Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Mixed feelings here. Macdonald pairs her love of birds/falconry with the story of how she copes with grief after her father's death. 3 stars because it was difficult to comprehend why she parallels her story to that of author T.H.White. Hers is a story of loss and companionship; White came off as reclusive and a bit of a creep. Found myself speeding through those sections to return to Helen & Mabel as they evolve and recover together.
This book is remarkable. I was listening to it on audiobook, which is one of the reasons why I've taken so long to finish it. I'm not in the flow of listening to audiobooks - this is my first try as an adult. Even though I lost my way with it at times, this book feels profoundly important in the way it dissects about our perceptions of the "wild", our history, our heroes and what it is to be human... My favourite parts were the bits most personal to Helen and her life. It made me cry several times (awkward when you're listening on the way to work) and I wonder if the fact that the author is reading it to you makes it feel more intimate and direct.
3.5 stars. a ragged story, in the sense that it perfectly captures her grief of losing her father. the interweaving of TH White into her story is a nice touch. also I learned some stuff about falconry!
A book about a loss and goshawk, absorbing for me as a bird-nerd, as a sufferer of loss, and as a reader. Probably not for everyone.
3.5. I'd recommend listening over reading. The author narrates and that helps better follow the circuitous path her narrative of loss takes.
Grief, falconry, T.H. White. Surprisingly relatable, especially if you have lost a parent. Excellent writing.
A young woman dealing with grief (sudden death of her father) immerses herself in training a goshawk. Insights on dealing with grief and training a hawk. Sounds odd, but I enjoyed it.
This was a beautiful book about nature, wildness and grief.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced