When Alfred Fatigay returns to his native London, he brings along his trustworthy pet chimpanzee Emily who, unbeknownst to Fatigay, has become civilized: literate, literary--and in love with Fatigay himself. After Emily meets Alfred’s fiancée Amy Flint, a 1920’s “modern woman,” she sets out to save her beloved from Amy’s cold grip.

A novel about a strange, wondrous, and often hilarious love triangle.

“A work of genius.”—The Boston Globe

“He’s a pure pleasure to read.”—Michael Chabon

“From the first sentence of the novel the reader is aware that he is in the presence of a magician… [Collier] casts a spell and he does so always with a smile.”—Paul Theroux

“A wayward masterpiece…. Whatever this volume has cost you, it is, believe me, a great bargain.” --Anthony Burgess