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jourdanicus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Climate change, extinction, suicidal ideation, loss... All very dark themes, yes, but woven together so, so well in this book, and I can forgive the darkness for its ending
Moderate: Death, Confinement, Grief, Animal death, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
errie's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Death, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Car accident, Child abuse, and Miscarriage
ebrum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Car accident, Abandonment, and Suicide
abicaro17's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Terminal illness, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Vomit, Body horror, and Violence
singlier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I finished this book last week and its still been on my mind so I figured it was time to sit down and write about it. Just...wow. This book is probably the best I've listened to this year. Its also, without a doubt, the saddest.
This book follows the life of a woman named Franny, who hopes to follow the last migration of the Arctic Tern, the longest migrating bird in the world, from the North Pole to the South Pole. In order to do so, she hitches a ride on a fishing vessel, exchanging her knowledge of the bird's path (and the schools of fish they feast on) for travel.
In this bleak future, the animals of the planet are dying. Due to extreme climate change, most major animal species have gone extinct (save those used for human production and consumption), and there is little incentive to stop the decline save for the resources of a select group of researchers, who Franny's husband belongs to.
However, throughout her journey to follow the Terns the reader gains access to moments in Franny's life that show how lonely, distraught, and traumatized she is: her soul is built to wander, never comfortable in one place too long, and the toll it takes on herself (as she tries to conform) and her loved ones (who ache to watch her go). She tracks down estranged family in search of her lost mother, and recalls the coldness (and strength) of her paternal grandmother who raised her. She builds a rapport with the crew whose ship she boards, and for once in her life, finds a place where she does not feel the need to run from. It paints a heartbreaking portrait of a woman who spent her whole life finding happiness, and the trials she goes through to carve it out for herself. It is a story of love, most of all, and the love for things that are long gone.
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, and Blood
vanesst's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Alcohol, Animal death, Car accident, Grief, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit and Sexual assault
mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That being said I found myself rooting for Franny even with all her self destructive behavior. The impulse to be wildly free and to ignore problems and to grapple with internal guilt are all very relatable feelings for me.
In some ways I feel like this book was speaking directly to me.
I'd recommend it if you like a book with a journey and a slew of complicated characters.
Graphic: Car accident and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Animal death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Death of parent
morganthecarrot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Pregnancy, Murder, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Vomit, Sexual violence, Car accident, Blood, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Grief
singout's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Animal death, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts
mconroy9137's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicide, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Pregnancy