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At the beginning of The Tortoise’s Tale, a giant tortoise finds herself unceremoniously plucked from her homeland and brought to a large estate in southern California. She has plenty of room to roam and many lovely and delicious (appropriately edible) flowers to snack on. And she sees a lot happen in the course of roughly 75 years, from the 1950s into the current day and beyond.
Known by a variety of names, the tortoise comes to have a few favorite humans. Takeo, the estate’s gardener, takes the time out of his work to interact with her and respect her as an important creature. Lucy is just a girl when she meets the tortoise she names Magic, and the two have a special relationship over the course of most of the book.
A variety of well-known figures visit the estate, like politicians, business people, and rock stars. A whole ballet is staged; jazz and classical music is presented live. The tortoise soaks it all in and realizes that music is one of her favorite things.
As decades pass, the home and grounds move from being a private home to a retreat for artists and a haven for those who have faced some tough times.
Snippets from nearly a century of history make cameos in this story, and the tortoise reflects on how she feels about what she learns. Where does she fit in to the wide world, and how do humans make an impact on the earth?
I must admit I was drawn to The Tortoise’s Tale because it was told from the point of view of an animal, and I absolutely adored the cranky octopus narrator of Remarkably Bright Creatures. But even though the books have that in common, they are fairly different in tone. This book is so much more focused on the tortoise and the animals around her. It’s very much an ecological story, and especially closer to the end, it becomes a plea to humans to take better care of the planet and the creatures on it.
The author, Kendra Coulter, is a university professor and leads the world’s first major in animal ethics and sustainability leadership. Her training and focus come through strongly in this story, as one would expect. For me, it felt like a straightforward but gentle call to action. It reflects history, but it’s much more about the interconnectedness of the earth and all beings on it.
So if you love Remarkably Bright Creatures and are hoping for a similar book, you may be disappointed in The Tortoise’s Tale. But you will find an earnest story that will make you think about your place as a human in this world.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes 1 use of strong language, 1 instance of moderate profanity, 2 uses of mild language, and 6 instances of the name of Deity in vain. (It would have been mild had it not had the one f-word… why??)
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
