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The Migration
Creepy and atmospheric, evocative of Stephen King's classic Pet Sematary, The Migration is a story of sisterhood, transformation, and the limitations of love, from a thrilling new voice in Canadian fiction. When I was younger I didn't know a thing about death. I thought it meant stillness, a body gone limp. A marionette with its strings cut. Death was like a long vacation a going away. Storms and flooding are worsening around the world, and a mysterious immune disorder has begun to afflict the young. Sophie Perella is about to begin her senior year of high school in Toronto when her little sister, Kira, is diagnosed. Their parents' marriage falters under the strain, and Sophie's mother takes the girls to Oxford, England, to live with their Aunt Irene. An Oxford University professor and historical epidemiologist obsessed with relics of the Black Death, Irene works with a centre that specializes in treating people with the illness. She is a friend to Sophie, and offers a window into a strange and ancient history of human plague and recovery. Sophie just wants to understand what s happening now; but as mortality rates climb, and reports emerge of bodily tremors in the deceased, it becomes clear there is nothing normal about this condition and that the dead aren't staying dead. When Kira succumbs, Sophie faces an unimaginable let go of the sister she knows, or take action to embrace something terrifying and new. Tender and chilling, unsettling and hopeful, The Migration is a story of a young woman s dawning awareness of mortality and the power of the human heart to thrive in cataclysmic circumstances.
385 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2019
50 people are currently reading
1760 people want to read
About the author
Helen Marshall
115 books203 followersHelen Marshall (manuscriptgal.com) is an award-winning author, editor, and bibliophile.
Her poetry and short fiction have been published in The Chiaroscuro, Paper Crow, Abyss & Apex, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet and Tor.com. In 2011, she released a collection of poems entitled Skeleton Leaves from Kelp Queen Press and her collection of short stories Hair Side, Flesh Side was released from ChiZine Publications in 2012. This collection won the 2013 British Fantasy Sydney J. Bounds Award and was short-listed for a 2013 Aurora Award for Best Related Work. It was named one of the top ten F/SF books of 2012 by January Magazine. Her second fiction collection Gifts for the One Who Comes After launched in September 2014.
Her poetry and short fiction have been published in The Chiaroscuro, Paper Crow, Abyss & Apex, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet and Tor.com. In 2011, she released a collection of poems entitled Skeleton Leaves from Kelp Queen Press and her collection of short stories Hair Side, Flesh Side was released from ChiZine Publications in 2012. This collection won the 2013 British Fantasy Sydney J. Bounds Award and was short-listed for a 2013 Aurora Award for Best Related Work. It was named one of the top ten F/SF books of 2012 by January Magazine. Her second fiction collection Gifts for the One Who Comes After launched in September 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
November 18, 2020
Meandering, discursive take of quickened evolution
Two sisters and their mother and aunt fight to stay alive in a world that's deteriorating because of climate changes and disease. This is more a young adult novel than adult, as the story revolves around seventeen year old Sophie and her boyfriend Bryan and their romance and how they figure out what is happening to the world. It seems like love would take a back seat to all the death and destruction happening, but I guess love always finds a way.
Two sisters and their mother and aunt fight to stay alive in a world that's deteriorating because of climate changes and disease. This is more a young adult novel than adult, as the story revolves around seventeen year old Sophie and her boyfriend Bryan and their romance and how they figure out what is happening to the world. It seems like love would take a back seat to all the death and destruction happening, but I guess love always finds a way.
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April 28, 2019I’m often the first to gripe about novels being labelled as YA fiction just because they have teenage characters in them... but occasionally it's the other way round. The Migration is packaged as a science fiction novel for an adult audience; it comes garlanded with quotes from the likes of the Guardian and SFX; it has been published by adult literary/SF imprints (Titan Books in the UK, Random House in Canada). And this seems curious to me, because the majority of the book reads like a fantasy adventure for teens, and I feel it would have much greater appeal for younger readers.
The plot centres on a mysterious new condition afflicting young people: Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome (or JI2). 17-year-old Sophie's little sister, Kira, is one of the first to be affected, after a case of chickenpox leaves her immune system weakened. The family move from Toronto to stay with Sophie and Kira's aunt Irene in Oxford, England, where they hope to find better treatment for Kira's condition. Irene is an academic whose research into the Black Death uncovers historical parallels with JI2. We can infer that the story is taking place in a near-future setting, and climate change forms a key part of the backdrop.
I liked the first third, during which the writing reminded me a little of Nina Allan, a high compliment indeed. But the middle third involves so many implausibilities that I began to lose confidence – and interest – in the story. Unfortunately, it had lost me almost entirely by the time the really dramatic stuff started happening, and I only skimmed through to the end because I'd invested quite a lot of time in it up to that point. Neither the fantasy aspect nor Sophie as a character are particularly interesting, and the less said about the unnecessary romantic subplot (another YA hallmark) the better.
(Personal rating would be around 2 stars, but I'm not formally adding it because I think that would be unfair. This was a clear case of book/reader incompatibility, and if it'd been tagged as YA, which I feel would be correct, I'd never have picked it up.)
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
The plot centres on a mysterious new condition afflicting young people: Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome (or JI2). 17-year-old Sophie's little sister, Kira, is one of the first to be affected, after a case of chickenpox leaves her immune system weakened. The family move from Toronto to stay with Sophie and Kira's aunt Irene in Oxford, England, where they hope to find better treatment for Kira's condition. Irene is an academic whose research into the Black Death uncovers historical parallels with JI2. We can infer that the story is taking place in a near-future setting, and climate change forms a key part of the backdrop.
