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Almost Animal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Wildness, and the American West
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Expected 10 Nov 26Win a free print copy of this book!
19 days and 19:42:17
25 copies available
U.S. only
A ferocious, incandescent memoir about motherhood, liberation, and the natural world—following one woman’s journey to reclaim her wildest self.
Growing up in Utah, a descendant of its earliest Mormon inhabitants, Amy Irvine spent her life fighting against the patriarchy that was her inheritance. The one place she felt truly herself was in the natural world. She climbed red rock, skied backcountry powder, and fought wildfires. But after the birth of her daughter, she found herself in a situation uncannily similar to those of her pioneer forebears: isolated on a remote Colorado mesa, with a husband who was often gone, a child who was frequently and mysteriously ill, and a once-remarkable life that was growing smaller and smaller.
After a case of postpartum depression so intense it resembled zoochosis, the madness of a trapped animal, Irvine began the process of unearthing her deepest self and finding a more authentic connection with her child. Over the years that followed, encounters with animals—wild and domestic, predator and prey—led her forward, from a horseback showdown with a mountain lion to a more intimate run-in with the misunderstood black widow. And searching for guidance, she looked to the women who came before her: the tough, complicated ancestors whose lives, Irvine learned, are a testament to the freedom, loneliness, and myth-making of the American West.
Gloriously written and fiercely felt, Almost Animal places Amy Irvine among our greatest writers on the bonds between the human and natural worlds—including Annie Dillard, Mary Oliver, and Wendell Berry—as well as contemporary chroniclers of the American West, from Cheryl Strayed to Tara Westover.
Growing up in Utah, a descendant of its earliest Mormon inhabitants, Amy Irvine spent her life fighting against the patriarchy that was her inheritance. The one place she felt truly herself was in the natural world. She climbed red rock, skied backcountry powder, and fought wildfires. But after the birth of her daughter, she found herself in a situation uncannily similar to those of her pioneer forebears: isolated on a remote Colorado mesa, with a husband who was often gone, a child who was frequently and mysteriously ill, and a once-remarkable life that was growing smaller and smaller.
After a case of postpartum depression so intense it resembled zoochosis, the madness of a trapped animal, Irvine began the process of unearthing her deepest self and finding a more authentic connection with her child. Over the years that followed, encounters with animals—wild and domestic, predator and prey—led her forward, from a horseback showdown with a mountain lion to a more intimate run-in with the misunderstood black widow. And searching for guidance, she looked to the women who came before her: the tough, complicated ancestors whose lives, Irvine learned, are a testament to the freedom, loneliness, and myth-making of the American West.
Gloriously written and fiercely felt, Almost Animal places Amy Irvine among our greatest writers on the bonds between the human and natural worlds—including Annie Dillard, Mary Oliver, and Wendell Berry—as well as contemporary chroniclers of the American West, from Cheryl Strayed to Tara Westover.
- GenresMemoir
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
💃🏻🐎🌄 4 Stars 🌄🐎💅🏻
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau for the ARC!
Almost Animal is not an easy memoir, but it is a powerful one.
This is the kind of book that feels less like a neatly organized story and more like sitting inside someone's memories, grief, anger, and hard-won self-discovery. Amy Irvine takes readers through motherhood, chronic illness, postpartum depression, Mormon heritage, marriage, isolation, and the complicated realities of being a woman trying to maintain her identity in a world determined to define it for her.
What struck me most was the raw honesty. There were moments that were uncomfortable, heartbreaking, and deeply frustrating, particularly when it came to advocating for her daughter's health while facing dismissal after dismissal. As a mother, those sections hit hard. The exhaustion, fear, and helplessness felt incredibly real. 💔
The strongest parts of the book for me were the connections to the natural world. The animals, the landscape of the American West, the horses, wildlife, and the solitude of the wilderness all felt alive on the page. Irvine clearly has a profound connection to nature, and some of the most beautiful passages came from those experiences. 🐎🌿✨
I also appreciated her examination of patriarchy and the expectations placed on women, particularly within Mormon culture and Western traditions. Even as someone outside that specific experience, I found many of her reflections relatable and thought-provoking.
