Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

Brenda’s review

This is one of those stories that might not be about what you think it is about. I went in thinking this was about climate change and loss of animals due to that, but it’s much more than I expected. The story explores the connection humans have to nature as it explores one of my favourite themes, loneliness, belonging and our need to find a connection. Here we follow Franny’s journey as she searching for a connection, a will to live and something to live for. She finds a connection to the sea, and the birds she is following becomes her family. Through her point of view, she takes us to her troubled past, and I started to see her quest was about more than what it seemed.

While the plot is engaging as we piece together Franny’s past, her demons and what makes her wander, she is guarded, and it was hard to connect to her because of that. I found myself connecting more to her pain, sadness, loneliness, her need to wander, and with the connection she finds to the land.

My son sees trees and plants as healing, and he finds inner when near them. He needs them as much as he needs air. I find anything to do with water quiets the noise in my head. Animals are healing and why we have a strong connection to them. The story gave me a lot to think about how as humans we connect to nature and not only protecting our environment is essential to animals but human health as well.

I enjoyed the dynamics between the crew with broken souls, who, are lost without a connection to their environment and are searching for that emptiness to be filled. Even though they don’t trust Franny, they find comfort with her in that loneliness. I loved the connection they formed through understanding that about each other.

While at times, Franny’s journey felt grim, I could also feel some hope in the words written as Charlotte McConaghy paints us a beautiful story about healing. These characters felt like finding friends who understand the need for nature for inner piece and who would be lost without it. I highly recommend it.