Migrations is the tragic tale of our planet after humans have driven most animals to extinction. Franny is a young woman obsessively and desperately searching for the last of the wild terns and attempting to follow them on their migration. Many obstacles are in her way - she must get trackers on the birds, she has to find a boat to follow the birds, and the journey itself is perilous.

As we travel with Franny on her quest to follow the tern migration, the storyline alternates between present, and the past from where she seeks redemption. Franny has had a hard life, and made her fair share of mistakes along the way. However, she has a good heart and wants to make things right, for the people in her life as well as for the animals of our planet. The mystery revolves around what happened in Franny’s past to set her life on this course - and will Franny be able to complete her self imposed penance?

I loved how the author’s descriptive prose matched the situation throughout the book. For example, when Franny was anxious, sentences became more run on and paragraphs became longer, which really helped me identify with Franny’s emotions. The word choice helped set the tone, and the descriptions were so vivid! I really felt like I was in the Arctic or on the boat next to Franny.

A tragic story with beautifully descriptive writing, Migrations is a good read for adventure and mystery lovers. Beautifully written!! Thank you to Flatiron Books, NetGalley, and Charlotte McConaghy for the advance copy!

This is a lovely book. I was really intrigued with Fanny and the whole concept of migrations, both in humans and birds. As a zoologist and also writer myself on natural history, I found the descriptions of the disappearing species both accurate and a disturbing possible future. The one thing that was possibly off from my own knowledge was in the scene near the end where they don't put the crow egg back in the nest. It is generally a myth that the mother will smell humans on the egg. It's a lovely scene, but that one small fact needs a tiny bit of explanation!

On the whole, this is a well-written and intriguing novel.

This debut novel about a woman following the last flock of Arctic terns and their final migration was a roller coaster of emotions. While it is about the bird's migrations, it's also about the main character's survival, her loss of people close to her, her loves, facing the truths in her life, and redemption. I thought this was beautifully written, and I was engrossed by this author's writing from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A cautionary look at climate change, big fishing and the last two Arctic terns left in the world. Trading Ireland for Greenland, Franny is out to tag and then follow these birds to their nesting grounds south. She is desperate to find a fishing boat to get her there and is willing to do just about anything to follow the pair of birds. Ennis is the captain of a fishing boat who is kind of like Captain Ahab searching for the illusive white whale. Franny convinces him and his rag tag crew that these birds will lead them to fish nirvana and it goes downhill from there. The deeper we dig into Franny's past the more muddied her current quest becomes. A game of cat and mouse or rather, killer whale and seal is being played and it may not have anything to do with birds. Quirky but kind characters and Franny who is has run away most of her life make for a illuminating tale about love, mistakes and forgiveness. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This is a beautifully written debut novel by Charlotte McConaghy. It is an intersection of science, as Franny Stone chases what may be the final migration of the Arctic teen, and a love story as she tries to understand where she came from. I found the ending to be a bit unrealistic, but I was quite taken by the story and the way it was told. “...look for the clues to life. They’re hidden everywhere.”

I enjoyed this beautiful book. It is a wonderful plea for conservation and a reminder of the wonders of the animal kingdom. I found myself picturing the scenes and cheering for Franny on her journey. The book jumps around a bit, which makes for a difficult read. But I found it reflective of trauma narrative development, which is not typically organized or linear from the start. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance digital copy in exchange for this honest review.

What a beautiful story. Slow at first, but you fall in love with the characters as you read! Going back & forth in time is a little confusing so you have to remember the timeframe.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book!.

I hope this story finds its way into your hands. It is precious and original. It is an ecological dystopian, thriller, and dramatic story of making and discovering families. McConaghy does a great job of exploring Franny's past with the current storyline, leading to readers recklessly risking bedtime to read "one more chapter".

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalleyfor an ARC of Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy.

Franny lives in a future where humans have continued to put themselves first; most of the Earth’s animals have gone extinct. But she is a young woman with an unique goal: to follow the last of the Arctic Terns on their migration to Antarctica. After convincing a captain to take her on his fishing boat with a promise of finding fish, Franny faces the reality that she’s not just following the terns but instead running from a past she wants to forget. Will this be her last migration as well?

