A review by jonsbookshelf
Open Throat by Henry Hoke

3.5

UHGHGGHHH. god it almost did it for me. The first half roped me in and I was excited to see where it would go. But the second part I started to get a crunchy feeling in my stomach. I kept hoping it would pivot again but it didn't. I enjoyed how the author straddled the line between human and cougar at the begining in the narration. But the end took too far of a turn towards human. Towards the lion being a prop for humans and being their mirror. Not only in the storyline but for those who consume this book. Like of course it could all be a metaphor right? And also I think we can do more. I want us to do more. I really fell in love with the one who could not tell us his name but I also feel hurt feelings that more wasn't done to decenter the human here. I think we can do much more to understand and honor the more than human. I want to honor P-22, the cougars of the Olympic peninsula, Takaya and all beings who are forced into extreme circumstances because of human empire. They deserve more than a heros story that makes us, the humans, feel good. I'll be following this up with The Cougar Conundrum if anyone wants to join me.