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chelseakeat's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Really enjoyed this book! Would recommend.
ericawrites's review against another edition
3.0
At many points in these essays, Imbler felt like they were on a precipice of something more — of speaking transcendently about queerness, ethnicity, community, and these sea creatures. But then the text pulled back, and I was left without the so what?
Recording what happens to us, what happens to our bodies and minds, and what happens when we’re existing is an important function of the memoir. But if Imbler pulls in nature to reflect this, then it should be a bit more.
My favorites were the essays about goldfish, sand strikers, salps, and cuttlefish as each of them took the science and very much mixed it with human life, connection, community, fallacies, and violence (intentional or not).
I listened to this audiobook, narrated by the author, and the audio helped uplift their personal stories.
Recording what happens to us, what happens to our bodies and minds, and what happens when we’re existing is an important function of the memoir. But if Imbler pulls in nature to reflect this, then it should be a bit more.
My favorites were the essays about goldfish, sand strikers, salps, and cuttlefish as each of them took the science and very much mixed it with human life, connection, community, fallacies, and violence (intentional or not).
I listened to this audiobook, narrated by the author, and the audio helped uplift their personal stories.
aswarmofbees's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
sydneythekydneybean's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I am convinced that this book was written for my little 17-year-old self who was absoluely in the closet and desperately wanted to be a marine biologist despite living in the middle of the desert. I absolutely loved the scientific writings mixed with the authors memoir, the ways Sabrina Imbler was able to connect us and herself so intimately to the creatures who I once thought lived such different lives from us. She creates a community through these schools of sea creatures to celebrate every part of herself and those she loves most. As much as this book emphasizes the violence POC and LGBTQ+ groups face and the many ways they learn to survive through these circumstances, it reinforces that no one need suffer alone. There is always community to be found and welcomed by.
Each essay is intertwined with one of these ten amazing creatures, Sabrina connects us emotionally to their once mysterious lives, elusive experiences, and intractable challenges. While some essays I felt weren't as strong as others (and possibly were a bit of a stretch when it came to how much it connects with the sea creature), I always finished an essay having learned something about the animal or myself, and I am better for it.
My favorite essays were If You Flush a Goldfish (how devestating to learn how similar we are to goldfish in the ways we destroy ecosystems), My Mother and the Starving Octopus (if I had a nickle for everytime I cried about an octopus in the last year, I'd have two nickles which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice), Beware the Sand Striker (long live Lorena Bobbit!), and Us Everlasting (I am constantly reminded how beautiful ageing is and I hope I never forget). I can see myself returning to these essays over and over again throughout the course of my life and learning something new from them depending on the era of my life. How beautiful it is to be connected to these beautiful creatures. How beautiful is a life in ten sea creatures.
Each essay is intertwined with one of these ten amazing creatures, Sabrina connects us emotionally to their once mysterious lives, elusive experiences, and intractable challenges. While some essays I felt weren't as strong as others (and possibly were a bit of a stretch when it came to how much it connects with the sea creature), I always finished an essay having learned something about the animal or myself, and I am better for it.
My favorite essays were If You Flush a Goldfish (how devestating to learn how similar we are to goldfish in the ways we destroy ecosystems), My Mother and the Starving Octopus (if I had a nickle for everytime I cried about an octopus in the last year, I'd have two nickles which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice), Beware the Sand Striker (long live Lorena Bobbit!), and Us Everlasting (I am constantly reminded how beautiful ageing is and I hope I never forget). I can see myself returning to these essays over and over again throughout the course of my life and learning something new from them depending on the era of my life. How beautiful it is to be connected to these beautiful creatures. How beautiful is a life in ten sea creatures.
xcrini's review against another edition
5.0
I don't read a lot of non-fiction, especially memoirs so that might not mean much coming from me, but this gotta be one of the best ones out there simply for creative / structural reasons.
I usually hate rating memoirs because it makes me feel as if I'm putting a rating on the life of another person but this one gotta get the full 5 stars.
Telling us about important / memorable moments of their life regarding being mixed Asian, queer and trans, while drawing analogies to sea creatures is just amazing. Marine biology isn't really a topic I would usually read up on, but in this context I was all in. Lots of relatable stuff in here too regarding sexuality and gender and my favorite analogy for sure was the one regarding self discovery at an adult age.
I've never reread a memoir before but can totally see myself doing it with this one.
(I recommend checking out content warnings as there's quite a few topics that might be triggering, including the subject of sexual violence/assault)
I usually hate rating memoirs because it makes me feel as if I'm putting a rating on the life of another person but this one gotta get the full 5 stars.
Telling us about important / memorable moments of their life regarding being mixed Asian, queer and trans, while drawing analogies to sea creatures is just amazing. Marine biology isn't really a topic I would usually read up on, but in this context I was all in. Lots of relatable stuff in here too regarding sexuality and gender and my favorite analogy for sure was the one regarding self discovery at an adult age.
I've never reread a memoir before but can totally see myself doing it with this one.
(I recommend checking out content warnings as there's quite a few topics that might be triggering, including the subject of sexual violence/assault)
sewing_writer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
jmarob's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0