This novel was spellbinding for the most part. It’s written in both the present and the past as you journey with Franny south with the terns. She’s a complicated character and at times I hated her and other times I cried with her. One of things I loved most (or more like hated given the future it shows) is that it shows a future that we humans are headed for if we don’t stop the destruction of the Earth and the animals that live upon it. It made my heart ache to read the sentences about the last lion or raven dying because it is all to real and a future that we are truly facing if things don’t change.

My only critique is the final chapter. I feel it was too abrupt and the actions that took place didn’t make sense because they weren’t developed enough. Also some outstanding issues weren’t given a resolution, so it left the reader wondering about certain things. But overall it was a captivating read and I definitely look forward to more books by this author.

I'm not going to lie-based on the description I thought this book might be a bit boring or slow moving. I'm happy to report that it definitely held my interest and that sometimes it hurt to read it. Beautifully and brilliantly written, I hope we never experience a future where the animals are gone.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I started this book, I did not know what the book was about at all. I had seen the title mentioned in blogs and posts but knew nothing of the subject matter. I absolutely loved this book. Ms. McConaghy is a beautiful writer and her use of language is stunning. I read this as an e-book and highlighted several passages (which I normally don't do): "A life's impact can be measured by what it gives and what it leaves behind, but it can also be measured by what it steals from the world." Also, "...because I'm not meant to be homesick, I'm not meant to long for the things I have always been so desperate to leave." I can actually feel the character in these words. I gave this book 5 starts because the writing was superb, it had a strong plot and a main character that I wanted to take the journey with. The cover of this book is beautiful and inviting.

3.5 stars - rounding up to 4 for a good debut. Charlotte McConaghy's debut novel is beautifully written. I did have a hard time getting into at first - I was probably a 1/3 of the way through before it really grabbed me. Franny is a difficult character to understand and like especially with the way the book jumps around with the timeline. But it's so well written and the story did end up holding my interest. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I would categorize this book under women's fiction or fiction. I will say this. For some strange reason, I thought this was a non-fiction book about bird migration and I was so pleasantly surprised when it turns out that bird migration and our environment and global warming was just a sub-plot theme. Ultimately, the book is about relationships, acceptance, adventures, and dreams. When Franny Stone our protagonist tags 3 Arctic Terns and wishes to follow their migration pattern, she needs help from the fishermen. 6 boats have turned her down. Will she be able to convince the captain of The Saghani, a fishing vessel, to take her on and what of the ship mates? This book is rich in characters, interactions, relationships and regrets. It's poignant and heartfelt and tugs at you every step of the journey and has you rooting for our heroine through her path in life, through confusion and through pain. This story is woven rich with ideologies and hopes and ultimately redemption.

This book was a fun combo of literary fiction and sci fi. It's about an Earth/world that is slightly worse off than ours which gives it slight science fiction vibes. Franny is desperately trying to make her way to the Arctic Ocean to witness the final migration of the mighty Arctic Tern, a bird that is known for the longest migration - from it's Northern Arctic breeding grounds down to Antartica and back. It essentially experiences two summers in a year, traveling an average annual round trip of 70,900 km (44,100 mi). In this not-so-distant Earth, the animals have all died out. These are the last of the Arctic Terns and Franny's only hope of getting there is on a fishing vessel. Notoriously dangerous, she has to cajole her way on board. We go back and forth in time a little as we find out more about Franny's mysterious background and the reasoning behind her need to follow the terns as well as the state of the world.

The book was a quick, entertaining read. My only complaints is that it was a little depressing (with the end of the world and all) and Franny's desire to follow the terns is tied into a darker desire that unravels throughout. While there is some hope at the end, it is generally bleak. The vibes of this book are very similar to a Station Eleven - kind of dark and twisty and emotionally distant. One of the distinguishing features is the focus on the terns and their symbolism of hope throughout the novel Though it is filled with a few facts, I felt there could have been a little more leaning into the science of it all. I felt that the revealing of Franny outshone the revealing of the world which, though interesting, isn't what I wanted while reading.

A solid read and well worth the time to explore a new angle on climate change and people's desires amidst the end of the world as we know it.

Franny Stone is a wanderer and nature lover. A piece of her is always pulling her to a new exploration. Now, her beloved wilderness is disappearing rapidly. Humanity is driving nearly every animal on earth to extinction. Fanny's wandering now has a sole purpose, follow the last flock of birds on their final migration, by any means necessary. On her journey she wrestles with her own darkness.

