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velsbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
I read Once There Were Wolves last year and really enjoyed it so I was very excited to read McConaghy's debut novel. In the beginning I did not think that I would be so invested in the last migration of the Arctic Terns but oh well I was! The writing style was so eerie and atmospheric having me turn page after page. The topics of climate change and animal extinction were so real and scary. I was invested in all timelines and I loved to find out everything about the main character Franny. Seeing her in the present and in past events that made her the woman she is now. This story was dark and cruel, yet also beautiful and breathtaking. Be sure to check trigger warnings since some events were very heavy. I loved this book a lot and it has a special place in my heart. If it sounds like something you would enjoy I encourage you to give this one a go.
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Blood, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Grief, Violence, Death, and Sexual assault
tnociti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, and Death
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
kates_books'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
4.0
The characters were so unique and original, while still being realistic. The tension between Franny and the fisherman was beautifully written — as she actually gets to know these characters, her once firm convictions become less black and white. I think the author captured the complexities and nuances of humanity. No one is all good or all evil; we are all just trying to get through it and find some beauty along the way.
Franny’s life is full of trauma and most of the book immerses the reader in her depression. Yet the story ends with hope, which I believe is what the authors wants us to take away. The world can be cruel and we need to be help accountable for the harm we have caused it, but we must not lose hope for if we do we won’t work towards making it better.
The non-linear timeline of the novel was interesting and made it feel more mysterious. However, the revelation was a bit anticlimactic.
Overall, the story made you feel the darkness but it was a thought-provoking and tender read.
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Miscarriage, Murder, and Sexual assault
nosfy'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
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
jess_segraves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I guess in the end it felt too much nature, and falling into tendencies or expectations without processing them until it was too late.
Graphic: Car accident, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide attempt
k_eje's review against another edition
- 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
*I would suggest checking trigger warnings though as it could be hard to read for some.*
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Car accident
Minor: Miscarriage
natymaew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Car accident, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death
sebs_gaybooks'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
mmmm, well you could say that *flash through of all Franny's questionable decisions fueled by her immense trauma*
It's been a bit of a cold period in terms of my heart being truly shattered by a book. I haven't had the soul-crushing emotions that come from a devastating read, and I was beginning to think I'd become to tough; not to fret, I do indeed still have some semblance of a heart. And this book reminded me of that fragment I do have left.
god, this book. Migrations, you son of a bitch, how DARE YOU make me feel so many things. It's a rough journey, so if any of the content warnings are triggering, please take heed when reading this. Especially
This futuristic dystopian-like world McConaghy created is honestly more terrifying then the most AI centered ones of past and recent. The idea of nearly ALL of wildlife going extinct, it's horrific. And not just because it feels so likely for our current world. The way she writes about silent forests, beaches with no seagulls and the magic of finding a cave with terns nesting. It's the conversations around conservation, but only of species that have a direct positive impact and desirability for humans. That sort of 'environmental savior' purely for the benefit of our own species.
Franny's desperate fight to see the terns, something that changes meaning with every chapter. And when we get to the end and see the birds, and we know what this means, it was just so hard to read. I have never been one to throw books across rooms with rage or intense passion, mostly because my books comes from the library, but I did gently nudge this book off my bed.
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Car accident, Blood, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Child death
oceanxbluess's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Murder, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death, Police brutality, and Grief
janelleaimi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder