Scan barcode
Reviews
Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World's Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler by Jessica Speart
christinelangill's review
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Deportation
carolpk's review
4.0
Jessica Speart visited our library as part of the Connecticut Author Trail in 2009. At that time she whetted our interest with a hint of the book she was working on, Winged Obsession. It seemed a natural for Speart, whose character in fiction is Rachel Porter, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agent. Speart’s background in journalism also seemed to make this jump from fiction to true crime a winning combination. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to read this account of a Japanese butterfly smuggler, one who was considered to be the world’s most cunning and notorious.
Who knew? Who knew there was so much to know and learn about butterflies? Who knew how many varieties, sizes, colors, butterflies can be? Who knew the lengths people would go to sell them, to buy them and the price that they command. Who knew that there are people who think that selling, smuggling, killing, and harvesting these winged creatures, often to extinction, should be worth no more than a slap on the wrist and a small fine? Who knew that there are agents with such dedication that they work their tales off to get their man?
As one other reviewer stated, it would have been nice to have some pictures or perhaps a reference to a good internet site to see the butterflies so often mentioned throughout the book. I suspect any good library would be able to help with this quest.
Winged Obsession is an eye-opening, shocking, sometimes titillating read about an illegal market that few of us know about. The quest to bring smuggler, Yoshi Kojima to justice and to shut down his profitable business by Agent Ed Newcomer is a compelling read. I think you’ll come away with a whole new appreciation of these magnificent, beautiful wonders that grace our paths and gardens. Jessica Speart has found a new calling and I’m hoping she’ll write another non-fiction title.
Who knew? Who knew there was so much to know and learn about butterflies? Who knew how many varieties, sizes, colors, butterflies can be? Who knew the lengths people would go to sell them, to buy them and the price that they command. Who knew that there are people who think that selling, smuggling, killing, and harvesting these winged creatures, often to extinction, should be worth no more than a slap on the wrist and a small fine? Who knew that there are agents with such dedication that they work their tales off to get their man?
As one other reviewer stated, it would have been nice to have some pictures or perhaps a reference to a good internet site to see the butterflies so often mentioned throughout the book. I suspect any good library would be able to help with this quest.
Winged Obsession is an eye-opening, shocking, sometimes titillating read about an illegal market that few of us know about. The quest to bring smuggler, Yoshi Kojima to justice and to shut down his profitable business by Agent Ed Newcomer is a compelling read. I think you’ll come away with a whole new appreciation of these magnificent, beautiful wonders that grace our paths and gardens. Jessica Speart has found a new calling and I’m hoping she’ll write another non-fiction title.
gmd316's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
3.5
Didn’t like the writing style, felt unsophisticated, but the story was super interesting
catnipped's review
4.0
When I first received this book from the giveaway, I hadn't realized it was a truly nonfiction book. Knowing that makes Winged Obsession that much more fascinating. Towards the end, I was on the end of my seat, worrying that Kojima would get away or escape somehow.
The beginning of the book is a little rough. Some of the metaphors and language choices weren't quite right to me. But, over time, Speart finds her voice, mostly through her ability to give detailed background information in simpler terms without being boring, mainly information concerning the governmental issues of protecting wildlife and the scientific facts about butterflies. The only thing that troubled me throughout the novel was that it was being told in present tense, but occasionally, details would be added from future knowledge. It disrupted the flow of the story for me.
I would have preferred the final two chapters to be edited in a different way. The second to last chapter would have made an excellent epilogue. The last chapter is primarily about Speart's own experience with Kojima after his deportation from the US. While it was a necessary part of the story, I felt like it shouldn't have just been tacked on at the end.
An incredible read when you consider the fact that it is based on true events. The last sentence of the novel cushions the blow that Kojima continues to make a fortune out of illegally selling butterflies, and that he will continue until there is punishment enough to stop him.
I applaud Ed Newcomer on his fight to help save the natural world and only wish that our government was able to give his hard work the payment it deserves by having harsher punishment for those who are profiting off of harming nature's resources.
The beginning of the book is a little rough. Some of the metaphors and language choices weren't quite right to me. But, over time, Speart finds her voice, mostly through her ability to give detailed background information in simpler terms without being boring, mainly information concerning the governmental issues of protecting wildlife and the scientific facts about butterflies. The only thing that troubled me throughout the novel was that it was being told in present tense, but occasionally, details would be added from future knowledge. It disrupted the flow of the story for me.
I would have preferred the final two chapters to be edited in a different way. The second to last chapter would have made an excellent epilogue. The last chapter is primarily about Speart's own experience with Kojima after his deportation from the US. While it was a necessary part of the story, I felt like it shouldn't have just been tacked on at the end.
An incredible read when you consider the fact that it is based on true events. The last sentence of the novel cushions the blow that Kojima continues to make a fortune out of illegally selling butterflies, and that he will continue until there is punishment enough to stop him.
I applaud Ed Newcomer on his fight to help save the natural world and only wish that our government was able to give his hard work the payment it deserves by having harsher punishment for those who are profiting off of harming nature's resources.
thereadingzone's review against another edition
5.0
Not a book I would recommend to younger readers, but a fantastic adult NF that takes a deep look at one of the world's most prolific butterfly smugglers.
embingham's review
4.0
I won this book as a goodreads giveaway, and I really enjoyed it. It gave a great insight into how various types of smuggling work, and how the Fish and Wildlife department tries to stop it. It also gives a detailed look into the mind of a smuggler and you see how warped and twisted he really is. This is Spearts first attempt at a nonfiction novel, and it does read like a mystery. I really enjoyed the book, and I have only one complaint, which was that there was a lot of unneccessary profanity. Overall, it was definitely a fun and entertaining read.
lisaarnsdorf's review
5.0
Amazingly, I finished this book in only 10 days, which is impressive in my current life and demonstrates just how compelling this book was to read! I learned so much about Fish and Wildlife, the important work they are doing, and just how underfunded and unappreciated that work is. The story was incredibly thrilling, even though it unfolded over several years. Kojima is a weird, weird dude.
I hope Speart writes more true crime, because this was outstanding!
I hope Speart writes more true crime, because this was outstanding!
abigail_w7's review
2.0
This book's subject matter was interesting but the writing left a lot to be desired. It felt like it was written to be shared episodically, and was bloated with repeated information and things that had already been shared and therefore felt out of order chronologically for being repeated. The point of view also lacked consistency and left me confused occasionally as to who was being followed by the narrative. This would have been a DNF for me if I didn't need a non-violent true crime book for a reading challenge so I slogged through to the end. (Unfortunately, the casual cruelty toward animals depicted in this book makes me question whether or not this book works.)
tiffany_grace's review
4.0
This was a really good non-fiction book. I don't know who wrote the blurb on the fly-leaf, but that almost turned me off completely, and sounded like it was written by a 5 year old. But...I read the book anyway and am glad I did. It is really well written, and though non-fiction isn't usually my thing, I had no problem getting into it. I really enjoyed how much I learned about butterflies from reading this book. However, reading about the things people are doing to rare species for profit really angered me. Though the book isn't preachy, it is straight forward.