A review by dembury
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

4.0

Part memoir, part nature writing, and all-in-all a tender examination of the world around us. Nezhukumatathil's background and skill as a poet is so clear here; she write with a fervent curiosity and appreciation for plants, animals, and even weather in a way that not only paints a beautiful picture but really advocates for humans to pay closer attention to these other lives and phenomena. Some chapters feel a bit spare, only briefly touching on something before quickly changing topics, which mean parts of this book were a little surface level. And at times the blending of memoir with scientific nonfiction were highly successful (I love the fireflies and flamingo chapters) others felt more disconnected in terms of the comparisons being made.
Overall a really lovely book, one I would definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys gentle memoirs, nature writing, or flowery prose.