This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 What is Area X? The simple answer is that Area X is an area of land, cut off from civilization, except for twelve separate, government-funded explorations. But as the four members of the twelfth expedition are about to learn, when it comes to Area X there are no simple answers. 
 Annihilation is one of those books you need to set aside a bit of time and really commit to it. Because once you enter Area X with the biologist, the surveyor, the psychologist and the anthropologist, you aren't going to want to leave. Right off the bat the biologist (the narrator for this book) fills the reader in on the previous expeditions. And it's not pretty - disappearances, suicides, mass murder, cancer. If it was me I would stay far, far away from Area X. But not these ladies. They're true scientists - fascinated by the mystery and the driven by their need to know more. 
 Before I started reading I had speculated about all the different things that could be hiding away in Area X. Lauren Beukes's blurb "a little Kubrik, a lot Lovecraft," left the door wide open for a number of scenarios. But even with my imagination running wild I couldn't have predicted a number of things they come across in their adventure. There are quite a few surprising revelations that will keep you hanging on, dying to find out more. 
 It's hard to get a straight answer about anything though. We are guided through the story by the biologist who doesn't really know that much herself - though she certainly thinks she knows more than the other team members. And it's tricky to determine if what she's telling you is 100% accurate. She's a tad self absorbed and it wouldn't at all surprise me if she was holding something back because she doesn't think you deserve to know. She is a challenging character, and though I never really connected with her, I did find her fascinating. 
 I suppose the one failing of this novel is the character development. We know next to nothing about the four women on the expedition - not even their names as they are consistently referred to by their positions. I felt like I was constantly being kept at arm's length, which prevented me from forming any real attachments to them. It's more than possible this was deliberate but as someone who really enjoys getting to know different characters I found this challenging. 
 The end of Annihilation will leave you with a lot of questions. The next book comes out in May, and while that's a lot sooner than most sequels it doesn't feel soon enough! Like the biologist, I have quickly become fascinated by Area X and I can't wait to find out more in the sequel. Jeff VanderMeer's intelligent, detailed, writing and fascinating world-building are sure to please many readers. But I particularly recommend this for fans of nature-based science fiction and Lovecraft-style horror.