Migrations
By Charlotte McConaghy
Flatiron Books, 9781250204035, July 2021, 288pp.

The Short of It:

A thoughtful look at the impact of climate change.

The Rest of It:

This is my first review of the year, but it’s not the first book I picked up. This review just seemed easier to write at the moment so here goes.

This was an interesting story and a good one for my book club to discuss. Franny Stone is convinced that the Arctic terns will be migrating one last time. That the birds will be extinct as their food source has been somewhat depleted by fishing and global warming. The interesting thing about Franny is that she is not a scientist. She is married to a professor who studies such things and has become consumed with their survival.

Franny is a broken woman and through the back and forth timeline, it’s clear that Franny is running from something just as much as she is running towards something. There’s a little bit of a dark past trying to catch up to her, and yet she is quite likable and perhaps, the demons she faces is what makes her relatable. Franny finds herself a place on a fishing excursion, convincing the crew and captain that she can help them find the fish based on where the terns have headed.

This crew, although doubtful that Franny can lead them to the fish, gives her a chance to prove herself. Perhaps sensing the desperation in her plea. While traveling, Franny’s husband is back home. Not an unusual occurrence because although Franny has no problem loving or caring for people, she does have a problem with staying where she is.

This was a good story. A little sad when everything is revealed but also quite beautifully told. Powerful. It’s about love and loss and trying to find the people you are meant to have. And it did make me think a lot about how climate change impacts how we eat, live and make our decisions.

Have you read it? I recommend it.

Source: Borrowed
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