Borne by Jeff VanderMeer is a post-apocalyptic novel that follows the story of Rachel, a scavenger living in a ruined city dominated by biotech experiments and a monstrous, godlike flying bear named Mord. The city is a dystopian wasteland, its inhabitants living in fear of Mord and the influence of the Company, a now-defunct biotech corporation responsible for the chaos. Rachel lives with Wick, a former employee of the Company who creates drugs and biotech to survive.
One day, while scavenging, Rachel discovers a strange, plant-like creature tangled in Mord's fur. She takes it home and names it Borne. Initially, Borne seems harmless—a curious, sentient being capable of learning language and developing a personality. As Rachel nurtures Borne, their relationship evolves from mother-child to something more ambiguous, and she begins to question what Borne truly is. Despite his innocence and charm, Borne's origins remain mysterious, and his rapid growth and abilities raise troubling questions about his connection to the Company and its experiments.
Meanwhile, Mord continues to terrorize the city, and Rachel and Wick must navigate the dangers posed by scavengers, rival factions, and Mord’s minions—known as Mord proxies. Wick grows increasingly wary of Borne, warning Rachel that he could be a weapon or an experiment gone wrong. However, Rachel becomes emotionally attached to Borne, seeing in him a glimmer of hope in the bleakness of her world.
As Borne matures, he begins to exhibit strange and potentially destructive powers, including the ability to transform and absorb other organisms. His growing unpredictability forces Rachel to confront the truth about him, as well as her own role in shaping his identity. The novel explores themes of parenthood, identity, and the consequences of humanity’s hubris in manipulating nature.
In the novel's climax, Mord's reign of terror reaches a breaking point, and Rachel must make a choice that will determine her survival, Borne's fate, and the future of the city. Ultimately, Borne is a haunting and imaginative exploration of the boundaries between humanity and biotechnology, love and responsibility, and destruction and creation.
