The Woman and the Ape — Peter Hoeg

The Woman and the Ape is the story of a unique and unforgettable couple -- Madelene and Erasmus. Madelene -- a sleeping beauty drowsing gently in an alcoholic stupor -- is the beautiful and disillusioned wife of Adam Burden, a distinguished behavior scientist. Erasmus -- the unlikely prince -- is a 300-pound ape.

Erasmus is brought to the Burdens' London home after escaping from animal smugglers. In him Adam Burden believes he has discovered a hitherto unknown mammal, a highly intelligent anthropoid ape, the closest thing yet to a human being. If he is right, Erasmus will become the jewel of Burden's new zoo. But Madelene decides to save Erasmus, investing in her efforts all the single-mindedness she until now has reserved for drinking. The two fall in love -- a love affair as emotionally and erotically charged as any female-male relationship could ever be. But Erasmus has come to England with a purpose, and eventually the couple must face the world they have sought to flee.

A fable for our time, The Woman and the Ape poses searching questions about the nature of love, freedom, and humanity