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sarahndipity's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Infidelity, and Mental illness
gingerbirder's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was an interesting read. Not one to dive into and bury myself in, but I enjoyed it still. The pace is contemplative and bounces around between Allen (a 19th-century Alaskan explorer), Sophie (his wife and budding bird photographer), Walt (Allen's descendant who is donating Allen's effects to a museum), and Josh (the museum currator), interspersed with clippings, museum notes, and the increasingly unhinged journal of the exploration team's naturalist. There are other characters, including several Indigenous folks, but the narrative is from these points of view. At times it is downright creepy, but nothing is done with these moments other than to note and move on. Sophie provides a lovely journey of self discovery and joy of the natural world. Josh and Walt's correspondence is stilted and a bit 2 dimensional at times, but serves to insert the reader as accomplice in their own assumptions and investigations.
I wish there was more from the Indigenous points of view, especially Nat'aggi. But overall a nice, thoughtful read.
I wish there was more from the Indigenous points of view, especially Nat'aggi. But overall a nice, thoughtful read.
Graphic: Infertility, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Colonisation