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andy5185's review against another edition
4.0
A quiet meditative read. Beautifully written and full of valuable truths about humanity and the natural world delivered with precision by extraordinarily real-feeling characters. I particularly loved learning more about foxes and coyotes living among us.
bookgardendc's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful book about love and the fullness of life with all its good and bad. Loved how Africa and Africans in London were treated with such love and joy and care, and how stories of wildlife wove in and out of the characters’ lives. 4.5 stars for sure
jefecarpenter's review against another edition
Didn't read it; marked it Read so I could get it off my Want To Read list
sandra_foriers's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
archytas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It is the small details of life that Forna has a talent for. The joy, agony and wonder of everyday living. Her characters emotional lives sing through the small moments - this disappointment of awkward pauses on a phone call; the joy of spotting someone lost; the exhaustion of failure. Forna's characters have rich lives, juggling multiple worries in a way that is very normal, and yet rarely written as such. Yet through these personal stories, Forna weaves a larger one about who we are and what matters to us. She does this with threads appearing quite different: dementia and elder care, urban wildlife and the delicately fraught issue of who cities belong to, racism and the impossible vulnerabilty of refugees and migrants, and PTSD, trauma and whether happiness itself is a myth. The result is an immensely satisfying story, one which entertains and provokes, and never forgets to celebrate connection.
prerazmisljavanje's review against another edition
5.0
Tako lepo uvezana da se sama pakuje u preporuke svima redom.
rojaed's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting book, about people and wildlife co-existing. A view of London without any native born Londoners. People grieving, but coping
snoakes7001's review against another edition
5.0
Happiness starts with two strangers meeting on a London Bridge. Jean is an American living in the city researching urban foxes. Attila is a Ghanaian psychiatrist, an expert in PTSD and a regular visitor to London, here this time to give the keynote speech at a conference, but also to check up on his niece Ama and visit an old colleague.
Ama turns up, but her son is missing and when coincidence brings Jean and Attila together again they join forces to search for the boy. Jean has developed a network of street cleaners, security guards and traffic wardens, mostly African immigrants, who give her information about fox sightings. They rally round bringing their unique experiences of the city to the search. As Attila and Jean get closer we learn more about their past histories, their previous marriages, their work and their lives.
It's a beautiful gentle novel about love and loss, hope and resilience, set in the spaces in the cityscape that go unnoticed and are populated by people who are often overlooked. Thoroughly recommended.
Ama turns up, but her son is missing and when coincidence brings Jean and Attila together again they join forces to search for the boy. Jean has developed a network of street cleaners, security guards and traffic wardens, mostly African immigrants, who give her information about fox sightings. They rally round bringing their unique experiences of the city to the search. As Attila and Jean get closer we learn more about their past histories, their previous marriages, their work and their lives.
It's a beautiful gentle novel about love and loss, hope and resilience, set in the spaces in the cityscape that go unnoticed and are populated by people who are often overlooked. Thoroughly recommended.