Habilis

A young woman named Lucy explores a mysterious anthropology museum that transforms into a disco club each night. She seeks to construct an origin story for herself and her species, but as the night progresses, her grip on language and identity slips away. The exhibit captions rupture the text, transporting us to East Africa, where the lives of three people intertwine to reveal the darker side of the search for origins. Habilis is a surreal, spiraling, and innovative meditation on language, desire, and the stories we tell about ourselves.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 27 October 2022
Publisher: Dzanc Books

Lucy, a young woman with a mysterious past, finds herself thrust into a mysterious anthropology museum that transforms into a disco club each night. As she navigates through its labyrinthine galleries, she embarks on a quest to construct an origin story for herself and her species. However, as the night unfolds, Lucy's grip on language and identity begins to slip away, until the exhibit captions rupture the text, transporting us to East Africa. There, the lives of three individuals—British anthropologist Mary Leakey, an Indian indentured laborer building the Uganda Railway, and a curator with a secret—intertwine to reveal the darker side of the search for origins.

Habilis is a surreal, spiraling, and daringly innovative novel that encompasses historical reconstruction, psychological horror, mystery, ghost story, and creation myth. At its core, it is a meditation on language, desire, and the stories we tell about ourselves, particularly those that have the power to unravel us. Through its intricate narrative and captivating characters, Habilis invites readers to explore the depths of human nature and the complexities of our shared history.

Weight: 266g
Dimension: 138 x 216 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781950539475