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nataliecoyne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
However, this was a book that I kind of stepped out of my usual comfort zone to read, I don't usually partake in sci-fi/speculative fiction/dystopian fiction books and I could definitely see someone who is a huge fan of these genres enjoying this book more than I did.
In conclusion, it's good, but it just didn't hit the way I was hoping it would for me.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Classism
iseinkpen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Nevertheless, the themes and characters were powerful enough that it affected me emotionally, even if from a plot point of view I was dubious.
I read McConaghy's second novel about wolves first, and I've got to say they are remarkably similar - it feels a bit like she copy and pasted the template, but I guess if it works it works. But like her other novel, it's billed to be about climate change and wildlife destructions but deviates a lot from that plot/theme to explore the character's own trauma. That isn't a problem per se, but the birds and climate change plot felt a little unfinished, like it petered out because she didn't exactly know where to take it. BUT, not nearly as much as in the wolves book, hence my higher rating for this one. The near apocalyptic world also felt somewhat underdeveloped (if that much wildlife had died off, humanity would be struggling a lot more).
On the writing, it was very evocative and emotionally powerful. And that's when I'm reading it in Swedish, which isn't my native language - if the emotion and skill in describing the natural world and bodily experiences survived that much level of translation, I reckon if I'd read it in the original English this writing would have hit me like a truck and left me a blubbering mess on multiple occasions. As it was, I just cried at the end (on a public bus!).
Important to be aware that it's a lot darker than the blurb would imply so definitely heed the content warnings - of which there are many and very explicit. There's no option for ecocide in the content warnings, but like big time on that (of course).
Overall, I did... Enjoy isn't the right word, but I was transported by this book. I learnt about birds, and it's left me thinking a lot about how I want to treat the people - human and animals - in my life, and perhaps that's the most important thing of all.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
lyndsrj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment
alsndra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Death
c_serpent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Review to come.
Total score: 5/5 stars
Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Miscarriage, and Panic attacks/disorders
arielstrb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
eligru's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So many things in one story, so many amazing characters. So much swimming and fighting for nature, for sanity and for survival. Loved it.
Graphic: Animal death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness
alyssasaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
shay_reads_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Suicide
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual assault
nehashtyle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment