maliazaidi 's review for:

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

4.0

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I didn't know what to expect from this book, despite having read the summary and several glowing reviews. It seemed to have an odd premise, added to that I'm not a huge fan of reading non fiction, nor do I have an interest in birds of prey. Nonetheless, I was intrigued and grabbed a copy, and I'm glad I did. The story itself is not so much about hawks, as it is about Macdonald dealing with grief and finding a reason to get up in the morning. This was, for me, not unputdownable, however, I immediately warmed to the author's voice and the language is beautifully descriptive, almost poetic at times, a love letter to her father, to her hawk, to nature. I won't go so far as to say this book has me turning into a fan of falconry, but it does rouse an interest in exploring Macdonald's other writing, purely for her style and memorable voice. A worthwhile read.
Just as an aside - weirdly, I just opened my email to see a Groupon for Falconry School?!

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