That said, this is not a memoir that unfolds in a straightforward way. The narrative often jumps between generations, family history, personal experiences, and broader cultural observations. At times I found myself struggling to keep track of people and timelines, especially early on. The structure feels intentionally messy and organic, but it can require some patience. 📚
💙 What worked for me:
🐎 Beautiful writing about animals and nature
🌄 Strong sense of place
💔 Honest portrayal of motherhood and postpartum depression
✨ Thoughtful exploration of identity and selfhood
🌿 Powerful reflections on women's lives and expectations
💭 What didn't fully work for me:
📖 The nonlinear structure could feel chaotic
👨👩👧 Family history occasionally became difficult to follow
🐢 A slower pace in some sections
Ultimately, Almost Animal is about survival. It's about a woman fighting to reclaim herself while navigating motherhood, grief, illness, isolation, and inherited expectations. It isn't always an easy journey, but it is an authentic one.
If you enjoy memoirs that blend personal narrative with nature writing and reflections on womanhood, identity, and resilience, this is absolutely worth picking up.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4 stars. A thoughtful, beautifully written memoir that left me with a great deal of empathy for both the author and the life she has lived. 🐎🌄💙📚
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau for the ARC!
Almost Animal is not an easy memoir, but it is a powerful one.
This is the kind of book that feels less like a neatly organized story and more like sitting inside someone's memories, grief, anger, and hard-won self-discovery. Amy Irvine takes readers through motherhood, chronic illness, postpartum depression, Mormon heritage, marriage, isolation, and the complicated realities of being a woman trying to maintain her identity in a world determined to define it for her.
What struck me most was the raw honesty. There were moments that were uncomfortable, heartbreaking, and deeply frustrating, particularly when it came to advocating for her daughter's health while facing dismissal after dismissal. As a mother, those sections hit hard. The exhaustion, fear, and helplessness felt incredibly real. 💔
The strongest parts of the book for me were the connections to the natural world. The animals, the landscape of the American West, the horses, wildlife, and the solitude of the wilderness all felt alive on the page. Irvine clearly has a profound connection to nature, and some of the most beautiful passages came from those experiences. 🐎🌿✨
I also appreciated her examination of patriarchy and the expectations placed on women, particularly within Mormon culture and Western traditions. Even as someone outside that specific experience, I found many of her reflections relatable and thought-provoking.
That said, this is not a memoir that unfolds in a straightforward way. The narrative often jumps between generations, family history, personal experiences, and broader cultural observations. At times I found myself struggling to keep track of people and timelines, especially early on. The structure feels intentionally messy and organic, but it can require some patience. 📚
💙 What worked for me:
🐎 Beautiful writing about animals and nature
🌄 Strong sense of place
💔 Honest portrayal of motherhood and postpartum depression
✨ Thoughtful exploration of identity and selfhood
🌿 Powerful reflections on women's lives and expectations
💭 What didn't fully work for me:
📖 The nonlinear structure could feel chaotic
👨👩👧 Family history occasionally became difficult to follow
🐢 A slower pace in some sections
Ultimately, Almost Animal is about survival. It's about a woman fighting to reclaim herself while navigating motherhood, grief, illness, isolation, and inherited expectations. It isn't always an easy journey, but it is an authentic one.
If you enjoy memoirs that blend personal narrative with nature writing and reflections on womanhood, identity, and resilience, this is absolutely worth picking up.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4 stars. A thoughtful, beautifully written memoir that left me with a great deal of empathy for both the author and the life she has lived. 🐎🌄💙📚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
Almost Animal is a challenging, visceral memoir that demands patience but rewards the persistent reader with an interesting interpretation of how generational trauma, patriarchy, and the raw experience of chronic illness can impact ones life.
For readers outside the United States, particularly those unfamiliar with the nuances of American history and Mormon culture, the book can be difficult to get into. The narrative weaves a chaotic tapestry of ancestral references that may leave international readers wishing for a family tree to track the lineage or a map of the relevant land points. The author’s deep dive into her Mormon roots is unflinching; she critically examines the darker aspects of her heritage without hesitation, offering a critique of the patriarchy that has permeated both her ancestors' lives and contemporary American society.
There is a heavy theme of chronic illness. The portrayal of the medical journey and the emotional toll on the family unit is likely to resonate deeply with readers who have faced similar battles.
Almost Animal is not a book for everyone. Its chaotic thought processes and heavy cultural specificities require effort to navigate. However, if readers can push through the first couple of chapters and let the story grip them, they may enjoy the powerful story of survival. I wouldn't read this book again but i'm glad I undertook the journey.
I hope Amy's journey of self acceptance and search for belonging continues for her.
Almost Animal is a challenging, visceral memoir that demands patience but rewards the persistent reader with an interesting interpretation of how generational trauma, patriarchy, and the raw experience of chronic illness can impact ones life.
