In April 2023, Ron Charles of The Washington Post delved into the pages of CSU Assistant Professor Ramona Ausubel’s novel The Last Animal: A Novel.
Charles emphasized the story’s woolly mammoth, seeing it as a poignant symbol of irreparable loss and the inescapable march toward extinction. He captured the novel’s essence, writing, “The paradox that this novel confronts with such tender sympathy and humor is how to love the time we have left.”
Ausubel’s work resonated widely, with other publications like People magazine and The New York Times Book Review applauding her work. Inspired by a news story on mammoth de-extinction, Ausubel’s teaser for the novel promises a “playful, witty and resonant” novel following a single mother and her two teenage daughters as they embark on a “wild scientific experiment and discover themselves in the process.”
In an unexpected twist to their summer break, sisters Eve and Vera find themselves reluctantly tagging along with their mom on a scientific escapade to the Arctic. Siberia’s icy landscapes don’t scream “dream vacation” for the bored teens, but a mischievous adventure leads to an accidental and astonishing discovery — a perfectly preserved, 4,000-year-old baby mammoth. This stroke of luck catapults the trio into a globetrotting whirlwind, from Siberian slopes to Icelandic shores and an eccentric animal farm in Italy. Their journey unfolds with a series of wild events, culminating in the birth of a creature hailed as the game-changer — the woolly mammoth, which they call “the most important animal on the planet.”
As Jane and her daughters grapple with the ups and downs of keeping their newfound friend Pearl alive, the story becomes a deep dive into family dynamics and self-discovery. Beyond the scientific marvel, it tackles personal grief, climate anxiety and institutional sexism. With the Ausubel touch, the narrative seamlessly blends scientific intrigue with a heartfelt exploration of what it means to be human.
Ausubel, hailing from Santa Fe, New Mexico, is an assistant professor in the CSU Department of English. With three novels and two story collections in her repertoire, Ausubel’s literary journey has earned her prestigious accolades, including the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award and the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Fiction. A finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award and the California and Colorado Book Awards, Ausubel’s work skillfully navigates the confluence of science, emotion and societal dynamics, often exploring the complexities of the human experience.
