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A review by hannahcomer4d
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
I generally struggle with nature writing for a variety of reasons. This beautiful book avoided some--but not all--of those stumbling blocks for me.
For one, I am not a visual person. I have a very hard time picturing nature as written in books, and long descriptions of nature often bore me for this reason. Nezhukumatathil, however, manages to keep her descriptions vivid and engaging, never wandering so far that I can't follow. The beautiful illustrations certainly helped, and I'm so glad I had a physical copy of the book so I could enjoy them.
I also struggle with nature writing that all but eliminates humans except as an agent of chaos. Nezhukumatathil instead approaches this book from the human capacity to wonder. We're encouraged to interact with, explore, love, and wonder at the amazing world around us. I felt as though I could have a place in the world she offered.
However, I was frustrated by the final essay. A lament about the next generation spending too much time in front of screens felt uninformed at best. This conversation has been used to guilt parents for years now, and it neglects the idea that video games and movies are art forms themselves. I know this was a minor part of the essay, but it frustrated me. The final call to protect our planet could have been handled with more of the grace found in earlier chapters.
Overall, I did savor this book and would definitely recommend it.
For one, I am not a visual person. I have a very hard time picturing nature as written in books, and long descriptions of nature often bore me for this reason. Nezhukumatathil, however, manages to keep her descriptions vivid and engaging, never wandering so far that I can't follow. The beautiful illustrations certainly helped, and I'm so glad I had a physical copy of the book so I could enjoy them.
I also struggle with nature writing that all but eliminates humans except as an agent of chaos. Nezhukumatathil instead approaches this book from the human capacity to wonder. We're encouraged to interact with, explore, love, and wonder at the amazing world around us. I felt as though I could have a place in the world she offered.
However, I was frustrated by the final essay. A lament about the next generation spending too much time in front of screens felt uninformed at best. This conversation has been used to guilt parents for years now, and it neglects the idea that video games and movies are art forms themselves. I know this was a minor part of the essay, but it frustrated me. The final call to protect our planet could have been handled with more of the grace found in earlier chapters.
Overall, I did savor this book and would definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death