Green Lion - Henrietta Rose-Innes

A zookeeper grows obsessed with a lioness in this ''muscular and lyrical'' [The Telegraph] story about species loss, bereavement and the human desire for connection.

''Great characters … superb lyrical writing'' The Literary Sofa 

When a lion at a breeding park mauls an old school friend of his, Con must step in as the keeper of Sekhmet, the last remaining black-maned lioness in the world. In a Cape Town where fences keep people and wildlife apart, park officials and investors fret about their flagship big-cat project. And while Con grows steadily more bonded to his enigmatic charge, a cult of animal lovers seek to claim her as their own.