I liked the first third, during which the writing reminded me a little of Nina Allan, a high compliment indeed. But the middle third involves so many implausibilities that I began to lose confidence – and interest – in the story. Unfortunately, it had lost me almost entirely by the time the really dramatic stuff started happening, and I only skimmed through to the end because I'd invested quite a lot of time in it up to that point. Neither the fantasy aspect nor Sophie as a character are particularly interesting, and the less said about the unnecessary romantic subplot (another YA hallmark) the better.
(Personal rating would be around 2 stars, but I'm not formally adding it because I think that would be unfair. This was a clear case of book/reader incompatibility, and if it'd been tagged as YA, which I feel would be correct, I'd never have picked it up.)
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
April 5, 2019
2.5 stars
Thank you @titan_books for providing me with a copy of The Migration to read and review! I thought I would love this one but sadly it ended up being not for me - however, there is a lot of merit to it, and hopefully that will come across in my review!
.
All across the world, young people are being diagnosed with J12, a mysterious illness with a growing mortality rate but when the patients are dying, they aren’t staying dead... When you say it like that, it’s understandable why it might be appropriate to deem it ‘evocative of Pet Sematary’ but really the similarities stop there. It’s not a raw, creepy tale of grief, but an interesting ‘cli-fi’ story, and I appreciated Marshall’s commentary on climate change.
.
But I thought the Black Death link would play a larger part in the story, and was a bit disappointed when the main character’s cool auntie with a PhD sort of got shunted off to one side, that strand just felt underdeveloped. As with any dystopian tale though, there’s good use of newspaper articles, medical reports and even DMs to show the devastating effects of the new order and the ins and outs of the changes affecting the world’s youth.
.
My biggest issue was that much of the story was told through dialogue, and I found it a bit stilted and clunky. The main character is 17 so maybe the tone was just a bit young for me!
Thank you @titan_books for providing me with a copy of The Migration to read and review! I thought I would love this one but sadly it ended up being not for me - however, there is a lot of merit to it, and hopefully that will come across in my review!
.
All across the world, young people are being diagnosed with J12, a mysterious illness with a growing mortality rate but when the patients are dying, they aren’t staying dead... When you say it like that, it’s understandable why it might be appropriate to deem it ‘evocative of Pet Sematary’ but really the similarities stop there. It’s not a raw, creepy tale of grief, but an interesting ‘cli-fi’ story, and I appreciated Marshall’s commentary on climate change.
.
But I thought the Black Death link would play a larger part in the story, and was a bit disappointed when the main character’s cool auntie with a PhD sort of got shunted off to one side, that strand just felt underdeveloped. As with any dystopian tale though, there’s good use of newspaper articles, medical reports and even DMs to show the devastating effects of the new order and the ins and outs of the changes affecting the world’s youth.
.
My biggest issue was that much of the story was told through dialogue, and I found it a bit stilted and clunky. The main character is 17 so maybe the tone was just a bit young for me!
February 10, 2019
If you’re looking for a thought-provoking sf novel then look no further. This debut is coming out from Titan Books in March and it affected me deeply.
It follows teenage sisters Sophie and Kira who have recently moved to live with their aunt in Oxford. Kira has been diagnosed with JI2, a mysterious autoimmune condition that has suddenly started to affect teens. Nobody knows what is causing it or what the long term prognosis will be, only that a shocking number of young adults are dying from it. As the death toll climbs strange rumours start to circulate about post-mortem symptoms. Are the children really dead? Or have they become something else?
The story unfolds against a backdrop of climate change and geopolitical upheaval. As the sea levels rise and terrible storms batter the UK, Sophie, Kira and a whole generation of children become increasingly uninterested in the old order. A new age is dawning and they are bearing the cost.
Although The Migration doesn’t explicitly address the politics of the 2010s, it perfectly captures the undercurrents of disenfranchisement, anger and disbelief that characterise a generation. Although Marshall’s response is absolutely science fictional it offers both a warning and a sense of hope. And it’s beautifully written too. Definitely recommended. I will be seeking out Helen’s short fiction now.
#bookstagram #bookreview #sf #sciencefiction #speculativefiction #themigrationbook #booktuber #books
It follows teenage sisters Sophie and Kira who have recently moved to live with their aunt in Oxford. Kira has been diagnosed with JI2, a mysterious autoimmune condition that has suddenly started to affect teens. Nobody knows what is causing it or what the long term prognosis will be, only that a shocking number of young adults are dying from it. As the death toll climbs strange rumours start to circulate about post-mortem symptoms. Are the children really dead? Or have they become something else?
The story unfolds against a backdrop of climate change and geopolitical upheaval. As the sea levels rise and terrible storms batter the UK, Sophie, Kira and a whole generation of children become increasingly uninterested in the old order. A new age is dawning and they are bearing the cost.
Although The Migration doesn’t explicitly address the politics of the 2010s, it perfectly captures the undercurrents of disenfranchisement, anger and disbelief that characterise a generation. Although Marshall’s response is absolutely science fictional it offers both a warning and a sense of hope. And it’s beautifully written too. Definitely recommended. I will be seeking out Helen’s short fiction now.
#bookstagram #bookreview #sf #sciencefiction #speculativefiction #themigrationbook #booktuber #books
August 17, 2019
A novel about a pandemic, the historical responses to pandemic, specifically the Black Death, and the effects of climate change.
