Night of the Animals: A Novel

In this debut novel, the Noah's Ark narrative is reimagined as a story of fate and family in near-future London. Over one night in 2052, a homeless man named Cuthbert Handley attempts to release the animals from the London Zoo. As a boy, his grandmother told him he possessed a magical ability to communicate with animals—a gift called the Wonderments. Since his older brother's death in childhood, Cuthbert has heard voices, which he believes are the Wonderments. Recently, these whispers have promised to reunite him with his lost brother and bring about a Lord of Animals if he frees the zoo's animals. Cuthbert's awareness fluctuates throughout his quest. His plan is not the only source of disturbance in the city; the world is anxiously watching a suicide cult that intends to destroy the world's animals along with themselves. As Cuthbert moves through the zoo cutting open enclosures and questioning animals about his brother, cult members flood the city's streets. The novel explores whether Cuthbert has successfully harnessed the Wonderments or merely added to the chaos and endangered the animals.