Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a beautiful and lush story. I have loved everything Taylor has written and, beyond a shadow of doubt, this is his finest work yet. This tale is steeped in the salt, sweat, blood, feather, fur, and, above all, love of both animal and man alike. Taylor Brown is a beast of a writer. We are lucky to have him.
While I ended up enjoying this title to a degree, it took a while to get fully enraptured in the tale. Unlike some other genres, I could not just sit down and speed read through the book. Rather, I had to stop to digest what had happened on occasion. Most likely this was a combination of the subject matter and the author's style.
At times you are seeing the world through the eyes of the main characters of the story. Such as Anse, a Vietnam vet and owner of a wildlife sanctuary called LIttle Eden. Or Malaya, a veteran from Iraq who is lost after being forced to leave her job helping track and stop poachers. They share an appreciation of the animals they work to save.
At other times, the story is seen through the eyes of a few animals. A long dead sabertooth cat which Anse dreams about. And a regal lion who was "saved" from a rigged safari experience by a gas station mogul who put him on display outside one of his stations.
By the end of the novel, I felt like I had been somewhat schooled on the plight of many exotic animals which have been hunted to the verge of extinction or sold off to collectors who do not even understand the animal they've purchased. And I have even more respect for those people who are doing their best to fight those trends and preserve these marvelous creatures.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC provided.
At times you are seeing the world through the eyes of the main characters of the story. Such as Anse, a Vietnam vet and owner of a wildlife sanctuary called LIttle Eden. Or Malaya, a veteran from Iraq who is lost after being forced to leave her job helping track and stop poachers. They share an appreciation of the animals they work to save.
At other times, the story is seen through the eyes of a few animals. A long dead sabertooth cat which Anse dreams about. And a regal lion who was "saved" from a rigged safari experience by a gas station mogul who put him on display outside one of his stations.
By the end of the novel, I felt like I had been somewhat schooled on the plight of many exotic animals which have been hunted to the verge of extinction or sold off to collectors who do not even understand the animal they've purchased. And I have even more respect for those people who are doing their best to fight those trends and preserve these marvelous creatures.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC provided.
I love Taylor Brown’s beautifully descriptive writing. I admire his inventiveness - his books are all quite different. Pride of Eden centers on exotic animals, their mistreatment, their habits, and an odd assortment of characters who love and care for them. This is not a sweet and sappy animal story. It’s a story of dark characters with dismal backgrounds. Somehow they were all woven into a story of abuse, poaching, war, climate change, individuality, along with a touch of hope and mystery. It’s an absorbing story.
In particular, I am grateful to have become better educated at what is done to animals. Among the more shocking things, that I really should have known about, was the exotic animal hunts. How sad for the animals and for the humans who feel this is a sport. I won’t even mention what is done to the rhinos.
This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.
In particular, I am grateful to have become better educated at what is done to animals. Among the more shocking things, that I really should have known about, was the exotic animal hunts. How sad for the animals and for the humans who feel this is a sport. I won’t even mention what is done to the rhinos.
This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.
Taylor Brown has written another masterpiece. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pride of Eden is about an eclectic, complex group of people living on the Georgia coast who devote their lives to rescuing and rehabilitating exotic animals. It’s a memorable story, exciting, most exquisitely written, with glorious storytelling. This is the type of book that reminds me why I read! More thoughts to come when I can gather them!
Big thanks to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Pride of Eden is about an eclectic, complex group of people living on the Georgia coast who devote their lives to rescuing and rehabilitating exotic animals. It’s a memorable story, exciting, most exquisitely written, with glorious storytelling. This is the type of book that reminds me why I read! More thoughts to come when I can gather them!
Big thanks to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
One of the best books I've read in a long time. Love the intersecting stories and how it spans time and place.
Fascinating! I can imagine that there really may be neglected and loose exotic animals in the woods of the South, but I never thought about it. The struggles that Anse, Malaya, and the other, exotic themselves, characters are dealing with in their lives while trying to rescue and save the animals make for a different and constantly interesting story.
I DNF'd this a little over half way through, when the viewpoint was first from the lion cub. This book is wonderfully written. I couldn't finish it though. I am a master's student in biology focusing on restoration/conservation. While poaching and wildlife trading aren't my areas, I'm well aware of them. Reading from the viewpoints of the humans was rough but bearable. But when it became from the viewpoint of the animals... Well it was just too much for me.
Oh I am such a sucker for overly descriptive stories especially when they involve wild animals and tales from places I live.