First published 2003
In the remote Philippines, anthropologists believe they have found an isolated Stone Age tribe living untouched by modern civilization. The discovery captivates the world and promises to rewrite understanding of human societies. But questions emerge about the wealthy eccentric who funded the expedition and whether the entire finding might be an elaborate deception. Meanwhile, a Hollywood crew arrives in Southeast Asia to film a Vietnam War movie. The production spirals into chaos as actors and filmmakers succumb to drugs, ego clashes, and the psychological toll of recreating wartime violence. Cast members lose themselves in their roles while the director struggles to maintain control over his vision and his people. As both stories unfold, the line between authentic discovery and manufactured spectacle blurs. The supposed primitive tribe and the movie set become mirrors of each other, each raising uncomfortable questions about exploitation, truth, and the stories people tell themselves about civilization and savagery.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: blurred-lines, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Philippines, Southeast Asia
Period: 20th-century
320 pages · Hardcover · Viking
Content warnings: violence