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A review by beate251
Life and Otter Miracles by Hazel Prior
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well, this is more like it. What a unique, wonderful book, choc full of quirky plot and characters. Ellie and the Harpmaker was good already and the penguin ones excellent, but this is surely Hazel Prior's best book yet.
The characters are all so lovely and interesting, from young Phoebe, who battles with debilitating but undiagnosed pain, to her father, a widowed parcel delivery driver, to Carol from the otter sanctuary, wild thing Christina, a downtrodden female vicar and various other neighbours. There are also several dogs, a cat called Miaow and Ellie and Dan from the first book.
Phoebe and her father move into the village and she soon finds a young wild otter and starts helping out at the otter sanctuary, with the aim of eventually rewilding little Coco. Soon she begins to suspect that someone wants to sabotage the sanctuary, as more and more things happen to harm it. While she plays Sherlock Holmes we also learn more about her journey with pain, which some people can't accept as being real, among them her sister. Then things come to a head at the otter sanctuary, and Phoebe's condition alarmingly deteriorates, just when she begins to realise who the culprit is.
I could empathise so much with Phoebe and what it means not to be able to take part in society as much as you'd like. People look at you and think there's nothing wrong because your disability is hidden. The book is so full of warmth and understanding towards ordinary people who juggle with pain, heartache and grief, but it doesn't dwell on any of it. There is so much plot that there is no time to be overly maudlin. Otters must be saved, parents must be nudged towards love, and beautiful dresses must be secretly donated to the village's crossdresser.
Otterly charming!
The characters are all so lovely and interesting, from young Phoebe, who battles with debilitating but undiagnosed pain, to her father, a widowed parcel delivery driver, to Carol from the otter sanctuary, wild thing Christina, a downtrodden female vicar and various other neighbours. There are also several dogs, a cat called Miaow and Ellie and Dan from the first book.
Phoebe and her father move into the village and she soon finds a young wild otter and starts helping out at the otter sanctuary, with the aim of eventually rewilding little Coco. Soon she begins to suspect that someone wants to sabotage the sanctuary, as more and more things happen to harm it. While she plays Sherlock Holmes we also learn more about her journey with pain, which some people can't accept as being real, among them her sister. Then things come to a head at the otter sanctuary, and Phoebe's condition alarmingly deteriorates, just when she begins to realise who the culprit is.
I could empathise so much with Phoebe and what it means not to be able to take part in society as much as you'd like. People look at you and think there's nothing wrong because your disability is hidden. The book is so full of warmth and understanding towards ordinary people who juggle with pain, heartache and grief, but it doesn't dwell on any of it. There is so much plot that there is no time to be overly maudlin. Otters must be saved, parents must be nudged towards love, and beautiful dresses must be secretly donated to the village's crossdresser.
Otterly charming!