Where the Seals Sing: Exploring the Hidden Lives of Britain’s Grey Seals

by Susan Richardson

There are fewer grey seals in the world than endangered African elephants, but the British Isles host almost half of this global population. Every year these charismatic animals, with their expressive eyes and whiskers more sensitive than our fingertips, haul out on our shores to breed and raise their pups. As graceful in the sea as they might seem clumsy on land, grey seals have visited our shores and enriched our culture for centuries. Yet we still know relatively little about these captivating animals. As Susan Richardson journeys to the crags and crevices of the coast, she explores the mysteries and mythologies of seals, learning not just how they live but also how we ought to live with them.
PRAISE FOR SUSAN RICHARDSON
‘Cut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice always changing, always the same … Vital, glorious and salutary’
PHILIP HOARE, AUTHOR OF LEVIATHAN
‘[Richardson] writes in prehensile language, capable of grasping something vast, ancient, the Earth in must’
JAY GRIFFITHS, AUTHOR OF WILD
‘Richardson beautifully marries the landscape of the polar regions with their – and her own – emotional topography’
SARA WHEELER
Susan Richardson has always been entranced by seals; they seem to have surfaced at key junctions throughout her life, comforting her as an anxious child, bringing joy as she began to spread her wings as a writer and helping her to find her way after the loss of her mother. Now she sets out to trace the rhythm of their lives, travelling the coasts clockwise from Cornwall to Norfolk, in line with the autumn pupping season. Along the way she explores the myths surrounding seals, from their shapeshifting selkie skins to the claims that they decimate fish populations, and she discovers that the greatest dangers they face come from co-existing with us.
Brimming with vivid descriptions of the natural world, Where the Seals Sing is a lyrical tale of memory, rescue and rehabilitation. While loss, both personal and ecological, is a recurring theme, the human–seal connection that flows through the story is stirring and uplifting.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Natural History, Ecology, Environment, Audiobook

384 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2022

Reviews

[Amelia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry, Susan, I hate writing bad reviews. I was really excited to read this book (hoping to carry it with me one day on my own expedition to spot seals or to wander round the whole coast) so I'm unhappy about having to give it two stars. I took away from the book the feeling that Susan Richardson believes that only Susan Richardson knows how to properly observe and appreciate seals. Every eager member of the public, well-meaning volunteer, or overexcited child is scathingly described with quotations of the silly and ignorant things they say and do. Everyone else on seal boat trips is shallow and distracted, or a danger to the seals. Everyone peering enthusiastically over National Trust barriers doesn't really care about seals, but only the "jam-and-chutney-stuffed gift shops" and the packets of crisps they always seem to be clinging to. Eventually I got to the section about a "shamanic ritual" where Susan became a seal through some vague cultural appropriation and herbal tea. I should have just closed the book there, but I was nearly 300 pages in and £20 down 🤷🏼‍♀️ Sorry again, Susan, but one day I'll hopefully be one of the moronically grinning women standing quietly by a barrier looking at my first seal with a picnic in my backpack and joy in my heart, and I'm worried you'd be waiting for me to say something stupid so you can write it down.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

• An interesting look at the various seal colonies around the UK and the disturbance threats they face, smartly interlaced with the author coming to terms with her fathers diagnosis.
• Sometimes the author would mention specific details of a persons appearance or actions which I found disruptive to the flow of the narrative, and it felt very judgemental at times especially when quoting the public.
• i really enjoyed learning about all the various sites, seal behaviour, seal folklore and the strategies used to manage them, but I struggled a bit with the polarising view of seal watching, it felt a bit like the author disapproved of anyone’s thoughts/actions on it but her own. A general lack of openness despite the research that had clearly gone in to it.

[Janice Dryden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a many-layered book that I found inspiring and joyous to read as well as having tearful moments. Richardson presents her very personal, directly researched learning about the lives and plight of seals in Britain. She walks the coastal paths meeting both those who, like me, didn't much notice the seals and people whose lives are devoted to protecting these creatures. I delighted in her humour and engagement. That she is a poet is clear from the rhythm and beauty of her prose. The way she has woven in the story of her beloved father's journey into dementia is poignant.
What a treat.

