112. Singing with Elephants

Singing with Elephants. Margarita Engle. 2022. [May] 224 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Musical elephants are like
mountains with windy whispers,
the sea when it roars or chants a lullaby,
tree branches that clack like maracas,
and every animal that opens its mouth
to howl, bark, or chant
about the freedom
to walk, walk, walk,
rejoicing in the sheer joy
of touching
green earth
with rhythmic feet
and dancing
minds.

Premise/plots: Singing with Elephants is set in 1947 in Santa Barbara, California. Oriol, our heroine, is in absolute love with words. Inspired by a newcomer--a poet--Gabriela Mistral, she begins writing day and night, night and day. Little knowing--at least at first--that Gabriela Mistral is world-famous. Her other love is animals. Her parents are veterinarians. Oriol especially loves the new elephant--a PREGNANT elephant who is due to give birth soon....

But life is complicated, and this elephant family is threatened...it is up to Oriol--and other like-minded folks--to save the day.

My thought: ELEPHANTS IN PERIL. I don't know why I entered this novel without a care in the world little thinking that all wouldn't be happy-comfy-cozy. So I want to warn sensitive readers especially that this one will keep you tense. That isn't a bad thing necessarily. Just a thing. 

It is a verse novel. It is a coming of age novel. It is well written. But just so very tense when it comes to the well being of these animals...

Quotes:

Poetry is like a planet, she says,
each word spins
orbits
twirls
and radiates
reflected
starlight.

---

Maybe
all I need
is a purpose
it's a word
filled with echoes
of other words
like courage
and hope

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews