Review of Jake the Last

[Catherine Sweet]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jake the Last" by Colin Payne.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Jake the Last by Colin Payne is a fictional book that immerses readers in animal life in the Serengeti in East Africa. Colin Payne grew up in Zimbabwe. When he visited Kenya, he learned about the horrors of poaching and was inspired to write this book.

The cover shows a magnificent painting of a black rhinoceros by Godknows Masiri. This introduces us to the main character, Jake, a black rhinoceros who weighs just under 4000lbs and has a horn that is 31 inches long. Early on in the book, Jake’s friend Reuben, a fellow rhinoceros, is killed by poachers who take his horn. Jake knows the poachers will come for him next. He tries to find a way to deal with the danger he and many of his fellow animals are facing. Two of his friends want to help him. One of them is Avi, a red-billed oxpecker who eats bugs and parasites from large animals. The other is Billy, a mature yellow-billed kite with a five feet wingspan.

The descriptions of animals are fascinating. For example, the chameleon’s tongue is almost twice the length of its body. It can disguise itself on a tree as a leaf or grey bark. Changing colour takes it less than 25 seconds.

The sounds, smells and sights of the Serengeti are described, bringing the setting to life. The writing is eloquent, and the story flows. There is tension as the reader relates to the danger humans present to the animals.

Jake is endearing and relatable. His thoughts, feelings, and interactions with other animals give him depth of character. His relationships with Avi and Billy are funny and believable. All of the characters are very well drawn.

This book is well worth reading. It would appeal to anyone who would like to know more about animal life in the Serengeti and the dangers they face from poaching. There isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book, so I award it 5 out of 5 stars.

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Jake the Last
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