Pod | Litsy

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pick

Ea, a dolphin elder, the last of the Longi, looks back on her life.

An interesting story illustrating the different social customs among different types of dolphin and just how brutal they can be, and the impact of "anthrops" on the oceans.

26 likes

rwmg

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

#beachreading

Reggie Did you dip your toes in? 1y

rwmg @Reggie of course, but not much more 1y

23 likes2 comments

Robotswithpersonality

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pan

Based on the story note at the end, I see what idea the author started out with. Unfortunately, I don't see it realized on the page. I would rather read non-fiction on the current state of the ocean, its inhabitants (and the leading theories on how to help it/them). I do not have an interest in tragedy porn as a method of raising awareness. And then there's the excessive violence against females and muddled messages around gender. NO. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? To clarify, if this was about marine mammals, among others, suffering as a result of humanity's effects directly and indirectly on the ocean, WHY also take on the theme abusive patriarchal societies as a form of corruption via recounting repeated physical and sexual abuse of females? Why simultaneously make so much of the story about sex/fertility/mating? 1y

Robotswithpersonality 3/? Why insinuate the sexual characteristics/genital changes " also referred to as transitions" of one wrasse is a result of changing water chemistry/mutation (not exactly a positive framework!) and that their acceptance of their hermaphroditic state (alluding to intersex or trans, either way to feels weird) is proclaimed by polyamorous free for all. I think it's supposed to feel sex positive, and maybe it's my ace agender viewpoint interfering, but as gender affirmation it feels like a narrow, uncomfortable standard. Just, so much of this book gave me the ick. ??‍♂️ 1y

Robotswithpersonality 4/? I think my most charitable read of this book is it tried to do too many things in too short a space, though considering the levels of violence involved, there's no way I would have gotten through a longer version. 1y

Robotswithpersonality 5/? Even if you are lacking an awareness of how humanity has polluted the ocean, big culprits being not just oil and plastic, but sonically, how our affects on climate change also have secondary effects on that environment, even if somehow you missed how damaging misogyny is for society as a whole, let alone all those who identify as women, I would not suggest this book as the way to learn about those issues. 1y

Robotswithpersonality 6/6 ⚠️Ableism, SA, animal death, animal cruelty, animal experimentation, mentions of suicide, suicidal ideation, body horror, depression/grief - mental health concerns - self-destructive behaviour, PTSD 1y

9 likes5 comments

Robotswithpersonality

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

Multipurpose: heart in turmoil (rage, shame, humiliation), heart that's predatory, plotting. 🩶🦈🦈🦈

8 likes1 stack add

BookishTrish

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pick

I liked Pod. Ea and Google were interesting characters; the wrasse subplot less so. At first I found the use of anthropomorphic terms unsettling, but once I got used to it, I really got into the book.

BookishTrish @Lizpixie I wouldn‘t say it‘s dolphin porn at all. 1y

rwmg I enjoyed the same author's book about bees, so wishlisted

The Bees: A Novel

47 likes1 stack add2 comments

JillR

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pick

Given this was on the Women‘s Prize shortlist I was intrigued to read this story of the dire state of the oceans as told by dolphins. Elements of it I really enjoyed, particularly the story of kidnapped Ea and military-trained Google, yet other elements didn‘t work so well for me. A book I didn‘t think I was enjoying whilst reading, but which I‘m still mulling over some time after finishing it 🐬 👇

JillR I‘m puzzled that the rest of my book group absolutely loved it, there was talk of rereads, and our reading tastes are normally similar. I enjoyed the story, but found the message so very obvious it detracted from it for me. Would love to hear other thoughts! 2y

33 likes1 comment

jlhammar

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

#WomensPrize shortlist! Very pleased to see four of my favorites there (Marriage Portrait, Black Butterflies, Trespasses and Demon Copperhead). Disappointed Wandering Souls didn‘t make it.

