TITLE/AUTHOR: Migrations; Charlotte McConaghy
PUBLISHER: MacMillan Audio (narrator: Barrie Kreinik - very good)
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2020
GENRE: Fiction
FORMAT: audio PP/LENGTH: 8 hours 48 min.
SOURCE: Library
SETTING(s): Greenland, Ireland, Australia
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: A haunting story about the places one will go and the things one will do in the name of love.
BRIEF REVIEW: Franny Stone is a mysterious woman who has always loved rare birds. She is also a woman who has been unable to stay in one place for very long. As the novel opens Franny is in Greenland determined to follow the plight of Arctic terns. She fears this may be the birds last migration to Antartica before becoming extinct. Franny convinces Ennis, a fishing captain of the Saghani to make this journey by telling him that following the terns it will also lead him to some much needed good fishing as well. Who is the mysterious Franny and why is she so obsessed with making this journey?
Although the timeline is somewhat vague the novel seems to take place somewhere in the near future where global warming is affecting everything around us an animals are on the brink of extinction. The chapters alternate between the past and present. Initially, I found Franny hard to warm up to or even care about for that matter. She is wild, unreliable and unpredictable and like her birds prone to take flight. It was only as her dark haunting past is revealed that I could begin to understand her root of her torment, her restlessness and her need to be free. We learn about her marriage to Niall, an older professor, which was especially moving. I thought the story was quite creative and the writing very good. I liked the mystery behind Franny. and the way it unraveled. I especially liked that Migrations reminds us of all the endangered creatures and places that are being threatened by climate change. Highly Recommended.
RATING: 5 stars
MEMORABLE QUOTES: "We are, all of us, given such a brief moment of time together, it hardly seems fair. But it's precious, and maybe it's enough, and maybe it's right that our bodies dissolve into the earth, giving our energy back to it, feeding the little creatures in the ground and giving nutrients to the soil, and maybe it's right that our consciousness rests. The thought is peaceful."
I like the sound of this as I love novels set in very cold places (non-fiction too to be honest). And wow, is that cover not 'gorgeous'! Adding this to my Goodreads, 'want to read' shelf. Very nice review.
ReplyDeleteCath, I loved the cover as well and I especially love cold icy settings in winter - with hot tea of course :)
DeleteThat sounds good, she sounds like a strange one.
ReplyDeleteyes, Franny, hasn't had an easy life.
DeleteLove the cover, and I'm curious about Franny and her background. The endangered species element is also an element that interests me.
ReplyDeleteJenclair, it was an interesting combo birds, climate change and a woman always taking flight (fleeing).
DeleteI have been a proselytizer for this book which was actually my favorite of all I read in 2020. I am so glad you read and liked it.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned I wasn't a fan of Franny initially, but, wow, what she endured. It was a beautiful story.
DeleteWelcome to the club of Migrations lovers! Your brief review is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThis book is mostly appealing (setting and premise) but I'm not a big fan of books set in the future, but this one has promise - birds and Iceland were the hook!
ReplyDeleteLike Jane, I'm not a fan of books set in the future. BUT between you and Judy, it sounds like I'm going to need to give this a try!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jane; it's the birds and the setting that really make me want to read this one! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an unusual story. I am glad it all came together and that you ended up loving it.
ReplyDeleteNice review, Diane! I have to admit that I found this book difficult to like. It sounds terrible, but I never cared about Franny. I did like that it was a cautionary tale, and something we could be headed for.
ReplyDeleteMy book group is going to read this in August and I'm really looking forward to it! I've got it on audio, so I'm glad you liked the reader.
ReplyDeleteI regularly tutor my grandson at home, and one of the classes we work on is Environmental Science. Needless to say, I've learned as much from reading ahead for our sessions as he has from studying the subject, and I'm more concerned than ever. I'll have to take a look at this one. It should go along nicely with the pandemic novel I'm reading right now, Wanderers. :-)
ReplyDeleteLooks interesting. Reminds me vaguely of Where'd You Go? Bernadette.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those stories that gets better and better the more I think about it and the longer time passes after I have read it.
ReplyDeleteI have seen too many reviews of Migrations, but all the ones I have have loved it, such as yourself. And wow, what a powerful quote you've picked from the book too. I do hope to get round to this book in 2021. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think this would pair quite nicely with the nonfiction book I'm reading right now about extinctions and climate change.
ReplyDeleteI had read some so-so reviews for this one so then I took it off my list but after your review I am adding it back :)
ReplyDeleteWow this sounds quite nice!
ReplyDeleteNot my usual go-to books but the premise sounds like a good one. Will keep this book in mind!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked this one too - it made quite an impression on me. Wasn't Barrie's read for the audio excellent?!
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