For readers outside the United States, particularly those unfamiliar with the nuances of American history and Mormon culture, the book can be difficult to get into. The narrative weaves a chaotic tapestry of ancestral references that may leave international readers wishing for a family tree to track the lineage or a map of the relevant land points. The author’s deep dive into her Mormon roots is unflinching; she critically examines the darker aspects of her heritage without hesitation, offering a critique of the patriarchy that has permeated both her ancestors' lives and contemporary American society.
There is a heavy theme of chronic illness. The portrayal of the medical journey and the emotional toll on the family unit is likely to resonate deeply with readers who have faced similar battles.
Almost Animal is not a book for everyone. Its chaotic thought processes and heavy cultural specificities require effort to navigate. However, if readers can push through the first couple of chapters and let the story grip them, they may enjoy the powerful story of survival. I wouldn't read this book again but i'm glad I undertook the journey.
I hope Amy's journey of self acceptance and search for belonging continues for her.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
This memoir deals with difficult subjects including religion, sexism, postpartum depression and identity.
What stuck with me the most was the author’s struggle to advocate for her child’s health while constantly being dismissed or treated as irrational herself. Those sections were heartbreaking and infuriating to read. The isolation of raising a child in such a remote environment, combined with the pressures surrounding marriage and motherhood, gave the memoir a deep sense of loneliness and emotional exhaustion.
I enjoyed reading about the animals she cared for, particularly her horse, Dante. Those moments brought warmth and grounding to the narrative and were some of the most memorable parts of the book for me.
I came away feeling immense empathy for the author and the life she has lived. She struck me as a brave and deeply capable woman trying to preserve her sense of self in circumstances that often felt confining and isolating.
This memoir deals with difficult subjects including religion, sexism, postpartum depression and identity.
What stuck with me the most was the author’s struggle to advocate for her child’s health while constantly being dismissed or treated as irrational herself. Those sections were heartbreaking and infuriating to read. The isolation of raising a child in such a remote environment, combined with the pressures surrounding marriage and motherhood, gave the memoir a deep sense of loneliness and emotional exhaustion.
I enjoyed reading about the animals she cared for, particularly her horse, Dante. Those moments brought warmth and grounding to the narrative and were some of the most memorable parts of the book for me.
I came away feeling immense empathy for the author and the life she has lived. She struck me as a brave and deeply capable woman trying to preserve her sense of self in circumstances that often felt confining and isolating.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ok unable to continue any longer! 33% and I’m calling it quits. I had a rough experience seeing a baby duck get taken by a hawk two weekends ago, and to have baby herons get eaten in front of parents who couldn’t get back in time….i just can’t. It’s too emotional, clicks too deep to me. Birds are so intelligent and I empathize too hard.
The labor and delivery was interesting, as well as the postpartum. All of that was described really well it made me feel right there with Amy, and also relate back to my experience. I loved it, and didn’t mind learning about Utah.
What started to turn me off was what I couldn’t and didn’t want to relate to - cheating husbands, reflecting that you’re not who you want to be, but not really going after anything either, and Mormon philosophy.
Thanks to NetGalley for access to this book. This book could work for those who may not be mothers, but moreso lean in the wild nature world, and are interested in some history, personal timelines, and Mormons.
The labor and delivery was interesting, as well as the postpartum. All of that was described really well it made me feel right there with Amy, and also relate back to my experience. I loved it, and didn’t mind learning about Utah.
What started to turn me off was what I couldn’t and didn’t want to relate to - cheating husbands, reflecting that you’re not who you want to be, but not really going after anything either, and Mormon philosophy.
Thanks to NetGalley for access to this book. This book could work for those who may not be mothers, but moreso lean in the wild nature world, and are interested in some history, personal timelines, and Mormons.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an emotional read about Amy Irvine. She has lead a very turbulent life facing abuse from a young age from the men in her life. Her third marriage produces a child that has numerous health issues. It’s odd that the main characters have one letter names. Sad read. I was given an addy reader copy of this memoir by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.#NetGalley @netgalley #amyirvine @authoramyirvine #spiegelandgrau @spiegelandgrau
Review of advance copy
This book was found in a little library box on my street, outside of Boston. I read it in a week and really loved all of it. Very relatable as a mother, woman, and survivor. Feel lucky I got to read this before it’s been officially released, a gem that landed in my hands. Plan to pass it on to my cousin in Montana who has lived a similar journey.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews