tklassy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I will always love sea creatures. And this small but oh so might book broke my heart.
Ever since I was a kid I've absolytley loved reading books from the point of view of animals and that's never changed.
This book was not an easy read - but it was so worthwhile. To think of human centred environmental change from animals perspective was shattering.
Ever since I was a kid I've absolytley loved reading books from the point of view of animals and that's never changed.
This book was not an easy read - but it was so worthwhile. To think of human centred environmental change from animals perspective was shattering.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual assault
julesreadsstuff's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I found it a little slow and complicated to get into initially but then once the pace picked up it was exciting and devastating and I didn’t want to put it down!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Death of parent, Excrement, Murder, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
rachellekcmo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
4.0
I read and enjoyed “The Bees” by this author and learned so much about bees from reading that novel. The same happened with this book. I had to take this in short sips, as it was challenging for me to absorb the names of the various ocean creatures and practices of each of them.
One of the most challenging parts of reading this book, too, was that the heavy hand of human activity was right at the surface throughout, but with language that was not comfortably human-centered. The effect was disorienting to me, which must have been the author’s intention.
I’ll include a content warning as well, but please note this - one group of dolphins is quite violent and one female is raped repeatedly over several chapters.
One of the most challenging parts of reading this book, too, was that the heavy hand of human activity was right at the surface throughout, but with language that was not comfortably human-centered. The effect was disorienting to me, which must have been the author’s intention.
I’ll include a content warning as well, but please note this - one group of dolphins is quite violent and one female is raped repeatedly over several chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, and Violence
bessadams's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Excrement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Bullying
bethtrigg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Rape
Moderate: Blood, Sexual assault, Bullying, Death, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Drug use, and Violence
contemporarymeepsie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Ea is a spinner dolphin that lives in a small pod with her Longi family and kin but when something goes terribly wrong, she decides to leave and gets caught up in the Tursiops megapod of bottlenose dolphins who are crude, violent and possessive. When the ocean demons come calling Ea and her found family have to fight and sacrifice to survive.
This novel is written from the perspective of a dolphin, which in itself, is already interesting. It is certainly unlike many other books I've read and I feel it has a lot of important things to say regarding the ocean and our relationship with the creatures that inhabit it. However I did feel it was a slow book to start. There is an entire subplot about a Wrasse that I had no clue why it was included. I was at 60% of the way through before I got interested. But that isn't to say it is bad. It's actually written very well, and the author did a fantastic job at characterising dolphins and fish so we cared about them as people. Ea is very lovable. Even though he is written to be annoying, I also really liked the Remora as a character.
Overall I found the book interesting but also difficult in places. I'm glad I read it but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Only those with an interest in climate books or books about the ocean.
This novel is written from the perspective of a dolphin, which in itself, is already interesting. It is certainly unlike many other books I've read and I feel it has a lot of important things to say regarding the ocean and our relationship with the creatures that inhabit it. However I did feel it was a slow book to start. There is an entire subplot about a Wrasse that I had no clue why it was included. I was at 60% of the way through before I got interested. But that isn't to say it is bad. It's actually written very well, and the author did a fantastic job at characterising dolphins and fish so we cared about them as people. Ea is very lovable. Even though he is written to be annoying, I also really liked the Remora as a character.
Overall I found the book interesting but also difficult in places. I'm glad I read it but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Only those with an interest in climate books or books about the ocean.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child death
libby_libby_3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I went back and forth on this book. There were parts of it that I didn't like and the writing style didn't stand out to me. However, I have to say it was effective. I know this because the day after reading it, I read a news article about 50 Pilot Whales stranded on a remote Scottish beach. The team that responded was only able to save one of the whales. Obviously a tragic story regardless, but hearing about it after reading pod was devastating. I thought of that lone surviving Pilot whale as an individual in a way that I probably wouldn't have otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
emily_pns's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape
bunnyreads2's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Before starting it, I was worried it would try to do what The Bees did for me and fail, but it managed to do the same concept yet in a whole new and fascinating way. I got immersed into it just as much, learned so much and got emotional just like I did with the bees. Just wow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual violence, Rape, and Violence
The warnings are still important but FYI, it’s all about animals, not humans, so the anatomy is different, etc.bookbinbaby's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a story of our times, it will haunt and inspire in equal measure, it felt like 'Game of Thrones' meets 'Seaspiracy' for me. Brutal. Reflective. Memorable. The characters are each very interesting in how they are individually and where they interact with each other. Holds a mirror up to how we take and overpower the natural world and don't appreciate the fine balance of mother Earth and are selfish as a race and unnecessarily cruel. Laline Paull and how she is able to draw readers in to a world and society we would recognise but populate it with cetaceans and other sea fellows just amazes me and is a talent that is as unique as it is captivating deserves a lot more recognition. I'll be reading Bees by her next, and will appreciate the natural world even more in an entirely different way than I ever did before. Powerful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Addiction, Rape, Misogyny, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Abandonment, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts