Franny Stone has always been the kind of woman who is able to love but unable to stay. Leaving behind everything but her research gear, she arrives in Greenland with a singular purpose: to follow the last Arctic terns in the world on what might be their final migration to Antarctica. Franny talks her way onto a fishing boat, and she and the crew set sail, traveling ever further from shore and safety. But as Franny’s history begins to unspool—a passionate love affair, an absent family, a devastating crime—it becomes clear that she is chasing more than just the birds. When Franny’s dark secrets catch up with her, how much is she willing to risk for one more chance at redemption?
Franny, I have a hard time saying I loved her as a character. She is not a good person, but I felt some kind of love for her as a person. I would not want to know her personally, but I do love her soul even if she sees it as a curse. I loved the wanderer that she was. I loved the journey of life that I got to read in ‘Migrations’. I did have some fault with the side characters; I was scared at the start of the story that there would be too many characters in too little of a space to develop them fully. My reservations were only a tiny bit correct. Two of the men on the ship, Dae and Mal, had no layers at all. The other four crew members were more developed, but I don’t understand what their motivations were. There was great characterization with the main character, but the side characters were a bit lacking.
The atmosphere was absolutely the best part of the novel. It was enchanting. Ireland is a land of stories, and we see the impact that Irish culture had on other parts of the world, such as Australia and Canada. This setting has led me on a chase to find other stories with a similar vibe. It was all new but left such an impact on me.
A quote on the back of the book stated that the story is enchanting but not in the manner of a fairy tale. It is haunting in some ways. There’s this knowing of something bad in the past and that it could impact the present at any moment. This novel was also very informative on birds and the impact that humans have on nature. I was enchanted and informed by this book.
The plot is not just what you see in the summary on the flap of the cover. To be honest, I think that is more of the background story. The forefront being that life, in general, is a migration of our soul, going from one stop to the next until we meet our meaning. I just loved how that theme was handled. There was plenty of symbolism between our main character, Franny, and the arctic terns that she was tracking. A great and subtle story that brings out more than you expect from it.
There was great characterization with the main character, but the side characters were a bit lacking. The atmosphere was absolutely the best part of the novel. I was enchanted and informed by the writing of this book. A great and subtle story that brings out more than you expect from it. I loved this book but it is not a new favorite book.
4.4 out of 5 stars.
Izzy Reads 