Migrations (2020 original; edició 2020)

In the wake of a lifetime of travel and wandering, touched with tragedy, Franny Stone talks her way onboard a fishing ship so that she can track what she believes to be the final migration of the last arctic terns, from the Arctic to Antarctic. She convinces the captain, Ennis, that the birds will lead them to the remaining fish - Ennis' dreamed-of Golden Catch - and is warily welcomed aboard by the small, tight-knit crew. In first-person narrative that tacks between past and present, readers understand more of Franny's history in Ireland and Australia, her mother's death, a stillborn baby, time spent in prison, and her ornithologist husband Niall. Set in a possible near future where the sixth wave of extinctions has progressed significantly, Franny - and her birds - is a character to root for.

See also: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

Quotes

But I've a calmer heart, too, living alongside the savage one. (53)

[My mother] was always aware of life's marvels and its perils, and of how closely entwined the two are. (66)

It isn't fair to be the kind of creature who is able to love but unable to stay. (119)

Something uncomfortable lives in the moment, waiting. (158)

I wonder if there is meaning in any death, ever. (178)

He hasn't reached whatever line he won't cross. (179)

"The stronger you are, the more dangerous the world." (Anik, 179)

But there's no way to conjure fear if it doesn't exist....I have never feared the sea. (190)

It's impossible to control someone else's capacity for forgiveness. (194)

...in our self-importance, in our search for meaning, we have forgotten how to share the planet that gave us life. (195)

All these humans have left no space for anything else. (196)

Saving specific animals purely on the basis of what they offer humanity may be practical, but wasn't this attitude the problem to begin with? (209)

So in my heart I let them go. Nothing should have to struggle so much. If the animals have died it will not have been quietly. It will not have been without a desperate fight. It they've died, all of them, it's because we made the world impossible for them. (221)

"There's a difference between wandering and leaving." (Niall to Franny, 232)

"All our touching does is destroy." (Niall, 250) ( )

I cried a lot reading this book, which is apocalyptic with elements of Moby Dick. In this world, which is our world too, the animals have mostly gone extinct. The book renders the world we're losing into a narrative of crystalline sadness.

"In winter months the long hanging leaves would turn white like the snow on the ground, or like the wispy whiskers of an ancient man, and the crows hiding among them were stark spots of coal. To me they were the presence of something profound, though at six I didn't know what. Something like loneliness, or its opposite. They were time, and the world; they were the distances they could fly and the places to which I could never follow." ( )

I didn't think I'd like it at first, but I did.

I am a little speechless after finishing this book, it was beautiful and a little haunting. I was gripped from the very beginning by this possible (and unfortunately realistic) future world, was carried through the story by the captivating and intriguing character that is Franny Stone, and was brought to near tears by the ending. There were a couple points at the end where I think the book could have ended just as easily and been just as well done but I did enjoy the end note of hope that author managed to instil. I would definitely recommend.

On a more practical note, I would say the book has a medium pace and has great character development. The writing was well done, painting the image while not getting into too much detail (I never felt like I could just skip large portions of text because it is just description like I have with other books). The feel of the book is adventurous, reflective, mysterious and emotional. ( )

The Short of It:

A thoughtful look at the impact of climate change.

The Rest of It:

This is my first review of the year, but it’s not the first book I picked up. This review just seemed easier to write at the moment so here goes.

This was an interesting story and a good one for my book club to discuss. Franny Stone is convinced that the Arctic terns will be migrating one last time. That the birds will be extinct as their food source has been somewhat depleted by fishing and global warming. The interesting thing about Franny is that she is not a scientist. She is married to a professor who studies such things and has become consumed with their survival.

Franny is a broken woman and through the back and forth timeline, it’s clear that Franny is running from something just as much as she is running towards something. There’s a little bit of a dark past trying to catch up to her, and yet she is quite likable and perhaps, the demons she faces is what makes her relatable. Franny finds herself a place on a fishing excursion, convincing the crew and captain that she can help them find the fish based on where the terns have headed.

This crew, although doubtful that Franny can lead them to the fish, gives her a chance to prove herself. Perhaps sensing the desperation in her plea. While traveling, Franny’s husband is back home. Not an unusual occurrence because although Franny has no problem loving or caring for people, she does have a problem with staying where she is.

This was a good story. A little sad when everything is revealed but also quite beautifully told. Powerful. It’s about love and loss and trying to find the people you are meant to have. And it did make me think a lot about how climate change impacts how we eat, live and make our decisions.

Have you read it? I recommend it.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. ( )