Sophie's young sister Kira is suffering from an odd illness, and is not alone. Several young people are, with epidemiologists mystified as to the cause, method of transmission, and the odd behaviour of the sufferers’ dead bodies.
There is fear, a lack of information, and Sophie's aunt Irene (an historical epidemiologist) draws parallels between the way this disease is playing out to how the Black Death's victims viewed what was happening to them.
The writing is great, and I liked how Sophie approached the seriousness of everything that was happening to her family, to her sister, and her observations on the disease's progression. I also really liked how Sophie was open to other possibilities.
I had a few questions (science-related) while reading this, but for the most part I was willing to set them aside and enjoy this book. Helen Marshall posits an interesting idea that the disease is a vector for change, for evolution, and I liked how she used the writings of the past to suggest a parallel between what Sophie was seeing, and what the Black Death survivors saw.
Sophie's young sister Kira is suffering from an odd illness, and is not alone. Several young people are, with epidemiologists mystified as to the cause, method of transmission, and the odd behaviour of the sufferers’ dead bodies.
There is fear, a lack of information, and Sophie's aunt Irene (an historical epidemiologist) draws parallels between the way this disease is playing out to how the Black Death's victims viewed what was happening to them.
The writing is great, and I liked how Sophie approached the seriousness of everything that was happening to her family, to her sister, and her observations on the disease's progression. I also really liked how Sophie was open to other possibilities.
I had a few questions (science-related) while reading this, but for the most part I was willing to set them aside and enjoy this book. Helen Marshall posits an interesting idea that the disease is a vector for change, for evolution, and I liked how she used the writings of the past to suggest a parallel between what Sophie was seeing, and what the Black Death survivors saw.
April 2, 2019
A moving and timely novel about the impact of climatic catastrophe on humanity. Building on the precedence of the Black Death almost 700 years ago, disease is linked to disaster. Above all else, though, The Migration tells the tale of two sisters who move to Oxford from Canada to seek a cure for the younger girl's mysterious immune disorder which is begin to afflict large numbers of young people across the globe. Disturbing, morbid and bleak in places, it is also uplifting and beautifully written in places. The novel is written from the perspective of the (almost) 18-year-old Sophie and so it is the world through an older teenager's eyes that we see here. As an Oxfordian, the book's location provided me with added interest! A fast and engrossing read.
July 1, 2019
Amid a backdrop of climate-change disaster, a new fatal immune disorder begins to affect young people. Sophie Perella is a teenager about to start her senior year when her younger sister is diagnosed. Their mother moves them all to Oxford to be with their Aunt Irene who works with a center that specializes in the condition. As monstrous details emerge about the disease and how the medical community is responding to it, Sophie is forced to make incredibly difficult choices in the face of a terrifying reality.
This is fascinating, touching on plenty of sound science around epigenetics, parasitology and epidemiology, but always focusing on the human element, particularly on how it's all affecting a scared young woman and her family. Yes, some of the actual execution favors allegory and story points over proper science (), but that matches the thrust of the story overall.
Ultimately it's far more about Sophie, her family and her peers, and their relationships and trust in each other and also the generational differences made stark by the development of the immune syndrome. And the allegories there abound, from how parental generations handle the way children adapt to new technology and its consequences, to the actual effects of climate change, where nearly all the power is with older generations and all the consequences on the younger ones.
This is fascinating, touching on plenty of sound science around epigenetics, parasitology and epidemiology, but always focusing on the human element, particularly on how it's all affecting a scared young woman and her family. Yes, some of the actual execution favors allegory and story points over proper science (), but that matches the thrust of the story overall.
Ultimately it's far more about Sophie, her family and her peers, and their relationships and trust in each other and also the generational differences made stark by the development of the immune syndrome. And the allegories there abound, from how parental generations handle the way children adapt to new technology and its consequences, to the actual effects of climate change, where nearly all the power is with older generations and all the consequences on the younger ones.
August 18, 2019
Whoa, that was quite the ride. 4.5 stars. I really didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, other than that it would be wonderful. And it was. A friend, a writer I greatly respect, praised this book to the high heavens and I’m so glad I bought it. It’s not perfect, but it’s a debut novel (following 2 collections of short stories and 2 award winning poetry chapbooks) and I am definitely looking forward to Marshall’s next work.
Without giving away any of the plot, this book is about grief, about how those who are directly affected by illness and death and those in a position to change the trajectory of the life of someone who is ill. How anyone deals with change and transition. The change that death or illness brings. This book goes a step further and asks a question about how we, as a society, would react to and deal with an illness which transforms our very being. Some of us would react reprehensibly, some with bafflement and fear. Those directly affected would be the ones we should listen to, but what if they are children?
There’s a lot to think about following this book. I’m glad I’ve read it at the same time as some others in the SFF Buddy Reads book club. Thanks for joining me guys.
And thanks, Matt, for recommending this book so highly.
Without giving away any of the plot, this book is about grief, about how those who are directly affected by illness and death and those in a position to change the trajectory of the life of someone who is ill. How anyone deals with change and transition. The change that death or illness brings. This book goes a step further and asks a question about how we, as a society, would react to and deal with an illness which transforms our very being. Some of us would react reprehensibly, some with bafflement and fear. Those directly affected would be the ones we should listen to, but what if they are children?
There’s a lot to think about following this book. I’m glad I’ve read it at the same time as some others in the SFF Buddy Reads book club. Thanks for joining me guys.
