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kosiareka's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book for young young adults, and I read it as an adult which I think is why I rated it 2 stars. The story was interesting, but my favorite part was the way that the book was formatted. The text size changed based on the stage of Mila's life and understanding of the human world and I thought that was a wonderful and insightful choice. I liked the book and I would recommend it to middle schoolers.
booklover160's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was one of my FAVORITE books growing up. Told through Mila's diary entries, they started simple and got more complex as she learned more English and grammar. It's probably the book start started my love for books with nontraditional formatting. This is also the book that I can NEVER remember the name of but could describe the entire plot almost perfectly.
jessalicecampbell's review
3.0
i first read this in like year 4??? and forgot it existed lmao then i saw it in my library's ebook collection and had to reread it
cannibalism's review against another edition
5.0
Decided on a whim to re-read this book for the first time in probably 15+ years. When I was a child, I read this book over and over, more times than I ever read any other book. Its length and simple style made that easy, but there was something more about it that I kept coming back to. This may be one of my favorite books ever written and it remains that way even all these years later. I cried through this entire quick read.
lillygabriella's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
This book was really good and also sad. I really wish we had found out more about Shay. Since it was told entirely from Mila's perspective, the lack of information makes sense, but I don't have to like it any more than Mila liked being locked in. It was very creatively told from her point of view with the language becoming more advanced as she became more adept at English. I enjoyed the realism of parts of it. I didn't find the researchers particularly clever or well informed in the areas of developmental psychology and what children need to thrive. If they really wanted Mila to be a bridge between Dolphin language and English, they should have had the research center set up on an island near her dolphin family, where they could record the interactions, and get Mila's explanation in the evening. I do recommend reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
akelanorine's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bbqxaxiu's review against another edition
I remember this book so vividly from my childhood it's fucking wild
squigglesbug's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5***
This book is suitable for middle-school children, though it deals with some very interesting issues. Mila is a young girl found living alone on an atoll off the coast of Florida. Apparently, she had survived a boat capsizing when just a toddler and was saved by (and “raised by”) a pod a dolphins. Now, she is a feral child, and a group of doctors, psychologists and sociologists are certain they know what is best for her.
I’ve read a number of Hesse’s books and I particularly like the novels written in verse. This has a bit of that feel to it, with fragments of thought put down by Mila as she learns the English language and tries to make sense of what she is experiencing given the context of the dolphin society she has grown up knowing. There were times when I felt incredibly sad for her (and her dolphin mother). Times when I applauded her “progress” and delighted in the discoveries she made.
Then ending is rather ambiguous, and I’ve read the last three or four chapters over and over again, trying to come to a definitive conclusion.
This book is suitable for middle-school children, though it deals with some very interesting issues. Mila is a young girl found living alone on an atoll off the coast of Florida. Apparently, she had survived a boat capsizing when just a toddler and was saved by (and “raised by”) a pod a dolphins. Now, she is a feral child, and a group of doctors, psychologists and sociologists are certain they know what is best for her.
I’ve read a number of Hesse’s books and I particularly like the novels written in verse. This has a bit of that feel to it, with fragments of thought put down by Mila as she learns the English language and tries to make sense of what she is experiencing given the context of the dolphin society she has grown up knowing. There were times when I felt incredibly sad for her (and her dolphin mother). Times when I applauded her “progress” and delighted in the discoveries she made.
Then ending is rather ambiguous, and I’ve read the last three or four chapters over and over again, trying to come to a definitive conclusion.
kailey_luminouslibro's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Mila is a wild girl, growing up on a deserted island with a family of dolphins. When she is rescued, she is placed with a doctor who studies the way that humans learn language. The doctor hopes to learn the girl's dolphin language, and uses music to capture the sounds dolphins make. Mila begins to connect with her caregivers and their families; even the janitor cannot help connecting with this unique girl. At first, Mila is interested to learn English and learn how humans interact and live. But soon, she begins to miss her dolphin family and the simplicity of her life on the island. Her spirit starts to despair and turn inward, searching for the music she used to know.
This was definitely an interesting book with a unique voice. Mila's narration starts out very simple and grows more complex as she learns to communicate as a human. The very simplicity of her words brings forward a stark honesty in the story. Nothing is hidden behind fancy words. Everything is sincere and true for Mila, and those around her are forced to face the truth as well. The writing is genius is its extreme simplicity.
I like that Mila's situation brings up a lot of philosophical questions about how human societies live and what we value and how we treat each other. It was interesting to see how the other humans try to explain these things to Mila, but they end up looking foolish when she cuts right to the truth with her clear logic.