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hollyenglish's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really wanted to like this book more. There are lots of good ideas here but I found the writing style a bit stiff for me and the plot is very slow and meandering. The flashbacks slowed things down even more.
belovedsnail's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Beautifully written book which packs a huge emotional punch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Animal cruelty
shelby92's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bluestarfish's review against another edition
3.0
A book about urban biodiversity? Set in London? Well there's a topic close to my heart. And then we get coyotes. Which definitely do not occur in London!
Actually this novel is more about adaptability of both wildlife and humans. People and wildlife end up in places where they might not meant to be and manage to adapt and even thrive in new circumstances. American Jean Turane is a biologist who first studied the coyotes that were moving into built up areas, and is now studying urban foxes in London after a failed marriage. The coyotes, foxes, and parakeets are taking up space alongside humans in unexpected ways and so are many people who are also carving out an existence in London by being cleaners, doormen, street entertainers etc.
A fox walking along Waterloo Bridge causes Jean and our other protagonist, Ghanaian psychiatrist Attila Asare, to collide at the beginning of the novel and this random encounter weaves the lives of these two characters together. He's in London in between jobs in conflict, or post-conflict, areas in the world. Aminatta Forna explores the ideas of resilience in people and wildlife through events in the novel. A boy runs away, a colony of parakeets is disturbed by tree felling, rooftop gardens and soil under fingernails, a fellow psychiatrist is in a care home suffering from dementia, and two people slowly fall in love. And all this is among many, many other things going on in the novel.
Forna has a lovely way of writing about the small part of south London these events take place in that I really appreciated. I loved the urban wildlife aspects of the novel too and it was nice to read about positive interactions with foxes (and coyotes). Attila is a very capable person, and I suppose you'd have to be as a psychiatrist in and out of war zones, but I also enjoyed the supporting cast of Londoners who don't often show up in novels. The network of street cleaners who help Jean track the ranges and habits of the foxes is a genius idea!
Actually this novel is more about adaptability of both wildlife and humans. People and wildlife end up in places where they might not meant to be and manage to adapt and even thrive in new circumstances. American Jean Turane is a biologist who first studied the coyotes that were moving into built up areas, and is now studying urban foxes in London after a failed marriage. The coyotes, foxes, and parakeets are taking up space alongside humans in unexpected ways and so are many people who are also carving out an existence in London by being cleaners, doormen, street entertainers etc.
A fox walking along Waterloo Bridge causes Jean and our other protagonist, Ghanaian psychiatrist Attila Asare, to collide at the beginning of the novel and this random encounter weaves the lives of these two characters together. He's in London in between jobs in conflict, or post-conflict, areas in the world. Aminatta Forna explores the ideas of resilience in people and wildlife through events in the novel. A boy runs away, a colony of parakeets is disturbed by tree felling, rooftop gardens and soil under fingernails, a fellow psychiatrist is in a care home suffering from dementia, and two people slowly fall in love. And all this is among many, many other things going on in the novel.
Forna has a lovely way of writing about the small part of south London these events take place in that I really appreciated. I loved the urban wildlife aspects of the novel too and it was nice to read about positive interactions with foxes (and coyotes). Attila is a very capable person, and I suppose you'd have to be as a psychiatrist in and out of war zones, but I also enjoyed the supporting cast of Londoners who don't often show up in novels. The network of street cleaners who help Jean track the ranges and habits of the foxes is a genius idea!
stefnoble's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this quite a bit. It is quiet and I wasn’t sure where I was being taken at the outset. But the thematic connections and overall question were very lovely. I also related to Jean’s character quite heavily. Looking forward to reading more of this author.
hatrireads's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. Quiet action but well plotted. Two lives intersect in modern day London: an American urban wildlife scientist and a Ghanaian psychiatrist specializing in trauma. The story weaves their past loves and losses with present day action. The author makes interesting conclusions about connectedness and resilience. Such a good book.
cojack's review against another edition
4.0
This leans toward a 3.5, as the story and pace are uneven. The last 7 or so chapters really elevated this book. Parts of it were a slog, especially Jean’s backstory with the coyotes in New England. I am interested in wildlife and human intrusions, etc., but there was SO MUCH detail, it started to feel like the writer did a ton a research and wanted to include all of it, whether it benefited the story or not. I found myself skimming, which I don’t do often.
The good: Beautiful writing about the displaced, adaptation, community, how our experiences form us and inform our decisions, memories, guilt, love, trauma... All this through the stories of people and animals. I especially loved that the two main characters were older, Jean had to be over 50, and Attila over 60. Being in my mid 50s, I could identify with the reflection on one’s life while also feeling like there is so much more life to be lived, and what does it look like?
In addition to the above issues with pacing, the story sort of ambled. If you need plot, go elsewhere. Again, the author does tie it up well, but there is no real plot or tautness to the story. At certain points I just didn’t care and had to force myself to keep reading, asking myself, “where is this even going????” (But I wanted to finish for book club). Attila is an excellent character. His passages really shined. The jumps back and forth in time often slowed the book down and didn’t add much, especially in Jean’s storyline.
So: good, not great. If the entire book were as good as the last chapters, this would have been a home run.
The good: Beautiful writing about the displaced, adaptation, community, how our experiences form us and inform our decisions, memories, guilt, love, trauma... All this through the stories of people and animals. I especially loved that the two main characters were older, Jean had to be over 50, and Attila over 60. Being in my mid 50s, I could identify with the reflection on one’s life while also feeling like there is so much more life to be lived, and what does it look like?
In addition to the above issues with pacing, the story sort of ambled. If you need plot, go elsewhere. Again, the author does tie it up well, but there is no real plot or tautness to the story. At certain points I just didn’t care and had to force myself to keep reading, asking myself, “where is this even going????” (But I wanted to finish for book club). Attila is an excellent character. His passages really shined. The jumps back and forth in time often slowed the book down and didn’t add much, especially in Jean’s storyline.
So: good, not great. If the entire book were as good as the last chapters, this would have been a home run.
daisiep's review against another edition
2.0
What was that
Nothing happened
Why were there all the references to wolves/foxes/coyotes
It did get more enjoyable towards the end, but I found it quite boring.
Seemed a bit lacking? Not sure of what .. character? Emotion?
I didn't think the prose was that good, almost like it was trying too hard.
Didn't find it particularly thought provoking.
It was very tell not show
I usually love slow books where nothing happens and are entirely character driven - they're my favourite books. But this was character driven, the characters were meh
Nothing happened
Why were there all the references to wolves/foxes/coyotes
It did get more enjoyable towards the end, but I found it quite boring.
Seemed a bit lacking? Not sure of what .. character? Emotion?
I didn't think the prose was that good, almost like it was trying too hard.
Didn't find it particularly thought provoking.
It was very tell not show
I usually love slow books where nothing happens and are entirely character driven - they're my favourite books. But this was character driven, the characters were meh