And thanks, Matt, for recommending this book so highly.
December 16, 2020
If Connie Willis and Stephen King wrote a book together, they might come up with something half as good as this astonishingly accomplished debut novel. I was hooked from the first page, but the compelling narrative pace belies the story's complexity and layers, its ability to conjure up horrors and wonders, its deft ear for language and imagery. I am at a loss to explain how Marshall has made what is essentially an intimate, first-person story into such an epic tale of apocalypse and plague, and ultimately hope. This is a stunning novel, going straight to my "best books ever" list. I can't recommend it highly enough.
August 26, 2020
I want to like this more than I did, because it’s beautifully told. But it ended up feeling like a borrowed muddle and (like Sophie) I just wanted to get it over with.
Mileage will vary; I just got increasingly irritated by the final act. You know a book is in trouble when you’re telling ‘THE TUBE WOULDN’T BE OPERATING A NORMAL SERVICE FFS’ and ‘WE HAVE BROADCASTING REGULATIONS’ at the page. And then the romance got shoe-horned in and my goodwill wore very thin. Cut three or so chapters and I’d like it a whole lot more.
Mileage will vary; I just got increasingly irritated by the final act. You know a book is in trouble when you’re telling ‘THE TUBE WOULDN’T BE OPERATING A NORMAL SERVICE FFS’ and ‘WE HAVE BROADCASTING REGULATIONS’ at the page. And then the romance got shoe-horned in and my goodwill wore very thin. Cut three or so chapters and I’d like it a whole lot more.
April 8, 2019
*Review copy provided by publisher*
Sophie's little sister Kira was one of the first to become ill. A simple case of the chicken pox, then complications, leaving her with what was to become known as Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The family travels to Oxford in the hope the research being done there can help Kira's new condition.
The Migration ticked all my boxes, I love stories about climate and diseases, plus it was beautifully written with a very human story at the heart.
Helen Marshall specialises in the study of the Black Death, and that does feel like the basis for this story. The period of the plague coincided with extreme weather, some think that the storms pushed the black rats north into Britain. In her novel, she explores the connection between climate change and disease, and ponders if our very DNA will adapt to survive these threats.
It also explores the generational divide to a lesser extent. It's only children getting ill, and in one scene and adult confronts Sophie, telling her she is to blame. Just as many people like to blame younger generations for matters out of their control.
I wonder if reading Origins earlier in the year put me in the right frame of mind for this. Life has always found a way to survive through apocalypse, species adapt, evolve, become something new. Even if the ages of humans is coming to an end, the Earth will cleanse itself and start again.
A lot of these types of books can leave you with a feeling of despair but The Migration served up a portion of hope. I loved this book so much, and I have highlighted a huge amount of quotes. I highly recommend you read this if like cli-fi or thoughtful stories.
Sophie's little sister Kira was one of the first to become ill. A simple case of the chicken pox, then complications, leaving her with what was to become known as Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The family travels to Oxford in the hope the research being done there can help Kira's new condition.
The Migration ticked all my boxes, I love stories about climate and diseases, plus it was beautifully written with a very human story at the heart.
Helen Marshall specialises in the study of the Black Death, and that does feel like the basis for this story. The period of the plague coincided with extreme weather, some think that the storms pushed the black rats north into Britain. In her novel, she explores the connection between climate change and disease, and ponders if our very DNA will adapt to survive these threats.
It also explores the generational divide to a lesser extent. It's only children getting ill, and in one scene and adult confronts Sophie, telling her she is to blame. Just as many people like to blame younger generations for matters out of their control.
I wonder if reading Origins earlier in the year put me in the right frame of mind for this. Life has always found a way to survive through apocalypse, species adapt, evolve, become something new. Even if the ages of humans is coming to an end, the Earth will cleanse itself and start again.
A lot of these types of books can leave you with a feeling of despair but The Migration served up a portion of hope. I loved this book so much, and I have highlighted a huge amount of quotes. I highly recommend you read this if like cli-fi or thoughtful stories.
March 10, 2019
I received a promotional copy in exchange of an honest review. This has not influenced my opinion.
First, the cover called my attention, then Gaiman’s quote on the front cover did the rest. When I read the synopsis I knew this novel would be straight up my alley. Though I do have to say, I don’t know where the comparative with King’s ‘Pet Sematary’ came from, or at least, I did not though it was appropriate at all. Maybe I just interpreted the novel in a different light.
The set up for this story is a nearly apocalyptic world in which floods, earthquakes and storms are the everyday breakfast. In this setting, a mysterious immune disorder starts affecting teenagers and kids. Sophie’s sister has this condition, and nothing seems to be helping to heal or palliate this condition. What it is know is contradictory and not very accurate.
The story focuses on Sophie, on how all of this is affecting her. And I do have to say that I felt the story heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. It is not the tale of a heroine, but the story of a normal girl in horrible circumstances. And I think this Is what I enjoyed the most. It is the fact that you can relate so much to Sophie. How she deals with her sister, the disease, how her live changes…
I think I read the story in a couple of days as I was very intrigued on how everything would evolve and end. Not everything is explained, but I just think this makes the whole story more terrific, as usually the unknown is more scary than a rational explanation. I loved how delicately threaded the story is. The prose is beautiful and it has a great contrast with some of the descriptions. For me it was very visual, almost like a film.
Weather you are a fan of dystopias, mysterious diseases or just stories of coming of age and how to deal with life and try to be happy you’ll definitely should give it a try.
