*The Comfort of Crows* by Margaret Renkl is a beautifully poignant meditation on the natural world, blending keen observations of the changing seasons with heartfelt reflections on life, loss, and renewal. Renkl’s lyrical prose and deep reverence for nature invite readers to slow down and find solace in the beauty around them. It’s an evocative and life-affirming read, perfect for anyone seeking connection and hope.

A lovely meditation on the interconnectedness of humans and nature, and on the changing seasons. Thoroughly enjoyed.

By chapter two I knew I needed a physical copy! A wonderful new years gift to myself. I’m glad I did because the inside is beautiful! This would make for a great gift to a nature lover, Gardner… someone looking for a yearly reading ritual. This will bring comfort to those that are seeking it. A gentle reminder of the beauty that is our backyard! So lovely.

Thank you for the ALC Spiegal & Grau

Really beautiful meditation on the passing of the seasons and the nature that accompanies it, told from her perspective at her window. Some of the details I found less interesting than the author but some of it was very interesting, and I always enjoyed her perspective.

I really liked this audiobook. I liked the appreciation for slowing down and taking in nature. I'd like to have a more "natural" and wild yard like the one portrayed here. I also appreciated the exploration of joy in addition to grief.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to The Comfort of Crows, written and narrated by the author, Margaret Renkle.
This book tells a year-long story of the happenings in the author's yard, and I loved listening to it. The Comfort of Crows is a love story to nature. It shares what one can notice when slowing down, watching, listening. The evolution of seasons, the bugs, the birds, the light.
I've grown a greater appreciation for nature writing, and would group this with the poetry of Aimee Nezhukumatathil, and the insight of Katherine May.

This is a unique read that combines memoir with nature essays with gardening tips. I really enjoyed learning about a more "natural" backyard gardening style that is critter-friendly, because I know next to nothing about this concept — I'm planning to apply a lot of what I learned to my own yard! Having said that, I don't think this book was really my style. It started to drag in the middle for me and I wanted the pace to be a bit quicker, or the observations to be a bit more gripping. I do think, however, that it's completely successful at what it was intended to do, so if this sounds like your kind of book, it probably is! It's also narrated by the author, which is always my preferred style.

Thank you to Margaret Renkl, Spotify Audiobooks, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy!

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl, read by the author
I tried the ebook version of this work earlier in the year and I found it somewhat depressing and had to DNF. I stuck with this version and listening to the author made it more enjoyable but it was made even more enjoyable by having a copy of the book with illustrations by the author’s brother, Billy Renkl. They are absolutely beautiful. I also liked all the epigraphs at the head of each essay. It was still a bit melancholy but more enjoyable in this form. It made me want to buy a night blooming cereus.

I thought this one was rather interesting, but I wasn't compelled to finish it because there was too much mention of the Christian god and it made me a bit uncomfortable, but I appreciated the premise.

The Comfort of Crows excels in finding magic in the mundane. My favorite part about The Comfort of Crows is that it doesn't shy away from grief. The Essay's as a whole paint a complete and thoughtful picture of what it is to be human. Readers will be privy to moments of immense joy and deep grief and the clever parallel to a creature or season gives these insights a unique and fresh prospective. Part memoir, part nature study, this book and its thoughtful essays will help readers slow down and marvel at the simple moment.
I was lucky enough to read this book and loved it so much that I wanted to experience the audio version. For me, I much preferred the physical read. The stories are so poignant and nuanced and the narration felt like it took away from the quieter moments for my personal tastes.