Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy has shaken me to my corr
I searched through this sub and I don’t see anyone else talking about it which baffles me. This book has to have been the best I’ve read so far this year. Franny’s journey spans both physical distance and personal growth, taking place in a desolate and depressing future, void of animal life. I’m not sure how, but McConaghy’s writing truly left me COLD, as her imagery of Greenland, Antarctica, and the freezing waters was incredible. Not to even mention Franny’s growth as a character, coupled with the slow unraveling of her story. The final scene caught me in such a visceral way - I have been struggling with my own mental health but her ultimate decision made me just break down and cry. What a journey. I’m a better person for having read this book.
Edit - I absolutely meant to say “core” in the title - I guess typos happen when I’m so excited to share about this book!
Posted May 25, 2021, 8:32 PM UTC
I really liked this book overall, I read it about a month ago. I found it to be a generally well written and emotionally moving novel with some beautiful imagery. I have some complaints, though, mostly regarding Franny as a character and the way that the ecosystem collapse was depicted. I found Frannys untreated mental illness to be quite a destructive force in her life and the lives of others, and to me she never truly sought self improvement and was too fixated on certain negative aspects of her personality as being “part of her nature.” However, I could still feel sympathy for her and her situation. Regarding the unrealistic ecosystem collapse, it bothered me that the extinction of pretty much all the animals somehow did not appear to affect humans although we all live in the same biosphere. But I was able to overlook it and still enjoy the novel because I think the point was not to present a scientifically feasible scenario, but rather to convey a sense of utter loneliness on Earth and convey the horror of total environmental destruction.