First, the cover called my attention, then Gaiman’s quote on the front cover did the rest. When I read the synopsis I knew this novel would be straight up my alley. Though I do have to say, I don’t know where the comparative with King’s ‘Pet Sematary’ came from, or at least, I did not though it was appropriate at all. Maybe I just interpreted the novel in a different light.
The set up for this story is a nearly apocalyptic world in which floods, earthquakes and storms are the everyday breakfast. In this setting, a mysterious immune disorder starts affecting teenagers and kids. Sophie’s sister has this condition, and nothing seems to be helping to heal or palliate this condition. What it is know is contradictory and not very accurate.
The story focuses on Sophie, on how all of this is affecting her. And I do have to say that I felt the story heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. It is not the tale of a heroine, but the story of a normal girl in horrible circumstances. And I think this Is what I enjoyed the most. It is the fact that you can relate so much to Sophie. How she deals with her sister, the disease, how her live changes…
I think I read the story in a couple of days as I was very intrigued on how everything would evolve and end. Not everything is explained, but I just think this makes the whole story more terrific, as usually the unknown is more scary than a rational explanation. I loved how delicately threaded the story is. The prose is beautiful and it has a great contrast with some of the descriptions. For me it was very visual, almost like a film.
Weather you are a fan of dystopias, mysterious diseases or just stories of coming of age and how to deal with life and try to be happy you’ll definitely should give it a try.
March 22, 2019
Interview with Helen Marshall on her novel Migration, writing, and inspirations. | More2Read
“The dead should stay dead.”
There is an unknown, the source and the end of those that have been infected by an outbreak, one that affected young people, an insidious strain of J12, a Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
Sophie, a likeable and memorable character, is on a mission to discover the fates of those that die from this virus or bacterium, and as her sister, who has the disease, shifts into decline and death, she wants to find out her real end.
A cremation would be the end of the discovering and so something that must be stopped.
Majestic, mysterious, and haunting story, hypnotically taking you under it wings and unraveling though the voice of seventeen year old Sophie.
The metamorphosis, the becoming, all immersive reading having you refuse to close the wings of the book or descend the tale into darkness by powering off.
The author has done a great job with unraveling the story with an economy of words played out in a melody of sentences that evoke mystery, vividness, the pace, the chaos, with discovery and transformations in this memorable tale dealing with realms unknown, plague, cataclysmic events, death, loss and possible reassuring the disquieting of their end.
This novel was provided kindly by Titan books and recommended by author Paul Tremblay in a recent interview I had with him, it did not disappoint.
“The dead should stay dead.”
There is an unknown, the source and the end of those that have been infected by an outbreak, one that affected young people, an insidious strain of J12, a Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
Sophie, a likeable and memorable character, is on a mission to discover the fates of those that die from this virus or bacterium, and as her sister, who has the disease, shifts into decline and death, she wants to find out her real end.
A cremation would be the end of the discovering and so something that must be stopped.
Majestic, mysterious, and haunting story, hypnotically taking you under it wings and unraveling though the voice of seventeen year old Sophie.
The metamorphosis, the becoming, all immersive reading having you refuse to close the wings of the book or descend the tale into darkness by powering off.
The author has done a great job with unraveling the story with an economy of words played out in a melody of sentences that evoke mystery, vividness, the pace, the chaos, with discovery and transformations in this memorable tale dealing with realms unknown, plague, cataclysmic events, death, loss and possible reassuring the disquieting of their end.
This novel was provided kindly by Titan books and recommended by author Paul Tremblay in a recent interview I had with him, it did not disappoint.
August 24, 2020
Unfortunately felt this novel totally lost it's way in the last 1/3. Love an apocalyptic novel but the science and world needs to be well built and make sense to be believable. Personally felt there were too many implausible, random threads that weren't tied together by the end of the novel. The last 100 pages I'd lost interest. Shame as thought at the start I was going to really enjoy this.
August 9, 2020
Of course, I picked this one up for the title and the cover, which is unusual for me and I soon discovered that this novel has nothing to do with birds. It did end up being a timely read though, as the story focuses on a plague that is killing young people, along with a climate change nightmare, as storms and flooding ravage the land. It is not a great book by any means but it did end up being better than I expected, despite it's flaws.
January 17, 2020
4.5* Very engrossing, original apocalyptic story. With climate change come a change in the young which may or may not be due to inherited genes and hints that it may have happened before during the time of the Black Death. Is this the future?
September 9, 2023
pretty compelling and the creature design was cool, but if i’m being honest this was no BBC’s In The Flesh
April 13, 2020
It was good if not great. A bit bizarre to read during a pandemic as the book is based on a mysterious illness spreading around the world. I guess my reasoning for not rating it higher is not the plot or the writing but that I didn't really feel connected to the characters. There is also a budding romance included but I didn't buy it, no thrills and chills there. New author for me though and I think I would read her work again.
July 5, 2019
Compelling. Unique. Well executed. I hope she writes more novels.
January 9, 2020
My review from InkHeist:
“Memory is a tricky thing. It isn’t a ruler, a hard, straight line…It isn’t neat and tidy. It’s more like murmurs, voices whispering in the darkness” (7).
The Migration takes place mainly in England, at the brink of the apocalypse. I adore post-apocalyptic fiction and it was refreshing to read a book that only deals with the time leading up to the absolute destruction – a unique take on one of the most used sub-genres.
