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ninetalevixen 's review for:
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★ 2.5 stars ★
"What is it like to be an octopus? Is it anything like being a human? Is it even possible to know?"
I was expecting more philosophy/biology than memoir, so honestly I was disappointed to find that this was mostly the latter.
While there is plenty of the former — lots of quotes from Great Thinkers and detailed animal trivia — it's interspersed almost arbitrarily between personal anecdotes; I had trouble really appreciating it all because there didn't seem to be a cohesive narrative beyond (the presumable chronology of) the author's Octopus Adventures. Sometimes it feels like "look at how much research I did! how much I know!" because the details aren't always relevant to the discussion at hand, and at times they're presented in a way that feels dumbed down for the public.
The author often goes on tangents about the people she meets, giving highly personal details about their lives. I suppose this is understandable for the major recurring figures, and in cases where it adds context for their dialogue or behavior, but some individuals who only show up once or twice get this treatment.
What bothers me more is the way she presumes to speak for them even as she presents them as Other: explaining a staffer's awe by explaining that he's from a culture that "unlike our own" reveres the elderly; emphasizing the wonder of marine life by pointing out that it even evokes emotion from an aquarium volunteer with Asperger's (people with Asperger's/ASD do experience feelings, thank you, some of us just sometimes have trouble expressing them).
No scientific or philosophical conclusions are reached, just I spent a lot of time with octopuses, and based on observations and chats with experts, I personally think they're intelligent, like people, and have souls.
In fact, there's a lot of anthropomorphizing — despite an early acknowledgment about the dangers of doing so while studying non-human species — yet the ultimate message almost seems to come down to we may never know for sure, but at least these magnificent creatures have changed my life!
But. There are definitely scenes that moved me, especially if they managed to hush my skepticism long enough to sneak in under my guard. Whether by evoking my own memories of countless childhood aquarium trips or drawing on good old-fashioned human compassion.
So I can see why this is so highly acclaimed, and — my complaints aside — I do think plenty of readers will find this an enjoyable read that inspires them to view octopuses (and other animals) more favorably.
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CONVERSION: 6.75 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 10
Credibility: 3 / 10
Organization / Structure: 2 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: N/A
Spoiler
multiple animal deaths (incl. octopuses), mentions of (human) terminal illness, mentions of (human) suicide & suicide attempt, discussions of predation & (octopus) cannibalism, grief, ableism★ 2.5 stars ★
"What is it like to be an octopus? Is it anything like being a human? Is it even possible to know?"
I was expecting more philosophy/biology than memoir, so honestly I was disappointed to find that this was mostly the latter.
While there is plenty of the former — lots of quotes from Great Thinkers and detailed animal trivia — it's interspersed almost arbitrarily between personal anecdotes; I had trouble really appreciating it all because there didn't seem to be a cohesive narrative beyond (the presumable chronology of) the author's Octopus Adventures. Sometimes it feels like "look at how much research I did! how much I know!" because the details aren't always relevant to the discussion at hand, and at times they're presented in a way that feels dumbed down for the public.
The author often goes on tangents about the people she meets, giving highly personal details about their lives. I suppose this is understandable for the major recurring figures, and in cases where it adds context for their dialogue or behavior, but some individuals who only show up once or twice get this treatment.
What bothers me more is the way she presumes to speak for them even as she presents them as Other: explaining a staffer's awe by explaining that he's from a culture that "unlike our own" reveres the elderly; emphasizing the wonder of marine life by pointing out that it even evokes emotion from an aquarium volunteer with Asperger's (people with Asperger's/ASD do experience feelings, thank you, some of us just sometimes have trouble expressing them).
No scientific or philosophical conclusions are reached, just I spent a lot of time with octopuses, and based on observations and chats with experts, I personally think they're intelligent, like people, and have souls.
In fact, there's a lot of anthropomorphizing — despite an early acknowledgment about the dangers of doing so while studying non-human species — yet the ultimate message almost seems to come down to we may never know for sure, but at least these magnificent creatures have changed my life!
But. There are definitely scenes that moved me, especially if they managed to hush my skepticism long enough to sneak in under my guard. Whether by evoking my own memories of countless childhood aquarium trips or drawing on good old-fashioned human compassion.
So I can see why this is so highly acclaimed, and — my complaints aside — I do think plenty of readers will find this an enjoyable read that inspires them to view octopuses (and other animals) more favorably.
-----------
CONVERSION: 6.75 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 10
Credibility: 3 / 10
Organization / Structure: 2 / 10
Emotional Impact / Interest: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: N/A