Migrations

Really liked this odd book. Deep, challenging to understand at times, mysterious in a curious way. Loved the writing. Futuristic yet set in tangible reality and difficult life emotions we all face at times.

Beautifully written, well-researched, uncomfortably foreshadowing in its predictions of the environmental havoc humans have and will wreak on the world, birds in particular. The story is told through the first-person perspective of the narrator, Franny, who finds her way aboard a fishing vessel to follow a small flock of terns on possibly their final migration to the Antarctic. I love a good sea story, and this book certainly is that, and much more.

I am sitting here stunned (and with my nose still running and my cheeks tight with dried tears).

I am not going to be able to do justice to this book or to my thoughts about it.

When I started reading, I was delighted that much of it was taking place on a boat with a crew. As a young girl, one of my favorite books was [b:The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle|310146|The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle|Avi|https:i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348243806l/310146._SY75_.jpg|997358], and I read it over and over, swallowing up every detail about life at sea. This gave me very distant vibes of that experience, and I expected to stay in that space.

This book, however, morphs into something...else. This is layers and layers and layers of discovery about Franny. Everything about it is almost dreamlike. I was wrapped up in the gorgeous writing and a tale of the heartbreaking turn of the world (almost all the animals are gone due to the misuse of our planet and resources and creatures) and the heartbreaking grief and loneliness of wandering souls.

This book truly broke my heart in almost every way possible. I was blindsided by it.

I recognize that not everyone will love this one. It may seem a bit slow. It may seem like not enough is happening. It may feel like it's not realistic (again, it felt more dreamlike to me in its execution, which was part of its charm for me). But for me, this book felt almost personal in a way I cannot pinpoint.

So incredibly lovely and beautiful.

I can't move to pull on my clothes except that somehow I do, and I can't stand on two feet except that somehow I do, and I can't walk, there's no way I can walk, except I do. I take step after step after step after step.

5 Stars

Lovely book. So well written and thought provoking

As the wife of an avid birdwatcher I was drawn to the promise of following Arctic Terns on their final migration. This tale is set in an unknown future, when mankind’s selfish choices have finally proved too much for nature and have lead to the extinction of a large percentage of the world’s wildlife population. This is a beautifully written story which acts as a wake-up call regarding our responsibly for our beautiful planet. On top of this, the reader slowly learns the truth behind Franny Stone’s determination to track the terns to the very end. McConaghy fills her novel with heart-wrenchingly sad and inspiring details. She delivers her story through strong, gritty characters that transport the reader through a whole range of emotions. I did not anticipate Franny's dark past and the complexities of her personality that lead her to these events. Be prepared for some intense moments and revelations! The plot also takes many unexpected turns which keeps the reader guessing. I guessed the strongest plot twist quite early on, but this did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. McConaghy chooses to jump around in time a lot and, although I usually prefer a more chronological narrative, I can see how the gradual insight into Franny’s past add to the mystery and suspense of the overall novel. Despite the doomsday overtones, I was thankful that McConaghy also choses to offer some rays of hope for our currently unwritten future!