. But a late-night car accident reunites them years later, embedding Jini's consciousness in the terrified animal and leaving her human body hovering between life and death.
As she and deadbeat protector-for-hire Minjoo search for her body, Jini drifts through the bonobo’s memories of joy, degradation, and panic. For the first time, she’ll have to rethink her power over other creatures—and her powerlessness against the forces of nature.
Praise for Bonobo
“This is an unusual novel. A soul that moves between animals and humans leaps and bounds across the screen, delivering a powerful aesthetic impact…The visuals are unmistakably Hollywood style, but as the author herself says, it’s ‘a French film that flows along with the protagonist’s consciousness.’ In The Good Son, author Jeong You-jeong dragged us into the dark depths of the human psyche, and in Bonobo, she pushes us beyond the boundaries of our species altogether. Breathtaking intensity awaits you.” —Choi Jae-cheon, Professor of Eco-Science at Ewha Womans University, President of the Biodiversity Foundation
“This time, it’s a warm, gentle, and loving Jeong You-jeong. It’s an amazing transformation. It’s touching, profound, and poignant. However, everyone who knows Jeong You-jeong not only through her works but also as a person will strongly agree that this transformation is not a sudden deviation, but rather Jeong You-jeong’s hidden charm. She tackles a highly intellectual theme—the birth of a complete hominoid, a perfect fusion of animal and human—with profoundly emotional language. With a smiling face, yet eyes brimming with tears.” —Jung Yeo-ul, Literary Critic
About the Translator
An Seon Jae was born in England in 1942. He has lived in Korea for over 45 years. He taught English literature in Sogang University, Seoul, and has published over 60 volumes of translated Korean poetry under the name Brother Anthony of Taizé and has received various awards including the 2024 Manhae Literary Award.