we are all completely beside ourselves review

Karen Joy Fowler uniquely considers the fall out from such these experiments from the perspective of both the adoptive family and the chimpanzee. This novel manages to incorporate scientific descriptions of some of these real and fascinating experiments without boring the reader with a ‘science bit’. There was much interest in the ability of primates to acquire language skills and placing chimpanzees with families was a means of studying this. During the 1970’s such controversial primate experiments were not uncommon in American universities. Rosemary remains a loner and guilt burdened that she was partly responsible for her sister’s banishment.Īlthough the premise for this tale seems bizarre it’s closer to reality than you might realise.

But despite her mother’s efforts to help her blend in, other children sense Rosemary’s strangeness and she’s branded ‘monkey girl ‘. When Rosemary starts school her mother sits her down and lists some unacceptable behaviours no hooting and shrieking when food appears, no climbing on tables, no biting. Growing up with a chimp sibling would understandably skew your idea of normal behaviour. The family are grief stricken, Rosemary is traumatised and the consequences are even worse for the chimpanzee.Įven though after age five her chimp sister has vanished she leaves an indelible mark on Rosemary’s life. The experiment continues for the formative years of Rosemary’s life but is abandoned prematurely and suddenly.

As the years pass the chimpanzee grows naturally more aggressive and in the rough and tumble of normal sibling rivalry Rosemary is no match for her sister’s physical prowess. Like twins Rosemary and her sister spend every minute together, playing, communicating through sign language and mimicking one another. Their lives are observed by an army of clipboard clutching graduate students who documenting the behaviour and development of child and chimp. For this experiment Rosemary’s parents adopted a baby chimpanzee and reared the primate alongside their own baby daughter. Rosemary’s father was a behavioural psychologist at a university and growing up Rosemary and her sister were subjects of a behavioural experiment. You see Rosemary’s sister was a chimpanzee.

She knows she would win hands down if she told childhood tales. At college when other students share the oddities of their clan, trying to outdo one another, Rosemary remains tight lipped. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler – Review by Helen O’LearyĮveryone thinks his or her own family a little strange but it’s hard to rival the peculiar upbringing of Rosemary Cooke.

We are all completely beside ourselves review