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perjacxis's review against another edition
5.0
There is something about Geni's writing style that makes you think that you are on the island. I thought I could hear the ocean, feel the wind, and see the seals.
I might change the rating to 5 stars at one point, but I'm not sure about this yet. The story will stay with me for a while ...
I might change the rating to 5 stars at one point, but I'm not sure about this yet. The story will stay with me for a while ...
megankgates13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
susanneangerer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kaymarieplz's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the writing style of this book. the only downfall is the great detail of the circle of life and reading about predators attacking their pray. I know it's a silly thing but it made me so sad at times!!
kpmbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This book ticked a bunch of boxes for me: nature, photography, solitude, mystery, a female protagonist whose story doesn't orbit the family and home. Abby Geni's writing style matches the setting; beautiful but not flowery. Loved it.
daramillz's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe 3.5. I'm still digesting it. Really captivating depiction of the wildness of the Farallons, which I never knew existed before. I now know what a murre is, also. And I will never look at gulls the same way again. I appreciated the stark beauty of the book, and thought the nature writing was fantastic. Her description of the whales, in particular, struck me:
"The presence of these animals has unsettled me...They live in a realm of large, slow things---tides,storms, and magnetic currents. They often plunge into the inky depths of the oceans, down where sunlight fails. They inhabit a blue world, away from land, dipping from start to air and back again, sliding between darkness and glow. It is rare for them to come close enough to the coast to be seen by human eyes." (86)
However, I wasn't as invested in the characters as I was in the nature, and I wish we had seen more from Galen before the epilogue. Mick's death seemed abrupt and unnecessary (except perhaps to allow Miranda the freedom of maintaining the lie that the baby was his without having the responsibility of ever actually having to interact with him again, which feels callous). I wasn't satisfied with the ending, but still enjoyed it overall.
"The presence of these animals has unsettled me...They live in a realm of large, slow things---tides,storms, and magnetic currents. They often plunge into the inky depths of the oceans, down where sunlight fails. They inhabit a blue world, away from land, dipping from start to air and back again, sliding between darkness and glow. It is rare for them to come close enough to the coast to be seen by human eyes." (86)
However, I wasn't as invested in the characters as I was in the nature, and I wish we had seen more from Galen before the epilogue. Mick's death seemed abrupt and unnecessary (except perhaps to allow Miranda the freedom of maintaining the lie that the baby was his without having the responsibility of ever actually having to interact with him again, which feels callous). I wasn't satisfied with the ending, but still enjoyed it overall.
keeshkid's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. I thought the writing about the farallons was lovely and interesting. But the author also had a tendency to repeat information in a way I found a little distracting. The plot itself though didn’t really do it for me and I also disliked the ending quite a bit. Just not really my thing.
cdbaker's review against another edition
5.0
It starts just a little bit slow, but I really loved this book.