3.3 out of 4 stars.
If you enjoy nature and animals this is an amazing insight into what really makes the world go round!
Macdonald’s memoir is sparked at the passing of her father that she had a very close relationship with. Although she has been a falconer since she was little, Macdonald’s dark state leads her past her usual surroundings and into goshawk trainings. In her exact words, a goshawk is “bulkier, bloodier, deadlier, scarier” than their relatives. Sounds like she is asking for trouble!
This memoir parallels with the author, T.H. White, who also ran to a goshawk during difficult times. He was dealing with depression himself–due to his abusive past and his hidden sexual preferences. If you are not familiar, T.H. White did many great works, but the most recognizable is The Sword and The Stone. Both White and Macdonald go through absolutely tumultuous times when the hawk makes them each chase after them, rip open their food, and almost claw their eyes out with their natural aggressive force. At times it seems like they invited a cheetah into their living room and tried to have tea with it.
I learned that birds are viewed to be connected to the heavens due to the flying-high-above -the-clouds-theory. In other words, angels among us. In this case, it seems Macdonald would like to do the opposite and find the rawest and most difficult animal to spend time with. She felt she had nothing left to lose after her father was taken too soon.
It is not until later in the book that it clicks with Macdonald that her fascination was a belief that the closer she gets to the goshawk the more in tune she will be with her father up in the sky.
The writing is absolutely superb and highly detailed. There were moments when I felt like I was walking in a forest in England with Macdonald and could describe every spectacle, scent, and noise I heard.
If you are someone who likes to learn and in particular an outdoorsmen then please pick up this New York Times Best Seller, Samuel Johnson Prize winner, and Costa Book Award receiver’s memoir.
