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A review by yvo_about_books
Life, Loss, and Puffins by Catherine Ryan Hyde

adventurous emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

4.5

Finished reading: April 18th 2024


"It's funny how bleak the world looks on an empty stomach, and how benign that same view can appear after a big meal."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

It's been less than two years since I finally discovered Catherine Ryan Hyde's books, but every single one I've read has been excellent so far. I also love a travel element in my stories, so of course I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Life, Loss, And Puffins. And can we all agree with the main characters just how adorable puffins are? Anyhow, I've been looking forward to start this book, and as expected I ended up having such a wonderful time following Ru and Gabriel on their journey!

One of the elements I loved most in Life, Loss, And Puffins most definitely is all the travel/road trip. Is it credible for two minors to actually make it all the way to Canada? Not exactly. But it sure made for such a fascinating story, and I loved following Ru and Gabriel as they make their way north. The road trip was also such a great way to meet new characters along the way, and it was fun to see how they popped up just at the right time and seem to be part of Ru and Gabriel's coming of age story. The part that stood out most for me were the chapters set in Canada, which had such glorious descriptions that really made the setting come alive for me. I could almost feel the cold and snow!

There is no doubt that Life, Loss, And Puffins is quite a sad and emotional book, although there are also many moments of hope, found family and a beautiful friendship. As a whole I felt that the plot was well balanced, and I really enjoyed how everything was wrapped up in the end. This book also tackles quite a few heavier topics including cancer, death, grief, toxic relationships and transphobia (non binary). They are all well incorporated into the plot, and I could appreciate what they added to the story.

As for the characters... It is so easy to warm up to both Ru and Gabriel, and I had a fantastic time following them on their journey. It's such a beautiful budding friendship, and I love how their growing connection is also represented in the progress of their journey north. The aunt was a bit too much like the stereotypical 'bad guy', but most of the rest of the cast was wonderful as well. The writing itself is extremely engaging and beautifully put together, and I literally flew through Life, Loss, And Puffins.

If you enjoy well written, emotional and well balanced contemporaries about found family, friendship and grief as well as a road trip angle, I can highly recommend this book. Life, Loss, And Puffins is definitely among my favorite stories written by her so far! 
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