I have never read anything like this. My heart was torn to pieces as I read about a world with virtually no wild life. I cried for Franny, her loss, her pain and her searching. I held my breath through her persistent journey. There was something so relatable to her wanting and searching. This book was dark, heart-wrenching and beautiful. Weaving through time with Franny, had me absolutely hooked. I will be watching for more books from Charlotte McConaghy.

A huge thank you to NetGalley & Flatiron Books for my ARC and this wonderful reading experience.

Set in a world at the brink, Migrations is the story of Franny Stone - a woman seemingly belonging to no place and struggling with her past. Franny has always had a connection with birds, and is determined to follow the last known flock of Arctic terns on their final migration. To do so, in Greenland she convinces the captain of the fishing vessel, Saghani, to take her on as a crew member. As Franny and the rest of the crew make their way south with the birds, an epic journey unfolds, along with secrets of Franny’s dark past.

This book was beautifully written and so much different than I expected (in a good way). I went in thinking it was going to be literary fiction, but the story also reads like a mystery. It is told in scenes from the present and the past - the latter giving just enough away to hook the reader in needing to figure out who Franny really is and how she ended up on that boat.
I also thought this would be a much more plot driven story because of the setting of a world at the brink of ecological catastrophe, but it is definitely about the characters. The tone of Franny’s story was a perfect match against that bleak backdrop.
I did have some believability issues with some scenes in the book, specifically when characters are caught in icy water but somehow survive relatively unscathed. However, when taking the story as a whole, It was easy to overlook this.
This story of love, loss, and survival was so deep and well thought out, it is almost hard to believe this is a debut effort. I loved this story and very much look forward to seeing what McConaghy dreams up next! 4.5 stars

"The animals are dying. Soon we will be alone here."

Migrations is a distressing and haunting story from the very first line. It paints a depressing future in which most animals have gone extinct because of human greed. It's a future that may very well be ours if we don't fix things. This was truly a thought-provoking book and so well-written I cried. I felt so many emotions while reading this but most of all, I felt that even in the bleakest of futures, there is life and there is hope.

ARC provided by Netgalley.

I love this novel.

I love the writing, its beauty and quality, the slow reveal of backstory, the melding of the personal and communal crises.

I love the chilling portrayal of a near-future world devastated by climate change and human greed.

I loved the strength of will of the fragile and broken protagonist, Franny.

I love the love story of Franny and Niall, how they hold each other close while letting each other go.

I love the adventure, the chase, how Franny choses the impossible and survives.

I love that the novel made me cry. And think. And love it.

Five Stars. Read it.

I won a free ebook from a publisher giveaway. My review is fair and unbiased.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy is a remarkable novel. Planet Earth is in a climate change emergency. The overwhelming majority of wildlife is dead. Franny Stone hopes to find answers by studying Artic Terns. These birds are noteworthy for having the longest migration of any animal: from the Artic to the Antarctic and back. A central question explored in this novel is whether animals can change their nature. In a world where food sources have moved and are scarce, would these birds still attempt to travel the full length of this arduous trip despite the obvious threat to their personal survival? At the same time, can a human being break a long pattern of potentially self-destructive behavior? Can trauma be passed on across generations? We find our protagonist in a moral conundrum as she hitches a ride on a commercial fishing vessel. Franny is a conservationist at heart. In a dying world, she believes in the significance of conserving what little wildlife we have left while the fishermen want to extract as many fish from the sea as possible. As she recognizes taking this ride is her only shot at carrying out this once in a lifetime study, she’s willing go through rigorous on the job training in order to be a contributing crew member of a commercial fishing boat. Charlotte McConaghy’s prose is spellbindingly beautiful. There are so many memorable lines in this book-- contemplations on life and our role in the planet. The author manages to provide so much rich detail about the hard life of a commercial fishing crew member as well as on the biology of birds, while keeping it organic to the story and approachable to readers who may not have an extensive background in biology or nautical science. Migrations is a work of fiction that transcends genres and feels completely plausible based on our current state of the environment. It brilliantly captures the beauty of scientific research by illustrating how studying the migration of a single bird can have far reaching effects on both people and our world. This is an unforgettable read.

McConaghy's novel is lovely and lush. The story takes place in a dystopian future, but she successfully makes that merely a backdrop for the intensely personal story central to the book. A must-read.