My husband and daughter would disagree with my rating as neither one of them finished the book. But that’s what makes us all unique, isn’t it? That we should have varying degrees of interests—or the world would be a boring place. It took time to get through the book, as I found I needed to be in the right state of mind. For me, the melodic and melancholic nature of Macdonald’s biography made me even more morose. Perhaps it was the way she mourned her father so deeply which struck a chord… as I still mourn my mother to this day. I think I would have preferred more about Macdonald and her trials with training the goshawk and less about her fascination with White and his failed training.
Parts of it left me breathless in the way she wove her elegant style throughout the prose. Some of it was enchanting and beautiful and… sad. I could relate how she attempted to convey her feelings of remorse and heartbreak after the death of her father. On so many levels, her book was heartfelt and mesmerizing. Her descriptions of the landscape were lyrical and brought me to places I’d never been but now hope to see someday.
This isn’t a book for everyone. It isn’t fast paced and plot driven but for those of you who want a walk through the countryside and can relate to the heart wrenching pain of losing someone close to you, you may find it worth your while.
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