I was very excited to be able to review this book as I adore both travelogues and books on the environment. This book was excellent in meeting my expectations, providing insights into the nature and biology of otters as well as the authors experience tracking and studying the animal. I found the book pleasantly slow paced, feeling as if I was walking through bogs and alongside rivers with the author. My only critical note is that the book felt very repetitive. There seemed to be a theme of bringing up otter roadkill and then exploring that area over and over again which made me feel like I was reading in circles. Overall this was pleasant.

I took my time in reading this. I savored every word. While very informative, the writing was never dry. On the contrary, the author’s descriptive power painted such vivid portraits of nature that all of my senses were engaged. The imagery was so picturesque, I could almost see, smell, hear and touch the various locations she traversed. With such a gift for words, her writing reads like love poetry to nature.

I made it halfway through the book before I finally decided to DNF this title. I really enjoyed the parts that focused on otter behavior, habitats and ecology. It was the content in between those parts that just bogged me down. I also appreciated the references to other literature and writing that inspired the author to learn more about otters. I added several to my TBR. For a book that is 304 pages, it just felt like it was taking me much longer to get through the book than it should have. I think readers who are more familiar with the landscape and regional areas referenced in the book would probably have a better time reading. Having to stop and look up unfamiliar places really slowed me down.

I went into this book thinking that it would be focusing on otters and learning about them. However, it felt more memoir forward and less about otters, although there was still some otter content. I need to revisit the sections in the book that focused on the creatures, because those were well crafted.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Tin House for the ARC!

I learned a lot about otters in this book but the main story was too unorganized to enjoy fully. There was great information; matched with a good story, eloquent lines, and great literary comparisons, however, the execution was lacking in organization to make all these things flow. I constantly felt like I had read a line over and over again. I was always waiting for the next otter fact to be buried inside prose and literary comparisons. It was a lot of work as a reader. I appreciate the awareness this book is spreading as well as the adventure the author went on.
I do think this book has a great audience with those looking for more information on otters, wildlife, and conservation.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tin House for a copy of this book. It is out February 20th

This is a charming book about otters. The author is an expert and offers great information about the aquatic creatures, their history with humans, and how researchers observe otters. I enjoyed this and recommend it to those who like nature writing.

I'm not sure this would be right for my library because it is so focused on the UK. I think this book would be great for a UK collection, or for any individuals who are specifically interested in UK history, geography, and conservation. I felt that the author's writing was often beautiful and imaginative, with rich, evocative imagery. However, I felt it was a bit long-winded at times, and I struggled to finish. Overall it was an enjoyable experience but not very memorable for me.

If you want to learn more about river otters, read this!

This book was a lovely deep dive into the world of river otters in the UK told by a passionate and knowledgeable naturalist. I learned a lot of interesting facts about river otters & countries I have never been to. The writing is vivid and I felt like I was on the journey to find wild otters with the author, covered in mud and cold from rain. The search for otters takes dedication and I really appreciated how the author illustrates this. I am someone who loves to watch wildlife and can relate to these journeys. I love how the author shows the ”behind the scenes” of wildlife watching that many aren’t aware of since documentaries & photography can’t adequately show that! Whale watchers often joke that it should be called “whale finding” instead of watching for the same reasons this author illustrates searching for otters.

I also love how the otter is such a resilient species and how the author weaves conservation into the journey.

My one downside to this book is that it was quite slow and sluggish to get through, but overall enjoyable & informative. Just took some time to get through.

Darlington describes Henry Williamson's work as capturing the reality of otters and creating a poetic mythology at the same time, which I feel is what she's also done with Otter Country! This was a beautifully written book that intersects memoir and nature writing, both of which I adore. Miriam's lifelong love for otters is infectious and it makes her the exact person you want to be reading from on this topic. It doesn't hurt that she has the ability to imbue a blade of grass with a world of meaning either. I gained a whole new appreciation for otters, particularly those in the United Kingdom, and I think this title would work for both those looking to learn more about otters and those who already love them like the author as there's equal amounts of travel and otter facts to engage the reader. I also really loved the inclusion of a reading list, especially because Darlington puts her book in direct conversation with those written in the past! I'm not sure how much of the book, if any, is different from the original print, but I love the new edition and I'm grateful I got to read it, as I'm sure many other new readers will be.

(3.5-4 stars)

This book, on the surface, is right up my alley: it's a nonfiction love letter to otters, English history, and environmental conservation. You can feel the author's love for writing as she details her journey around Great Britain to see the elusive Eurasian otter. The thing is, she succeeds, several times. There's no stakes, no drama, no difficulty in her quest (other than getting savagely attacked by midges or having to run from the odd wild boar). This book is like (and would, in fact be very good for) a hot cup of tea on a rainy afternoon - comforting, filling, and the type of (not necessarily in a negative way) pointlessness that makes those kinds of days extra rich and fulfilling. "Otter Country" would make an excellent coffee table book, low stakes and full of excellent otter facts, easy to pick-up and put down at will.

This book is a lot of fun and delight. Perfect for someone wanting a cozy, enjoyable read about nature. I enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape, otters (of course), and Darlington's sense of adventure!

1.5 ⭐️ rounded to 2 ⭐️.

A woman is obsessed with otters and spends much time referencing books and stories I haven't read. Maybe it was just the early pre-pub kindle copy, but there were no chapters or breaks, so it read like flowery ramblings. Sometimes beautiful but mostly so long and seemingly without a point.

A lyrical, educational, and informative read. The book was an fascinating mix of the scientific and the ephemeral with the author going back and forth between the two styles rather seamlessly .