Definitely a character study and a treatise on modern day society, The Migration is a good read. The first ¾ of the book absolutely captivated me. I read almost 300 pages in one day. Personally, some of the relationships in the second half of the book lost me; I much preferred the tone, content, and style of the other sections. Reading is subjective, of course, so what didn’t work for me will likely be a favorite for another reader. I also am unsure of what genre to put this under: Sci-fi? Horror? YA?. So I won’t. Nothing is gained by pigeon-holing it into what I think it is; the story remains the same. So let’s get back to the book.
“The angel looks bored rigid by the whole mess, the angel has seen it all: the culling of the firstborns, the slaughter of the innocents. The angel doesn’t care. Mortality isn’t his bag” (78).
Interspersed throughout the novel are moments that juxtapose scientific descriptions, historical and relevant Black Plague information and moral/religious considerations. Because at the beginning of the end, where do people turn? Science. History. Religion. Why and how did society reach this point? What comes next? I like that Marshall poses these questions without providing answers. Because there likely aren’t any answers. I was able to make connections between the real history and the occurrences in the novel on my own. The author’s own scholarship surrounding the subject absolutely shines through and became one of my favorite aspects of the story. Scholarship, you ask? Marshall completed a “postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford to study manuscripts written during the time of the Black Death” (Always Trust in Books), so yeah, she knows her “stuff”.
“I can still smell rot mixed with formaldehyde: vinegary, like day-old wine, spoiled meat” (93).
Power of description is one area in which Marshall shines. I think I jotted down 25 odd quotes within the first 150 pages – they are just that good. As the book nears the end of its trajectory some of the descriptions get a bit too ethereal for my tastes, it seemed to be all detail and I struggled to hang on to what was happening. It fits the story, however, so again this is just my personal experience.
“When writers imagine apocalyptic futures they’re trying to illuminate what’s already embedded in their own society beneath the surface” (156).
The above is one of my favorite quotes. I like it when things get a little bit meta. I mentioned earlier that apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic is one of my absolute favorite sub genres, and this quote was too perfect not to share. Because I think it’s absolutely spot-on. I’m not a writer, beyond reviews, but I am a reader, and this speaks to why over half of this book resonates with me. Helen Marshall makes this all believable: the science, her impeccable use of historical events, the real glimpses of our modern day society played out in this fictional world.
I was pleased to discover that Marshall has previous works; I will definitely be checking them out. Although parts of this book didn’t quite work for me, I love her writing and I’m interested in seeing what else is out there. Thank you to Titan and the author for sending me a copy of this book for review consideration.
“Memory is a tricky thing. It isn’t a ruler, a hard, straight line…It isn’t neat and tidy. It’s more like murmurs, voices whispering in the darkness” (7).
The Migration takes place mainly in England, at the brink of the apocalypse. I adore post-apocalyptic fiction and it was refreshing to read a book that only deals with the time leading up to the absolute destruction – a unique take on one of the most used sub-genres.
Definitely a character study and a treatise on modern day society, The Migration is a good read. The first ¾ of the book absolutely captivated me. I read almost 300 pages in one day. Personally, some of the relationships in the second half of the book lost me; I much preferred the tone, content, and style of the other sections. Reading is subjective, of course, so what didn’t work for me will likely be a favorite for another reader. I also am unsure of what genre to put this under: Sci-fi? Horror? YA?. So I won’t. Nothing is gained by pigeon-holing it into what I think it is; the story remains the same. So let’s get back to the book.
“The angel looks bored rigid by the whole mess, the angel has seen it all: the culling of the firstborns, the slaughter of the innocents. The angel doesn’t care. Mortality isn’t his bag” (78).
Interspersed throughout the novel are moments that juxtapose scientific descriptions, historical and relevant Black Plague information and moral/religious considerations. Because at the beginning of the end, where do people turn? Science. History. Religion. Why and how did society reach this point? What comes next? I like that Marshall poses these questions without providing answers. Because there likely aren’t any answers. I was able to make connections between the real history and the occurrences in the novel on my own. The author’s own scholarship surrounding the subject absolutely shines through and became one of my favorite aspects of the story. Scholarship, you ask? Marshall completed a “postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford to study manuscripts written during the time of the Black Death” (Always Trust in Books), so yeah, she knows her “stuff”.
“I can still smell rot mixed with formaldehyde: vinegary, like day-old wine, spoiled meat” (93).
Power of description is one area in which Marshall shines. I think I jotted down 25 odd quotes within the first 150 pages – they are just that good. As the book nears the end of its trajectory some of the descriptions get a bit too ethereal for my tastes, it seemed to be all detail and I struggled to hang on to what was happening. It fits the story, however, so again this is just my personal experience.
“When writers imagine apocalyptic futures they’re trying to illuminate what’s already embedded in their own society beneath the surface” (156).
The above is one of my favorite quotes. I like it when things get a little bit meta. I mentioned earlier that apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic is one of my absolute favorite sub genres, and this quote was too perfect not to share. Because I think it’s absolutely spot-on. I’m not a writer, beyond reviews, but I am a reader, and this speaks to why over half of this book resonates with me. Helen Marshall makes this all believable: the science, her impeccable use of historical events, the real glimpses of our modern day society played out in this fictional world.
I was pleased to discover that Marshall has previous works; I will definitely be checking them out. Although parts of this book didn’t quite work for me, I love her writing and I’m interested in seeing what else is out there. Thank you to Titan and the author for sending me a copy of this book for review consideration.
