Thank you to netgalley and Little A for the eARC!

The novel is told through two POVs and timelines, Dore in 1929 and Mallory in 2020. Both women’s stories take place on Floreana, which is a small island on the southern end of the Galapagos archipelago.

I liked Dore’s chapters the best because I could relate to her struggle through infertility, and her chapters were the most compelling! Mallory is in Floreana to escape her life back in Boston and to help with building nests to try and increase/protect the Penguin populations. Her chapters were more difficult to feel engaged with because they were more telling over showing, which I personally don’t enjoy.

The middle slumped a bit as it became slower paced and mundane in its details. But I appreciated the atmospheric setting descriptions and learning about animals/conservation efforts! I was also intrigued to find out this was based loosely on a true story 🤯

One of the secrets revealed was predictable from the start, but the rest of them were well executed surprises. This was an emotional read exploring grief, motherhood, environmental issues, and what it means to be human!