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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Okay, here's the good stuff: The illustrations are absolutely adorable and the animal encounters Montgomery shares in this book are interesting and sweet. It's obvious how much she loves animals and she has met a lot of them during her lifetime. What I couldn't get on with was her writing style. At first it felt clunky, later on simply dull. There is no tension or originality, she writes about life and love in the most cliché and cheesy way. Maybe because this is not an autobiography but a memoir, little snippets from her life dealing with specific animals. The complicated relationship with her mother, for example, is mentioned several times but only dealt with shallowly. That's just not the type of storytelling I enjoy. I wanted something more, either a closer look at her personal thoughts or more critical observations of the animals she mentions. None of the episodes taught me anything new or made me rethink the relationships I have/have had with animals. Also, she's stating the obvious an awful lot. I can't get my head around her being a journalist and the writer of several published books. Maybe the ones that focus on one animal only are better. I'll definitely still give her [b:The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness|22609485|The Soul of an Octopus A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness|Sy Montgomery|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1425611143s/22609485.jpg|42099445] a shot and hope for the best.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
This was a soothing and reflective story from a person whose career centers around animals. This is her memoir in the form of her most prominent animal companions from dogs, to a pig, weasel, octopus, and more. I enjoyed the layout and how each chapter represented a story about an animal plus what she learned about her own life through the friendship. I also liked that the timeline was chronological. As with life, some animals pass away in this memoir which was hard for me to read. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and am more excited to read other books by this author I have on my TBR. I’m becoming a huge fan of memoirs by female scientists. This had a similar tone to Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, which I adored!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts
This book was fantastically written and evoked happiness, sadness, and taught lessons. I will definitely be seeking out more of the books Sy Montgomery has written, especially her work on octopuses. I enjoyed the chapter about Octavia the octopus the most out of this entire book, although each chapter had its own charm and lesson. Of note, this book also has very pleasing illustrations scattered throughout.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I love animals and I grabbed this books from the library as a quick read (which it was, I read it easily in a day). I didn’t have high expectations and I braced myself for something corny, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have never read Sy Montgomery before but I would like to read more. The author is a longtime animal/nature writer and this book is sprinkled with really incredible world adventures. I can’t believe there were multiple animals in Papua New Guinea that I hadn’t learned about before. The writing is simple but lovely and moving. It’s absolutely brimming with love in a way that people don’t often employ when they talk about animals. More than anything, I appreciate that this person has led such a thoughtful, rich life with so many kinds of love.
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I liked this book. There were parts I really liked. But others where she lost me.
It is understandable that a reader would have certain expectations given this book's title and description, but (just to be clear) the title answers the question "Do you feel as though you've learned, not just about an animal's natural history, but lessons about life for yourself?" That is at the end of the book. And I kind of wish I had known that first. It wouldn't have changed my reading of it. But I think I would have known what I was reading then.
From that NPR interview in which that question was asked, the idea of this book was born. I think Sy probably set out to talk about the 13 animals that have most influenced her life or affected her viewpoint of it. But it really is more autobiographical than just that. She's not only talking about the animals themselves ... Sy is talking about the deep depression they pull her out of, the depression their loss causes, her rocky relationship with her parents, her choice of living an unconventional life pursuing writing and exploration and learning. She obviously had some struggles and guilt with her decisions. But spending time with animals like Christopher Hogwood (a runt piglet grown into a 750 pound "Buddha"), Clarabelle (a wild, beautiful tarantula), and many other animals gave Sy a purpose and motivation. I related so hard to that. After reading the first couple of chapters, I was convinced - Sy is more than an animal-lover. She's a worshipper. It is part of her core beliefs.
By the halfway point, I felt a camaraderie with Sy. I saw many similarities in our personalities and passion for representing those who aren't able to speak for themselves - teaching people about animals, especially the misunderstood ones like emus, tarantulas, an ermine.
Unfortunately, Sy lost me at a couple of places where I just was a bit confused as to what she was talking about. I won't be specific - no spoilers - but ... she just lost some credibility.