[Rose Somerville · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 maybe, pretty judgemental narrator but some nice parts

[Lauren Pybus · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is mental. I wanted to give it one star but reflectively I learnt quite a bit. The shaman and power animal bit is unexpected. The very personal and a little unwanted view into her personal difficulties with her father also not sure were needed in a book about seals

[Jane Wilson-Howarth · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's quite a lot I'm finding tedious about this book. One is the constant references to writing commitments and teaching she's doing and her writing opportunity in Australia, as if emphasising her credentials for writing a book. I can't remember other authors feeling the need, but then as her prose isn't that strong, maybe she feels this is necessary. I am surprised that someone who teaches creative writing pens such long, complex sentences that are hard to read. Here's an example relating to seals surfacing in a landlocked county:
"Almost always reported as being '50 miles from the sea' and spotted by a 'startled dog walker, these 'rogue' seals are simultaneously loved by some locals and loathed by anglers who believe they're [the anglers!!??] stripping the river up which they've chosen to venture of every last fish."
Here's another
"An adder's sliding sidelong from its basking spot, the rock on which I'd planned to squat, into a clump of bracken."
Richardson uses plenty of seal similes some of which are quite nice but others are rather mannered and forced.
I was also hoping for more on seals and less on her struggles to support her dementing father (yes this an important topic but this isn't the book I wanted to read). Nor was I especially interested in so much on listings of films featuring selkies (MEGA SPOILER ALERT if you intend to watch the 2009 movie "Ondine", don't read chapter 11). And I skimmed over her selkie booklist too.
I found myself wondering why Richardson felt qualified to write about seals when there are so many zoologists with more authoritative voices. Pretty much all her visits to seal beaches are mere tourist trips, yet she seems to think she is so much better than her fellow tourists....
I was so pleased when I came to the end of this.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A weave of memior and Richardson's fascination with seals. Strong engaging style.

[Carlos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Richardson combines an exploration of grey seals’ lives and ecology with a quasi-memoir of her life and fascination with these amazing animals. The book starts with a good balance, focusing more on the seals than on the author’s personal life. This balance is progressively lost. First come the worthy but numerous stories of the women and men that have dedicated their lives to protect the lives and habitat of these seals. Then the many books written by other humans besotted with these creatures. Then the author’s father’s declining cognitive health. The book starts feeling less and less about the seals than about the author’s life, which includes, as one part among many, her interest in seals.

[Kaitlyn Eyester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. There's not too many books on seals out there. The title caught my eye and I didn't read the "about/description" of the book and jumped right in.
That being said, I think I went in with the wrong expectations, having my hopes high thinking it'd be something different than it was. I was expecting it to be mostly about seals. Which I did learn quite a bit about seals, but there's so much fluff words and a personal story intertwined. I almost look at this book as half seals, half memoir. Definitely interesting information about seals and an overview of the many seal sights in the UK, but my personal reading preference is more strictly science.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love watching grey seals and this book seemed just up my street. I found it very informative and interesting - especially the recent history of how seals have been persecuted. However, I just don't understand why the author included so much about her father's illness - it didn't seem at all relevant.

[Kathy Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to 'Where the Seals Sing' with very little knowledge of - and, I confess, not much interest in –grey seals. A chapter on, and I was absolutely hooked by this beautiful and compelling narrative, and by the author's passion and energy for her subject. Susan Richardson has been fascinated by grey seals from an early age; the book tells the story of her journey around the UK as she visits haul-out and pupping sites, rescue facilities, and learns of the dangers currently facing these amazing creatures, who are little-understood, yet feature prominently in our selkie myths and legends. Richardson is also a poet whose last collection was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award, and her prose is elegant, lyrical, and vividly descriptive:

'I hear it long before I see it. A series of cries, like the stuttering whines that precede a baby's full-blown wail. Pause. Babble of waves. Shingle-shift and drag. A snatch of silence, then another swell of cries crests and eddies.'

Set against sometimes harrowing tales of parent/pup struggles for survival, and running parallel to her seal journey, is the personal and poignant struggle the author herself faces as her father begins to decline into ill-health and dementia. Richardson poses some important questions in this book, which will be understood by anyone who has had a loved one diagnosed with dementia, and which relate to the extent and timing of appropriate interventions. These are heart-breaking and soul-searching questions that she encounters both at the seal sites she visits – where staff must choose whether to intervene to save an animal in distress – and at the hospital where her father is receiving care. That Richardson can seamlessly balance these two separate strands of the narrative with such skill and grace is a mark of her huge expertise as a writer. This is a story of loss and discovery, of rescue and rehabilitation, hope and despair, of being seal and being human, and the absolute joy of witnessing, at last, the birth of a new pup. I was gripped by this extraordinary book until the very last sentence.

'Where the Seals Sing' has utterly changed my view of grey seals. There is no neat or happy resolution here; their future remains uncertain. What that future will be, is up to all of us.

[Caroline Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astonishing and beautiful book. It exudes the author’s passion for our fellow creatures, and particularly for the pinnipeds who frequent the waters around the UK. The seal narrative is intertwined with, and enhanced by, the parallel story of Richardson’s family, a story that deals openly with the challenges faced by the author as she strives to balance her seal research alongside her father’s health-related needs. This seamless interweaving of the parallel narratives is perhaps one of the many features that makes this book unusual, authentic and compelling.

