by Franklin Russell
There is not a single word of dialog in this book. Yet it is overwhelmingly full of sound- the birds scream, gurgle, choke, mutter and mew at each other. They communicate even more strongly with gestures- stretching tall to threaten, hunching down submissively, flattening their feathers in fear. Frequently launching outright attacks with stabbing beaks and flailing wings. Especially the protagonist, a herring gull named Argen who lives mostly around an estuary on the edge of an unnamed ocean. After his short period as a nestling dependent on his parents, and a few years spent exploring the area while learning how to find various food sources, he asserted himself against the other gulls with such an aggressive drive to gain food and live, that he was often described as being full of rage against the other birds. This story is not at all a pretty picture of nature. The gulls are scavengers and hunters- they squabble and steal from each other, smash shellfish, grab herring and smelt from the sea, pull apart carcasses found on shore (the aftermath of storms was a time of plenty for a seagull) and even pillage eggs and hatchlings from rookeries- including their own- in times of hunger. Any opportunity was taken.
2 Responses
Ah! This one sounds perfect for me. Onto my list it goes!–Thistle
Hi, Thistle! I'm glad to know it's you (I was about to ask if you had a blog somewhere, wondering who this Jamie Erickson is, ha ha). I'd love to know what you think of this if you find a copy to read- I bought mine off abebooks. Glad I did (usually I don't buy books unless I've read and known I'll love 'em again, taking chances on unknowns only if they're free or very cheap like garage sale finds. But this one was worth it!)