The Last Migration by Charlotte McConaghy

‘The animals are dying.  Soon we will be alone here.’

Franny Stone desperately wants to follow the Arctic terns on what is likely to be their last migration to Antarctica.  The terns are teetering on the brink of extinction because of climate change.  Franny managed to secure a berth on one of the last ships heading south from Greenland.

As we travel south, Franny’s story unfolds over different timelines.  She is a restless soul, in search of answers, meaning and redemption.  She is erratic and unpredictable, drawn to the sea.  We will gradually learn what Franny is running from and what she is looking for.

‘My life has been a migration without a destination, and that in itself is senseless.’

I picked this novel up and became spellbound.  I wanted to know more about Franny and her past, I wanted to understand the why and the what.  This is a sad story, but it is so beautifully told that I could lose myself in some passages before being buffeted by others.  Is it possible for Franny to find peace?  Is it possible for the world to survive our depredations? I wonder.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

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