Open Throat

Open Throat

written by Henry Hoke

Sometimes the best way to beat a reading slump is a novella. Something short to get you reading. It works especially well because no matter what you think of the book, you know it will be over soon and you’ll have a sense of accomplishment. This is where I was at when I read Open Throat.

Open Throat is from the point of a mountain lion living in Los Angeles. All the descriptions of this book I had encountered before reading it had just said “lion”, so it took me a while to understand that this was about a wild mountain lion and not an escaped zoo animal. This feline makes his home in the hills under the Hollywood sign. He does a lot of people watching and has a lot of compassion for the life around him. Namely, his pays mind to the settlement of homeless people near him and people who sneak into the hills for a hike or privacy. Usually, people don’t end up noticing him.

He also pays attention to the forces within him. He is hungry, and often contemplates what would happen if he were to attack one of the many oblivious people that cross his path. So far, he has chosen to endure his hunger. Through his perspective we see L.A. and humanity in a new way.

I’d recommend this book to anyone whose ears perk up at ‘mountain lion’ and ‘social commentary’. I enjoyed my time with this mountain lion. He had scruples, and after that ending… let’s just say, he slayed.