I guess the universe is telling me I should push on with tagged and get my hands on a copy of Fire Rush!

squirrelbrain Noooo, don‘t do it! Don‘t read Pod! 😱 Fire Rush, on the other hand is great! 2y

jlhammar @squirrelbrain 🤣 I‘ll give it a few more pages, but definitely will let myself bail if needed. 2y

68 likes2 comments

Moll

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pan

I was so wanting to love this one because the concept that the blurb described was great! It just didn't really go anywhere though and I felt like I was just reading about random fish for the sake of reading about random fish. The message wasn't conveyed remotely subtly or smartly, and while at first I quite liked the prose, it stopped doing anything for me p quickly. I did enjoy learning the occasional dolphin fact

#WomensPrize2023 #longlist

squirrelbrain I hated this one too, and it‘s not often I say that about a book. 😬 2y

Moll @squirrelbrain Me neither! I always feel bad when I don't like a book😂 2y

14 likes2 comments

Leniverse

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pan

While there were some good aspects to this book, the overall reading experience was thoroughly unpleasant. The message was as subtle as a mallet, the level of violence unwarranted.

#WomensPrize 2023 #longlist

28 likes

Moll

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

Ready to go for April!

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks fantastic!! 2y

Moll @TheAromaofBooks Ty!! 2y

12 likes2 comments

Leniverse

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

40% into this and seriously considering bailing, or skipping to the final chapter or two just to see how it plays out. This book is bleak. But also boring. And I just can't with all the dolphin gang rape. 😵

merelybookish Dolphin rape?! 😧 2y

Leniverse @merelybookish Yup. 😐 I did not expect that. There are two groups of dolphins. One is peace, love, and kumbaya. The other is patriarchal sexual privilege and survival of the strongest. I'm starting to think they are supposed to be the aquatic human equivalent. But humans are clearly a plague on the planet. The message is as subtle as being hit repeatedly over the head with a mallet. 2y

merelybookish @Leniverse Sounds abysmal! 2y

Leniverse @merelybookish It has some good qualities and some interesting sea creature info, but I'm just not sure they are enough. 🫣 2y

30 likes4 comments

Moll

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

I'm on a mission to read all of the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist and 2 of the books arrived for me at my local library yesterday!!

20 likes

ChaoticMissAdventures

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

Ohhh no. I am struggling. There is so much marine language I do not know. It is making it hard to understand what is going on or care about these characters. I am also not feeling like I am in the dolphin. Or whatever I am supposed to feel here. 60 pages in. I have promised myself if I can get through it I can read Bandit Queens which sounds fun.

squirrelbrain I only finished this as I‘m a list completist; I hated it. 😞 Bandit Queens is really good! 2y

The_Book_Ninja Bail. Life is too short and there‘s plenty more books waiting 2y

jlhammar Oh no, sorry to hear that. I‘m a bit nervous to try this one. If it‘s not working for you, I agree with @The_Book_Ninja - move on to the next. I‘m going to try to take that advice as I read my way through the longlist. I should have bailed on Glory when I read it for the Booker. 2y

ChaoticMissAdventures @squirrelbrain @The_Book_Ninja @jlhammar I am just so glad I checked it from the library and didn't buy it. I might skim to the end. But yeah this is not for me. I even love the ocean! I had a time as a kid where my favorite animal was dolphin and I thought I wanted to be an oceanographer! 2y

ChaoticMissAdventures @jlhammar I feel lucky now, I am getting Glory on audio from the library. Hopefully I can sail through it in that format. There are always a couple on the long list that just don't work for many, but I am glad to try them out. 2y

27 likes5 comments

squirrelbrain

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

pan

This was a definite no from me - I‘d have bailed after a chapter or two if I wasn‘t such a completist for the #womensprize long list.

The book anthropomorphises a wide cross-section of sea creatures (although mainly dolphins) to hammer home an environmental message. To begin with I was annoyed by the sea creatures referring to fellow animals as ‘people‘. Then it got *really* weird and very sinister, with dolphin gang-rape being the worst of it.

youneverarrived The women‘s prize seem to always have to have one really weird book on their list 😂 2y

Cathythoughts Sounds MAD 😳 2y

LeeRHarry I picked this up from the library but now I definitely don‘t want to read it so back it goes. 2y

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jlhammar I know anthropomorphizing is kind of her thing so I‘m going to try to keep an open mind. Definitely sounds a bit crazy though. I‘ve heard good things about her previous novel, The Bees, which I own, but haven‘t read yet. Kudos for finishing! 2y

JenniferP I read her book about bees and it was also weird. But I kind of liked it. I don't feel the need to read this one, though. 2y

