suegoldberg13 's review for:

Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer

4.0

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This is a page-turner of an ecological thriller! When a book begins by saying "I'm going to tell you how the world ends," it is difficult to know whether to close it right up or be compelled to devour it for the message it holds within. The fact that I was listening to "Migrations" by Charlotte McConaghy in tandem with the hardcover version of "Hummingbird Salamander" meant that I was overwhelmed with the agony of what humans have done to the natural world around us. I found McConaghy's writing more beautiful and her message more somberly hopeful. But VanderMeer knows how to spin a great tale and keep the reader guessing and engaged. This is a mystery filled with violence, sadness, human connections, and human faults. People, we have a huge job ahead of us to right the ship!