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elsakern's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Favourite essays: My Mother and the Starving Octopus, My Grandmother and the Sturgeon, We Swarm, Morphing Like a Cuttlefish, and Us Everlasting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder
devlev7's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this, although it took me ages to get through (my difficulty with nonfiction in general). I really like Imbler’s writing style, and the fascinating pairing of sea creatures and memoir. Definitely unlike any other book I’ve read.
zachnachazel's review against another edition
5.0
It is going to be difficult to find a book I enjoyed more than this one in 2023. Even though it is only March 1st.
The best way I can describe it is part memoir and part sea creature biology. I had a hard time describing to a friend how engulfed in each chapter I’ve become because I’m excited to learn about these animals in cool and new ways but then also reading a comparative narrative of the author’s life experiences.
The best way I can describe it is part memoir and part sea creature biology. I had a hard time describing to a friend how engulfed in each chapter I’ve become because I’m excited to learn about these animals in cool and new ways but then also reading a comparative narrative of the author’s life experiences.
jazhandz's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I picked up this book because the marketing and blurb makes it sound like science nonfiction. It is not. It is a collection of personal essays that use marine as a metaphor. They’re beautiful essays, they’re very striking, but I was just intensely frustrated the whole time because of the marketing failure. I wanted the sea creatures to be the point of the book, and it didn’t feel like they were. Maybe I would rate this higher if I’d gone in knowing that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal death, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Sexual content, and War
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Racial slurs