October 1, 2021
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
I originally wrote this review in October 2020, and I am sharing it here for the first time.
The Migration by Helen Marshall is an apocalyptic dystopian novel. An immune disorder affecting only children and young adults has emerged, and the world's top doctors and scientists struggle to understand it. In addition to the arrival of this disease, massive storms and the subsequent flooding are decimating entire cities. Sophie's little sister Kira has never been the same since her diagnosis, and when she dies suddenly, Sophie's entire world shifts. Sophie begins to realize that the information being released by the government is false and incomplete, and after videos are leaked of the recently deceased seemingly still very much alive, Sophie is determined to find out what the government is hiding from the public and what exactly has happened to her sister. Armed with her aunt's research and the help of a young man who volunteers at the hospital, Sophie embarks on a mission to set her sister and those like her free.
When I picked up The Migration, I knew next to nothing about the plot. In fact, had I read the synopsis, I might not have read it. The synopsis reads like a zombie horror story, but it is not that at all. At times haunting and tragic, but at most times touching and inspiring, this novel left me in a surreal state many days after I finished reading it. Surprisingly, this novel is marketed to adults, but I would argue that it may have been better marketed to young adults. Sophie is relatable in her unfaltering devotion to her sister and those like her. Her passion for doing what she believes to be right and natural, despite what the government is implementing, left me with a swelling sense of hope. Given our current climate in the times of COVID-19, when the world feels off-kilter, this is exactly the story I needed to bring me back to center.
I originally wrote this review in October 2020, and I am sharing it here for the first time.
The Migration by Helen Marshall is an apocalyptic dystopian novel. An immune disorder affecting only children and young adults has emerged, and the world's top doctors and scientists struggle to understand it. In addition to the arrival of this disease, massive storms and the subsequent flooding are decimating entire cities. Sophie's little sister Kira has never been the same since her diagnosis, and when she dies suddenly, Sophie's entire world shifts. Sophie begins to realize that the information being released by the government is false and incomplete, and after videos are leaked of the recently deceased seemingly still very much alive, Sophie is determined to find out what the government is hiding from the public and what exactly has happened to her sister. Armed with her aunt's research and the help of a young man who volunteers at the hospital, Sophie embarks on a mission to set her sister and those like her free.
When I picked up The Migration, I knew next to nothing about the plot. In fact, had I read the synopsis, I might not have read it. The synopsis reads like a zombie horror story, but it is not that at all. At times haunting and tragic, but at most times touching and inspiring, this novel left me in a surreal state many days after I finished reading it. Surprisingly, this novel is marketed to adults, but I would argue that it may have been better marketed to young adults. Sophie is relatable in her unfaltering devotion to her sister and those like her. Her passion for doing what she believes to be right and natural, despite what the government is implementing, left me with a swelling sense of hope. Given our current climate in the times of COVID-19, when the world feels off-kilter, this is exactly the story I needed to bring me back to center.
March 21, 2019
I shouldn’t start my review by saying this but I read this book because of its cover and because Neil Gaiman said he liked it. Whatever book Neil Gaiman enjoys, I know for a fact that I’ll enjoy it, too. I’m not going to be dramatic and tell you that The Migration was the exception to the rule. I didn’t love it but I was still hooked from the beginning until the very end.
The Migration is one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. It’s about how humanity deals with change, how Disease X (click on the link to know more) could be about transformation, not destruction, and it’s about grief, acceptance, family bonds, and the inevitability of the end of the human race as we know it. It’s disturbing, provocative, almost absurd, but it is also stunning in a twisted way, like threatening, angry waves crashing against the wooden structure of a house.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the parallel that is established between the Black Death (which very much happened and was very much real) and the new, unknown disease that’s affecting young people in the pre-apocalyptical world the author created. Helen Marshall’s research on real epidemics, history and medicine shines through every chapter in this book and it’s absolutely fascinating. I learned so much and I really appreciate it when an author does her research and doesn’t keep it to herself.
The Migration is also beautifully written. Helen Marshall’s writing is consistent with her plot ideas: it’s imaginative, dark, invasive. It lures you into hidden places and it either kisses you or stabs you in the neck.
Above all, this novel is the greatest question of all: what if the human race is not extinguished but transformed into something else, something we’ve never seen before? Let’s hope that whatever we become, we turn out to be better than what we are now.
Follow Parabatai Reviews for more.
The Migration is one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. It’s about how humanity deals with change, how Disease X (click on the link to know more) could be about transformation, not destruction, and it’s about grief, acceptance, family bonds, and the inevitability of the end of the human race as we know it. It’s disturbing, provocative, almost absurd, but it is also stunning in a twisted way, like threatening, angry waves crashing against the wooden structure of a house.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the parallel that is established between the Black Death (which very much happened and was very much real) and the new, unknown disease that’s affecting young people in the pre-apocalyptical world the author created. Helen Marshall’s research on real epidemics, history and medicine shines through every chapter in this book and it’s absolutely fascinating. I learned so much and I really appreciate it when an author does her research and doesn’t keep it to herself.
The Migration is also beautifully written. Helen Marshall’s writing is consistent with her plot ideas: it’s imaginative, dark, invasive. It lures you into hidden places and it either kisses you or stabs you in the neck.
Above all, this novel is the greatest question of all: what if the human race is not extinguished but transformed into something else, something we’ve never seen before? Let’s hope that whatever we become, we turn out to be better than what we are now.