Caroline2 Oh dear!! This was always gonna be a weird wildcard but it sounds awful with the gang rape… SKIP!!! 2y

squirrelbrain I too have heard good things about The Bees @jlhammar @JenniferP and I think I would find ‘human‘ bees easier to read about than sex-crazed dolphins but, after this one, I don‘t think I‘ll bother. 2y

squirrelbrain @LeeRHarry @Caroline2 @Cathythoughts @youneverarrived - many people on Goodreads love it, so maybe it‘s just me! 🤔 2y

TheKidUpstairs This is the one from the long list that I have absolutely zero interest in reading. I hated The Bees. Tried and tried to slog through it, but it was just repetitive and cyclical and not for me at all, ended up bailing at 75%. The description of this one made it sound like she was doing the same thing, just with dolphins. Glad to know I'm not missing anything with this one! 2y

Hooked_on_books Oh dear! I thought I‘d probably give most of these books a try, though this one is not available through my library or Scribd. Based on this, I certainly don‘t want to buy it! 2y

Ruthiella @TheKidUpstairs I couldn‘t read The Bees either. This sounds like a skip for me too. Thanks for taking one for the team @squirrelbrain ! 😂 2y

squirrelbrain @TheKidUpstairs - I imagine that anthropomorphic bees might be easier than dolphins (maybe just me?! 🤣) so I‘d definitely give this one a miss if you didn‘t like the bee one. 2y

squirrelbrain I‘m so glad it was a library book @Hooked_on_books and I didn‘t buy it. 😬 2y

squirrelbrain You‘re welcome @Ruthiella 😇🤣 2y

sarahbarnes Oh wow, good to know and sorry it was such a bad reading experience. 😬 2y

JillR Just found your review! I just read this for book group, didn‘t hate it, but didn‘t overly like it either. Enjoyed some bits. One of those books you read because you have to, and are glad it‘s short. I listened to a podcast where Louise Minchin spoke about how important she felt it was, but the message seemed obvious to me, and already well known? 2y

squirrelbrain @JillR the message was hitting me over the head with a hammer - not very subtle. This book did it so much better, and subtler, without talking sea creatures. Well, there‘s no comparison at all between the two, really.

Migrations: A Novel

JillR @suirrelbrain thanks for the recommendation, I‘ll take a look…I‘m looking forward to seeing what our book group makes of Pod. We don‘t hold back if we don‘t like something 😆, and coincidentally we‘re meeting on the evening of the WP winner announcement… 2y

squirrelbrain @JillR that will be interesting if you get the announcement during book group! I‘m away in the campervan with sporadic wifi so will be relying on Litsyland for my book news! 2y

69 likes1 stack add19 comments

jenniferw88

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

Waterstones online #bookhaul. In 😍 with the Duffy!

58 likes

Lindy

Pod: 'a Pacy, Provocative Tale of Survival in a Fast-Changing Marine Landscape' Daily Mail | Laline Paull

Lots of exciting possibilities on this longlist. I‘ve read three, DNF‘d one and already had some of the others on my TBR, but some are new to me and that‘s a delight in itself. Elizabeth McKenzie‘s forthcoming Dog of the North is probably the one I‘m most excited about because I loved The Portable Veblen so much.

https://womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/2023-prize

batsy Which was the one you bailed on? 🙂 2y

ChaoticMissAdventures @batsy I am so curious! I love to know what books people bail on. 2y

Lindy @batsy @ChaoticMissAdventures I bailed on Glory. I enjoyed Bulawayo‘s first novel, so I might try Glory again when I‘m in the right mood. 2y

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ChaoticMissAdventures @Lindy so often it is about my own mood if I enjoy something! 2y

Ruthiella Exciting list of books! Most I‘ve not yet heard of. 2y

JillR I too hadn‘t come across many of these yet. My first reaction was disappointment, then I realised this is a good thing, new books I‘ve not yet discovered! And I fully trust the Women‘s Prize selections, I‘ve not read one I haven‘t enjoyed yet 2y

batsy @Lindy @ChaoticMissAdventures Yes, agree on mood and timing. Glory does seem somewhat intimidating in theme and structure; I too feel that if I do attempt it I'd have to be in the right frame of mind. 2y

Lindy @Ruthiella @JillR @batsy @ChaoticMissAdventures Just what I need: more books to add to the list of things I want to read right now! I‘m kidding. Or, half kidding. I‘m glad there‘s never a shortage of intriguing possibilities to pick up next. 2y

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