Reviews tagging 'Death'

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

5 reviews

caseythereader's review

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Death, Homophobia, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic

displacedcactus's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

I've read over 100 books so far this year and this stands out as one of the very best. It was beautiful, powerful, honest, and informative. I love learning about animals, and the way the author wove all these fascinating facts about sea creatures into their own experiences with race, gender, sexuality, body image, and relationships (romantic and family) was just so creative and thought-provoking.

This book had me near tears several times with the tenderness the author uses when speaking of the LGBTQIA+ community and their own self, and at a few of the sadder animal stories as well. It's emotional without feeling manipulative.

I enjoyed the audio version because it felt really impactful to hear the author's experience in their own voice, and also, there's a sort of wry humor in their voice in certain parts. They're a great narrator as well as a great writer! It sounds like the physical and ebook versions might have illustrations, though, so if you're one of those people who can read and listen at the same time, do that! Otherwise, it seems like all options are good options.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and War

Minor: Racial slurs

lukests's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I loved this so much

The way Imbler uses these awesome stories from the animal kingdom to illustrate their own story inspires such wonder in the reader. Learning about these unique animals while going on a journey of discovery of the author's self is such an enjoyable ride. 

Being able to relate to Imbler and a cuttlefish and an entire community on a queer beach as well as a colony of individual salps is a wild but magical feeling

To top this all off the gender euphoria and sense of belonging and understanding reading the last chapter was fantastic. 

It's not often I've read someone write the non-binary experience in such an authentic and relatable way. Also reading this and being jealous of a cuttlefish is so bizarre but Imbler just does such a great job and likening it to the trans experience of wanting to change yourself at a whim. 

As well as the stories of the cuttlefish, salps, and jellyfish, the story of the Chinese Sturgeon and how its journey almost mirrors that of their grandparents'own journey of migration through China during a war was harrowing. This coupled with how climate change and expanding civilisation is affecting the sturgeons spawning leaves a lasting impression. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Animal death, Racism, Rape, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia

lia_brd's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Such a great mix of information, emotion and experiences. This was wonderfully crafted and such an amazing read.
If you're looking to learn about sea creatures and to reflect on society/race/queerness, I highly encourage you to pick this up!

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Body shaming, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Rape, Misogyny, Animal death, Racism, Death, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Fatphobia

robinks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I did not want this book to end. For a nonfiction book, it read so easily. Imbler seamlessly weaves stories from their own life with how fascinating sea creatures live, the parallels so clear and beautifully constructed. The first chapter If You Flush a Goldfish drew me in immediately, and I was especially hooked after the chapter Hybrid, as a mixed-race person. Imbler captures nuance, complexity, and what is yet unknown so well, and I will continue to recommend this book to everyone.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Animal death, Misogyny, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual violence, Rape, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, and Racism

Moderate: Classism, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual content, Death, and Bullying

Minor: Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, Vomit, and Religious bigotry