I thought this was an absolutely beautiful book. It was dark and haunting, backlit with beautiful scenery of a dying natural world. It feels relevant and urgent, in terms of the extinction of animals and I love how this was brought to life with the last migration of the arctic terns. The human story really shone too - it was just as urgent, showing how interconnected we all really are. Page-turning and thought=provoking. I would highly recommend!

This novel is set in a future very much like our present except for one terrifying difference- almost all the wildlife is extinct, destroyed by human carelessness in the environment and the resultant climate change. Franny has always had an affinity with nature, especially with the sea and with birds, and pledges to follow the migration of the last flock of Arctic terns on their last migration as part of her bid to atone for and come to terms with past tragedy. She blags herself on board a fishing vessel with the assertion that the birds will lead them to a rare catch, beginning a gruelling quest which will stretch herself and the crew to the limits of their endurance.
The concept is convincing and the sense of foreboding and urgency is well portrayed. What affected my enjoyment of the book was that I deeply disliked Franny and found her selfish and self- centred in her disregard for the feelings and safety of others. This was probably intentional as she is like an animal herself- wild and instinctual, pursuing what she needs to do to survive. Her childhood and recent prison stretch have damaged her and she does not really integrate into normal society. But I found it hard to warm to her or empathise with her decisions.

Heartbreaking and utterly magnificent, this is a love story like no other. A story of, not only the impossible and yet visceral love between Franny and Niall, but also and above all, the love of the sea, the wild and the free. Charlotte McConaghy's novel is an unflinching exploration of our failings and limitations as human beings, while showing at the same time how far the best of us can be prepared to go for love. An ode to our wonderful natural world and to the kindness and sympathy within us, it is full of hope for a future that can still be repaired with enough willingness on our part.

Wow, wow, wow I absolutely loved this book!

The writing was absolutely beautiful & managed to evoke the moods of the sea & the characters in the story drawing you in slowly & taking you along on the journey.

I loved the flawed characters even when they were doing things that were maddening, in particular the main character & the captain of the fishing boat she manages to get aboard.

I read this book in a day because I just couldn't put it down. I couldn't drag myself away from the adventure of the fishing fleet & the perfect pacing of the mystery of the main character. I just had to find out what happened.

Even though in places the book was sad & had me weeping what it did offer was hope. I highly recommend!

Set in the future, all wild animals are approaching extinction. The story flits from the past into the future, sketching Franny Stone's torrid story from Ireland to the far north via Australia.

Franny is determined to follow the potentially final migration of a small group of Arctic Terns - she manages to join one of the last fishing vessels heading south.

The book fills in Franny's backstory, explaining how / why she feels compelled to follow these birds and it drives towards its compelling conclusion.

If you enjoyed Emily St. John Mandel's Station 11 and literary dystopian stories I would strongly recommend this book.

Charlotte McConaghy’s incredible novel, as the title suggests, is set in a future where many species are extinct and the world is on the brink of destruction. Within this apocalyptic atmosphere, her troubled protagonist embarks on a personal journey as she tries to navigate her own past. Emotionally charged and beautifully portrayed, it is an unforgettable novel.

The Last Migration

This is one woman’s quest to follow the arctic terns on what may be their last migration. Set against the back drop of an ecological crisis where the animals are rapidly becoming extinct; this novel follows Franny Stone through the wild places on the earth as she unravels her wild and tumultuous past.

This book has all the elements I love to find in a book; wilderness, nature, a woman’s inner and outer journey, all carried on lyrical prose.

At first I wondered why I didn’t feel like I was connecting with the characters. Then I realised that they were holding themselves at a distance, from each other and from the reader. As I read on they began to show their vulnerability to each other particularly as the protagonist began to reveal her past.

I was completely drawn in, the setting and the cast of characters were depicted so beautifully. I loved each of them in their own quirky and rag tag ways.

I was haunted by this book for days after finishing. The sadness of the climate crisis woven with the woman’s trauma was heartbreaking but equally a meditation on hope and persistence.

This book is to be published this August and is definitely one to look out for and add to your #tbr I highly recommended it!

Thanks to @netgalley and @vintagebooks for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book about a journey, both physical and psychological. It's set in the near future, a world where almost all birds are extinct, and it centres on Franny Stone, and her journey to track the migration of the last few Arctic terns. Along the way we learn about Franny's life, her own urge to move on and on - and where that urge came from. We meet a fishing crew, a tight-knit group of misfits, loyal to each other; and we spend a lot of time on the ocean.

This book is beautifully written. The emotional intensity of Franny's story shines through, and the grinding sadness of ecological disaster is really well portrayed.

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this. I absolutely loved it.

i loved it !! haunting story about one womans quest to chase artic terns in a world where animals ,fish ,insects are dying .she meets the brooding ennis and his ship and begins her journey .wonderful .