Also, VENOMOUS snakes. Not poisonous. Might seem silly (or nitpicky ... ) to mention but she referred to "poisonous" snakes twice and that is a pet peeve of mine. I have to let it go through so much popular culture but, by the time it was referenced, I thought of Sy as animal lover like me, speaking for and about those who are often misunderstood or misrepresented. Like snakes.
It is understandable that a reader would have certain expectations given this book's title and description, but (just to be clear) the title answers the question "Do you feel as though you've learned, not just about an animal's natural history, but lessons about life for yourself?" That is at the end of the book. And I kind of wish I had known that first. It wouldn't have changed my reading of it. But I think I would have known what I was reading then.
From that NPR interview in which that question was asked, the idea of this book was born. I think Sy probably set out to talk about the 13 animals that have most influenced her life or affected her viewpoint of it. But it really is more autobiographical than just that. She's not only talking about the animals themselves ... Sy is talking about the deep depression they pull her out of, the depression their loss causes, her rocky relationship with her parents, her choice of living an unconventional life pursuing writing and exploration and learning. She obviously had some struggles and guilt with her decisions. But spending time with animals like Christopher Hogwood (a runt piglet grown into a 750 pound "Buddha"), Clarabelle (a wild, beautiful tarantula), and many other animals gave Sy a purpose and motivation. I related so hard to that. After reading the first couple of chapters, I was convinced - Sy is more than an animal-lover. She's a worshipper. It is part of her core beliefs.
By the halfway point, I felt a camaraderie with Sy. I saw many similarities in our personalities and passion for representing those who aren't able to speak for themselves - teaching people about animals, especially the misunderstood ones like emus, tarantulas, an ermine.
Unfortunately, Sy lost me at a couple of places where I just was a bit confused as to what she was talking about. I won't be specific - no spoilers - but ... she just lost some credibility.
Also, VENOMOUS snakes. Not poisonous. Might seem silly (or nitpicky ... ) to mention but she referred to "poisonous" snakes twice and that is a pet peeve of mine. I have to let it go through so much popular culture but, by the time it was referenced, I thought of Sy as animal lover like me, speaking for and about those who are often misunderstood or misrepresented. Like snakes.
It’s only the very beginning of February, but I am quite certain that this is to be my favourite read of 2019! It’s just so heart-warming, authentic, vulnerable, insightful, passionate and beautiful. It’s true that, like the author, I adore both creatures and international travel - but this book is about so much more than those two things. It’s about living well, pursuing one’s dreams regardless of pushback, finding both beauty and love in the most unexpected forms/places, and always allowing hope to win. I simply couldn’t put this book down and have stayed up WAY passed my bedtime to complete the entire compilation of stories in one sitting. Heart-swoon!
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
"Knowing someone who belongs to another species can enlarge your soul in surprising ways."
This was a unique autobiography with beautiful supporting illustrations of a woman who has gone on many adventures, studied a variety of species, and contributed a great deal to science. The book promised to describe how each animal taught the author how to be a "good creature" through their interactions; a compelling storytelling method that was unfortunately not supported through the actual writing.
Even though the concept was not really delivered, I still think the author has an impactful story to tell full of rare experiences. The subject matter was often sad but the narrative managed to remain hopeful. The stories shared brought back nostalgic feelings and memories of my own whilst encouraging me to reflect on my own time alongside animals.
Altogether, this was an average reading experience that I expected a little more out of.
This was a unique autobiography with beautiful supporting illustrations of a woman who has gone on many adventures, studied a variety of species, and contributed a great deal to science. The book promised to describe how each animal taught the author how to be a "good creature" through their interactions; a compelling storytelling method that was unfortunately not supported through the actual writing.
Even though the concept was not really delivered, I still think the author has an impactful story to tell full of rare experiences. The subject matter was often sad but the narrative managed to remain hopeful. The stories shared brought back nostalgic feelings and memories of my own whilst encouraging me to reflect on my own time alongside animals.
Altogether, this was an average reading experience that I expected a little more out of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty, Excrement
I don't read a lot of YA but I enjoyed Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus. And like the author, I've always felt animals have as much to teach me about being a good creature as humans, so I gave it a try. I enjoyed very much. A low effort read with lots of reward --- perfect for my current quarantine state of mind.