Play Book Tag discussion

3.5 stars
This was an interesting book. I don't think it would appeal to everyone, but it did appeal to me for several reasons. Helen Macdonald is dealing with the death of her father and turns to training a Goshawk to deal with her grief. It is in parts a tribute to her father, a manual of training a bird of prey and glimpse into the life of T. H. White -- the author best known for the book The Once and Future King, but who also wrote The Goshawk, a book that MacDonald read as a child.

The quality of the writing was great, but I wasn't so sure about the subject matter. I've never been a fan of birds, but recently have been noticing the birds of prey around our new mountain house. Thus, I really enjoyed the portions of the book dedicated to the relationship between MacDonald and Mabel, the goshawk. The name alone, made me smile. Having lost my own father several years ago, I thought the sections about her grief were spot on. However, I didn't really love the sections about T. H. White --- a small mention would have been fine because the connection was interesting. Unfortunately, these sections were interspersed throughout the book and at times I felt like it chopped up the narrative. I listened to this on audio, which was narrated by the author. She did a great job.

I just started listening to this the other day. I am not convinced I am going to continue. It is not bad, I am just not pulled in. And now I have drug my feet so long that it is due back to the library soon!

I didn't really love the sections about T. H. White --- a small mention would have been fine because the connection was interesting.

That's interesting. I liked her analysis of T.H. White. Maybe, it made me more comfortable because that was when she had some emotional distance. She was sounding more like a professor and that seemed healthier to me. I have respect for her profound grief, but I came to feel the isolating herself with the hawk was an very unhealthy way to deal with loss.


@ Nicole - I can see where the audio of this book might not grab you. Her voice was mesmerizing and her storytelling isn't linear, not quite stream of consciousness, but getting there.

Yeah -- I had to go to another office which is 45 min commute each way a couple of times last week. I also really liked her voice, but if I listened in shorter chunks, I might not have kept up with it.

Nicole wrote: "I just started listening to this the other day. I am not convinced I am going to continue. It is not bad, I am just not pulled in. And now I have drug my feet so long that it is due back to the lib..."

Since you and I have a very high reading compatibility - skip it.

I just gave up on this one. I just could not get into it and I got a book that looks more entertaining in from the library.

Nicole wrote: "I just gave up on this one. I just could not get into it and I got a book that looks more entertaining in from the library."

Trust me - you didn't miss a thing.