Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

18 reviews

marchcrow's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Highly recommend the audiobook format of this book. Lulu Miller's expertise as a radio producer translates beautifully to the audio format. I listened to this on walks and took longer walks than usually just to keep listening. I cried, I laughed, I loved the people that wove throughout. The language is rich and beautiful, the story nuanced, the science sound (for now). Would recommend this to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization

moonchild_88's review

informative reflective

4.5

This was an incredibly interesting book. She paints such a vivid picture in all the scenes, even the ones she didn't witness. I was very curious about the name of the book, I was also curious about the importance of this taxonomist. It was a gripping read, fascinating really. The audiobook version is wonderful, and I found the little nugget included at the end so heartwarming. This definitely made me want to read more book about natural history.

Spoiler

I absolutely did not expect the plot twists to include murder and eugenics! I think it's very interesting how Robert Starr Jordan went from allegedly covering up a murder, feeling wracked with guilt about it, to making eugenics his new purpose in life. What an absolute monster. The book is a masterclass in how to write a villain. In the beginning you hear mostly praise for him, there are definitely criticisms but you can see the author choosing to focus in his great capacity for perseverance, only for it to take a dark change, and for him to end up being responsible for the death, torture and mutilation (amongs other things) of tens of thousands in the US alone. Also, the US was the first country to make eugenics into national law. Which is so interesting considering the national narrative about it role in WW2. Not the least surprising though. I am surprised at how engaging this book was, considering I didn't like the author at all. Her writing is great, but she did not pass the vibe check. Also, fish dont exist as a category, that's the answer to the title. And Robert Starr Jordan can suck on that!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Torture, Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Infertility, and Medical trauma

Minor: Death and Child death

val_so_'s review

emotional informative medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Murder, Ableism, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Sexism, Misogyny, Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Homophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Xenophobia

susannah_knox's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book surprised me over and over again.  I don't know how the author pulled off making all the disparate elements cohere, but she did.  A moving, deep yet delightful quick read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide attempt, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Animal death, Medical trauma, and Murder

youngwessels's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.25

The chapters revolving around David Starr Jordan are a compelling look into a deeply troubled person’s experiences but the chapters revolving around Lulu Miller’s own life are just a sloggish look into a slightly less troubled person’s experiences.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Murder

killeenm's review

challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I LOVED this book. It’s pretty rare to find an author so talented that mixes biography, scientific journalism, and memoir so seamlessly. I didn’t know if I’d love it at the beginning; I thought the author was maybe coming from a perspective too different from mine. Turns out an atheist and a Catholic who doesn’t really believe that God has plans in their life might be coming from very similar places. Explored human relationships to the natural world, eugenics, psychology, taxonomy, disability, ableism, the purpose of life… I can’t recommend it enough. This book was absolutely masterful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

mirto's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

If I could give this 6 stars, I would. Brilliant book. I would even say Lulu Miller created a whole new genre. Memoir, biography, essay, nature book, history book, sociology, psychology, murder mystery, whatever, you name it. Made me feel so many things, all at once. I learnt a lot, from science to giving myself the life I want. Why Fish Don't Exist will stay with me forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Ableism, Gaslighting, Infertility, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Hate crime

Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual assault, War, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Murder, Infertility, Infidelity, and Rape

redrosemoth's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Minor: Suicide attempt

junefish's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal death, Infertility, Infidelity, Racism, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Rape, Death, and Alcoholism

Includes content about the history of eugenics and the personal experiences of people who were forcibly sterilised.

kateali's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal death and Rape

Minor: Car accident, Infertility, and Infidelity