Follow Parabatai Reviews for more.
April 13, 2019
An exceptional, beautifully written debut novel by one of the best modern fantasists this side of Kelly Link. Against a backdrop of ever-increasing storms and floods, seventeen-year-old Sophie's younger sister, Kira, is diagnosed with a mysterious new disease called JI2. It's deadly and only affects the young, but as Sophie comes to discover, there's a lot more to JI2 than anyone thinks. Because it doesn't just kill those who are diagnosed with it, it transforms them into something both beautiful and frighteningly inhuman.
Marshall brings to the novel a deep knowledge of infectious diseases, climate change, and plague history, especially the Black Plague in the 14th century, which comes to play a surprisingly relevant role, both thematically and scientifically. All the strengths she exhibited so powerfully in her short fiction are on full display here: an extraordinary imagination, superb prose, and strong characterization.
THE MIGRATION is something special. I've been a fan of Marshall's work for a long time, ever since her award-winning first collection HAIR SIDE, FLESH SIDE in 2012, but now more than ever I can't wait to see what comes next.
Marshall brings to the novel a deep knowledge of infectious diseases, climate change, and plague history, especially the Black Plague in the 14th century, which comes to play a surprisingly relevant role, both thematically and scientifically. All the strengths she exhibited so powerfully in her short fiction are on full display here: an extraordinary imagination, superb prose, and strong characterization.
THE MIGRATION is something special. I've been a fan of Marshall's work for a long time, ever since her award-winning first collection HAIR SIDE, FLESH SIDE in 2012, but now more than ever I can't wait to see what comes next.
August 22, 2021
This is quite the interesting take on a sort of zombie outbreak/pandemic/end of days scenario, where things aren't quite what they seem. Also, it has sisters!
It was quite slow at times, but deliberately so. And it was beautifully written! At times, I was unsure of where the story was going, but I did enjoy it. As always, but this is just me being me, I could've done without the romance.
I do think this, the meandering confusion, people desperate and loving, and the random bursts of violence, comes much closer to what the end of the world would actually look like, rather than the usual takes with all violence all the time.
It was quite slow at times, but deliberately so. And it was beautifully written! At times, I was unsure of where the story was going, but I did enjoy it. As always, but this is just me being me, I could've done without the romance.
I do think this, the meandering confusion, people desperate and loving, and the random bursts of violence, comes much closer to what the end of the world would actually look like, rather than the usual takes with all violence all the time.
January 23, 2023
I'm not sure why this is gotten so many poor and average reviews. I think maybe going into this, you need not to expect the usual tropes. This book was quite good, subtly so. Don't expect it to be plausible, just expect it to be new. I think this is a book about hope, more than anything else. And a relationship between 2 sisters.
November 18, 2020
A non classified as such YA book, with lousy dialogue, unfinished threads and dropped storylines.
Disappointing once you get about 20% in.
Don’t waste your time.
It probably would have been a great read when I as 13.
Disappointing once you get about 20% in.
Don’t waste your time.
It probably would have been a great read when I as 13.
May 19, 2019
An easy quick read but ultimately unconvincing. Hinted at themes that were never fully explored which was disappointing.
January 26, 2023
This book is a wonderful exploration of what it means to be human, both in an individual sense and as a part of society, in a shifting world. Written before the pandemic, certain aspects of this book definitely hit different in light of the last few years. While I did find myself connecting more deeply with the first two parts of the story than with the third act, I was still able to appreciate the ending of this novel and the message it conveys. Marshall's writing style is beautiful and engrossing throughout, making it impossible not to care for these complex, flawed characters. Despite themes that are dark and, frankly, at times terrifying, this is ultimately a novel of hope.
Want to read
March 4, 2019 A huge thank you to Titan Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy of The Migration in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for The Migration I was ALL over this book. In my email to Titan Books to request an ARC of it, I recounted the story of little 7/8 year old me carrying around my Encyclopedia of British History everywhere so that I could teach everyone about Black Death (my obsession at the time) to show how me and this book would be a perfect match for each other. I received my ARC a few days ago and can't wait to get stuck in!
When I read the synopsis for The Migration I was ALL over this book. In my email to Titan Books to request an ARC of it, I recounted the story of little 7/8 year old me carrying around my Encyclopedia of British History everywhere so that I could teach everyone about Black Death (my obsession at the time) to show how me and this book would be a perfect match for each other. I received my ARC a few days ago and can't wait to get stuck in!
Read
May 4, 2021Ironically, I read this book by mistake. While I didn't pick it, it was a good mistake to have made.
The Migration was a very timely read. Plague, climate, morphing of human genetics, fascism, family division, transition on a grand scale, etc. While I was angry at the way the children were treated, and society's and the scientific and medical fields' response to those who contracted the illness, I found the final outcome a far stretch of believability. (But in 2021, I must say that the limits of believability have definitely been stretched, so who can really say. . .)
In short, while the characters and the outcome didn't resonate with me, the emotions and thoughts that the book evoked made it worth the read.
The Migration was a very timely read. Plague, climate, morphing of human genetics, fascism, family division, transition on a grand scale, etc. While I was angry at the way the children were treated, and society's and the scientific and medical fields' response to those who contracted the illness, I found the final outcome a far stretch of believability. (But in 2021, I must say that the limits of believability have definitely been stretched, so who can really say. . .)
In short, while the characters and the outcome didn't resonate with me, the emotions and thoughts that the book evoked made it worth the read.
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