What readers think of Migrations, plus links to write your own review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Charlotte McConaghy's gripping novel of redemption, love, and survival, "Migrations." In this time of forced sheltered in place isolation, I found by reading her astounding novel, I was finally able to break my "lack of concentration" cycle I found myself spiraling in with other books. This is story is about loss but it is also about hope as the protagonist, Franny tells her story of wildlife's disappearance from our earth. She follows the arctic terns as they travel from Arctic to the Antarctic. She persuades a captain and crew to let her join them and allow the birds to dictate the boat's course. As the story unfolds, the author takes the reader through Franny's harrowing search for the birds and her tormented past. Interlaced in this lyrical story are interesting characters that have their own action filled stories to share with the reader. This unique heart-wrenching story slowly pieces together why Franny is driven to follow the terns and will keep any reader engaged during the difficult days ahead.

This story is like a puzzle. Every now and then you get a piece of the puzzle. Then you start to put it together. It is very interesting and moving in so many ways and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in birds, climate change, tides and finding yourself.

This book, like the birds the protagonist is so determined to follow, soars. Reading it in the midst of an actual pandemic gives it that much more gravity. But it needed no help in that, with or without the hovering of coronavirus. The prose is achingly gorgeous: 'I wandered. Through cobbled streets or into paddocks, where long grass whispered hish as I passed between.' The slow emergence of our main character, Franny, how the author lifts veil after veil to reveal her character, made me physically ache for her, while the author's attention to language makes the narrative that much more poetic, that much more enthralling. The laser-focus on nature, in all senses of the word, gives the book both a timeless and timely theme. I loved everything, every aching sentence, of this debut novel.

Love and loss. Human family and the family of earth.
How does one embrace each of these?
Denial or acceptance? Avoidance or acknowledgement? Escape or engage? As Franny journeys through each of these stages and emotions of her life, she travels physically and passionately from north to south.
Migrations contains a wealth of topics-relationships, death, nature, environment and the most interesting to me, Arctic Terns-for any book group discussion.
When I rate a book 5 stars that means I plan to read it again. As soon as I share this engrossing novel with all my bookworm friends, I will be eagerly rediscovering Migrations.

I loved Migrations! Reading this book during the Covid-19 pandemic was very interesting. There are always two strong arguments in every controversy and it was interesting to read these points in the book and also seeing these points in relation to Covid. Throw in some beautiful language and Migrations is a hit! My favorite lines of the whole book are "We are wiping them out. Creatures that have learned to survive anything, everything, except us."
I think Migrations would be an excellent book club read. I think the best discussion books are ones in which people will naturally divide on an issue and have differing points of view. This book has enough back story that it will appeal to most readers. I read it in two days, earmarked a ton of pages and look forward to reading it again!

McConaghy writes a poignant tale of two intersecting and courageous journeys, one of bird, the other human. Written with profound insight, Migrations tells the story of Franny Stone's quest to follow the endangered Arctic tern migration from Greenland to the Wendall Sea near the Antarctic Peninsula. While following this fragile yet indomitable bird on the longest migration of any animal, Franny's quest to calm her inner turmoil and find closure is as harrowing as her time at sea. With well-crafted parallels and polarities, Migrations makes you think and feel, and stays with you long after reading the last word. You must make this journey!

Migrations is a compelling story of the possible future of wildlife extinction. As Franny follows the last of the Arctic Terns during their migration we are drawn into her past story and yet apprehensive of her current journey. The descriptions of Franny's surroundings are particularly beautiful and so vivid as to bring you right there with Franny feeling the coldness of the ocean or seeing the birds in the sky. The author's spare and elegant writing style makes reading this book a true joy.

This book captured me! So refreshing in a time of fear and uncertainty. The heroine is passionate about life and especially birds. As a birder, I shared her wonder and curiosity. It is a true joy to read! READ THIS BOOK!!! You will be so glad you did!