The seal revelations and theories shared by Richardson must surely be of huge practical and educational value in the complex but vital sea of conservation. These discoveries, gleaned from the author’s travels around the shores of Wales, England, Scotland and the Isle of Man, are presented in a way that enables the reader not only to appreciate the magnificence of the seals themselves, but also to encounter afresh the many human-induced dangers faced by these threatened mammals. The author’s quest to find out more about the mysterious seal, not least its extraordinary ‘singing’, is inextricably linked to her animal-activist mission to bring about positive change.

As someone who has been entranced not only by the otherworldly song of the seals, but also by the author’s skilful dexterity as a poet, Where the Seals Sing fascinated me from the outset. I delighted in the Pembrokeshire seal-watching cameos and the small but memorable details of the natural world, such as the fragrance of the Elderflowers encountered along the coast. The sections on music and mythology were intriguing. Sadly, but not surprisingly, the reports of cruelty, pollution and plastic were often devastating. I was totally captivated by Richardson’s engaging affection for, and whole-hearted dedication to, her Grey Seal subjects. I would love to think that some of the author’s zeal and practical action might inspire us all to play our part in these uncertain ecological times.

[Jan Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the Seals Sing by Susan Richardson

‘Where the Seals Sing’ by writer and naturalist Susan Richardson, explores the complexity of human-seal interactions in a narrative that is both emotionally engaging and firmly grounded in scientific observation and research.

The author’s own deeply felt affinity with the north Atlantic grey seal prompts her to embark on a journey around Britain’s seal-pupping sites, to discover more about how the welfare of these iconic mammals is being compromised by the triple challenge of climate change, pollution, and disturbance by human activity.

As Susan follows evocatively described coastal pathways, she observes seals at moments of great drama. Some of these scenes are hard to envision, for example a starving seal pup, orphaned when a ferocious storm hit the Welsh coast, desperately tries to suckle from a rock. However, there are also moments of hope and elation. In a scene evoking the book’s title, Susan visits the Wirral and encounters a 200-strong colony of seals ‘howling in unison for no discernible purpose’, an experience which leaves her ‘zinging with joy’.

At each stop on her journey Susan connects with local seal groups, conservationists, and activists, who monitor and promote the welfare of local seals. Sadly, the innate sense of joy and connection that humans often feel when they encounter animals in the wild, can lead well-meaning folk to act in a way which is harmful to wildlife.

Seals which have hauled-out onto land to rest or breed often find themselves sharing the beach with tourists, and too much disturbance can cause them to stampede back into the sea, severely compromising their welfare. Encouragingly, Susan discovers that the dedication of local volunteers and their efforts to educate the public, has led to significant improvements at many sites.

A counterpoint to Susan’s seal journey is the story of her father’s struggle with declining health and her dedication to supporting him. The strong bond between father and daughter, and their shared love of wildlife, helps them to negotiate times of crisis amid increasing confusion due to dementia, and a worsening heart condition. These two separate strands of the story complement and inform each other, putting care, for each other and for fellow creatures, at its core.

The book is further enriched by several fascinating sub-themes which delve into human-seal interactions in culture, folklore, and mythology. Susan meets Dr Emily Doolittle, the composer of Seal Songs, a musical composition which draws on selkie myths, and ‘Conversation’ in which she aims to convey the patterned howls of a seal chorus. There is also a fascinating exploration of Shamanism which culminates in Susan shapeshifting into her power animal, seal, causing her to ‘let go of words, haul out in the language of scratch and howl’.

The book is packed full of information about the lives of grey seals, while comprehensive endnotes provide links to sources, further research, and information about changes which have affected organisations mentioned in the text. A bibliography is also provided for those who wish to read further.

Where the Seals Sing is a fascinating combination of natural history, travelogue, memoir, and social history, all combining to create a rich and rewarding narrative. It is a book which engages both mind and heart, informative, insightful, at times heart-breaking, but ultimately uplifting. Most importantly it highlights the challenges facing Britain’s grey seal population, and the need for us all to be mindful when encountering these beautiful animals.

[Brenda Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susan explores the coast and islands of Britain and Scotland, to watch common and grey seals throughout the seasons. She thoroughly researches seal biology and physiology, describes the associated seabirds and sometimes the flora.

The interviews with other seal watchers are excellent. Susan contemplates the risks seals encounter, from anthropogenic disturbance (she obsessively worries about this but continues to contribute to it) to pollution to climate change.
As different conservation groups have different resources, there's no good estimate of the seal population or trends and the focus remains on human seal interaction. So far so good.

Susan does not apply this new found knowledge to "her" seals. That's when it becomes apparant that the main gist of the book is, in fact, about her, not the seals. Her seal journeys reveal deep anxieties which result in judgemental comments about and to others who are less interested/emotionally invested in seals.

