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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book though it took me forever to read. The quality of the writing is beautiful and full of feeling. Learning about Hawks was interesting and not at all dull as I had expected. I would call this book a diamond in the rough.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Moving tale of transition. Extremely well written, raw and very personal, an exploration in parallel times and understandings.
There are sections of H is for Hawk that are gorgeously written, deeply heartfelt, brilliantly insightful, and filled with a reverence for life. On the other hand, there are sections that follow the story of T.H. White, which is a sad and cruel tale. I didn't enjoy the T.H. White sections. I understand why she included them, but I didn't like them.
Also, by two-thirds of the way through the book the detailed observations about the landscape, the goshawk, and her inner turmoil became repetitive and onerous.
The writing in this book is excellent. The story of how to train a goshawk is fascinating. Her journey of grief over her father's death is described with genuine feeling.
Also, by two-thirds of the way through the book the detailed observations about the landscape, the goshawk, and her inner turmoil became repetitive and onerous.
The writing in this book is excellent. The story of how to train a goshawk is fascinating. Her journey of grief over her father's death is described with genuine feeling.
Now I know more about falconry - quite interesting, I did have mixed feelings about the author's approach of weaving her own story with another falcon-training book that fascinated her as a child. I found myself skipping sections about the other guy to get back to her relationship with Mabel.
I didn't know what to expect from this book, despite having read the summary and several glowing reviews. It seemed to have an odd premise, added to that I'm not a huge fan of reading non fiction, nor do I have an interest in birds of prey. Nonetheless, I was intrigued and grabbed a copy, and I'm glad I did. The story itself is not so much about hawks, as it is about Macdonald dealing with grief and finding a reason to get up in the morning. This was, for me, not unputdownable, however, I immediately warmed to the author's voice and the language is beautifully descriptive, almost poetic at times, a love letter to her father, to her hawk, to nature. I won't go so far as to say this book has me turning into a fan of falconry, but it does rouse an interest in exploring Macdonald's other writing, purely for her style and memorable voice. A worthwhile read.
Just as an aside - weirdly, I just opened my email to see a Groupon for Falconry School?!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Just as an aside - weirdly, I just opened my email to see a Groupon for Falconry School?!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
A suprise that it was about so much more than a hawk. The author makes a novel melange of T.H.White's life, books, bird training for both White and Macdonald, British upper crust society, and so much more. Macdonald lost her father suddenly, and it took her a long time to come to terms with the loss, perhaps momentarily losing a bit of her humanity, while she and her hawk learned to behave as a hunting unit.
I, on the other hand, am coming to terms with the loss of my father through the thousand cuts of dementia. I won't forget this book, I hope.
I, on the other hand, am coming to terms with the loss of my father through the thousand cuts of dementia. I won't forget this book, I hope.