Susan's anxiety, sometimes justified, and constant catastrophising, is a grim burden that she knowingly bears, and this sucks a lot of joy from the book.
Pragmatic but with idealist expectations, Susan aims to improve her mental health through yoga, seal music, psycho therapy and mysticism. The latter helps, but seal watching helps most. The book should just stick to that.

Susan's relationship with her dad is central to the book's underlying theme of just being. He has some serious health issues, about which Susan is understandabley worried. Highly capable, Susan organises appropriate support but tends to micro manage him.

Susan has a lovely writing style, but the chapters are 3 or so pages too long (it gets repetitive) and the book is 5 chapters too long. Although it's clever to take a word from one paragraph and emphasise it in the next to link a change in focus, this technique is used too often and becomes wearing.

By the end of the book, that's how it felt. Wearinging.

[London Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This book offered a great insight onto the grey seal population in England and the numerous anthropogenic consequences that are currently effecting them. All of the interviews done with the seal sanctuaries across the country were both nuanced and touching, exploring how interference with wildlife can be a double-edged sword. The authors fascination with this animal shine through her descriptions and her accounts of the naïve and often careless beachgoers disturbing seals really made you feel for them, and I also loved her account of the selkie legends and their relation to literary tropes and cultural values. However, there were a few points where the author's tone came off with a bit of superiority complex, scorning someone on a boat attempting to get a glimpse of some bottle-nosed dolphins for not sharing the same fascination with seals as she did. While many descriptions of the people around her on these tours worked and emphasized her point about much of the misinformation and general carelessness when it comes to co-existing with wildlife, some of them were very unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story and rather disrupted the flow and made the author come across as pretentious. Another thing that seemed to be a key focus in this book was the author's account of her father's cognitive decline, and where I don't find anything wrong with this, I do not think this fit into the story at all and was weaved in with clunky metaphors in her attempt to tie it in with her fascination of seals but I found that it just didn't work and broke the pacing of the story. I didn't care enough about the author as an actual person to really feel sympathy for this plot and I find it would have been better if she'd just stuck with raw observation, which is what she excels at. Overall, if you have a passion for seals I'd definitely recommend this, but if you're just a general animal-lover looking for a more generalized non-fiction book I'd skip out on this one.

[Valerie Hannagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb book which I can heartily recommend. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down! It’s an important study of Atlantic Grey seals, based on years of observation and solid research culminating in the author’s amazing journey around the British coastline. And there’s more: it also reveals how much these wonderful creatures matter to her personally. I am touched by her honesty in describing her life, revealing her anxiety, her discovery of the redemptive power of writing, her sense of loss when her mother passed away and the lovely relationship she enjoys with her father, who shares her love of wildlife. It is so sad that he now suffers from memory loss caused by a cruel disease: this part of his story is movingly brought to life in the book. Alongside all these human concerns, seals play a vital role in supporting the author, just as they have always done. As I turn the pages, I learn so much about their life cycle, the myths surrounding them, their habitats and the very real risks they face; Susan Richardson also introduces us to many people who are there for the seals, rescuing them, keeping watch over them and fighting their corner. I really like the way she uses direct speech to bring people to life, including snippets from strangers she passes on her round-Britain journey. Overall, her book confirms my belief that a passion for wildlife – for the whole of nature, in fact – is essential not only for wildlife’s survival, but for our own, both physical and spiritual. It underlines that we are connected to everything in the universe, to every creature and living organism, and to one another. Where the Seals Sing conveys that connection powerfully and tenderly.

[Diana Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love seals! And I am very lucky to live in Pembrokeshire, where we have one of the largest populations of Atlantic grey seals in Britain. So I knew I was going to enjoy Susan Richardson's book, especially as this is also her home county. But the book is far more than a simple nature study - though I have, in fact, learnt so much from it. It is also a travelogue, full of perceptive vignettes of the places and people she encounters on her journey to discover the pattern of the seals' lives and, from the first page on, there are some wonderful landscape descriptions. More seriously, it also asks important questions about human interaction with these beautiful creatures. Much as we like getting up close and personal to these wild animals, especially at pupping time, should we, in fact, stay well away, leaving them alone? We are, after all, responsible for many of the problems that threaten their existence.
But there is another story accompanying Susan's journey - that of her father's decline into confusion due to dementia, together with his serious heart condition and her coming to terms with this sadness in her life. This is skilfully interwoven with her travels, and, ultimately, her love of the seals and her desire to know more about them, provides her with the solace and strength to deal with the situation, reflecting the benefits of the natural world to us all. A satisfying book, in so many ways.

[Barbara Hickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Where the Seals Sing' is an impressive book which takes the reader on a fascinating journey around the UK coastline and its islands, exploring seal haul-outs and pupping sites, sanctuaries and research centres. The author's passion for seals, specifically the Atlantic grey, is abundantly evident throughout this expertly crafted account. Along her travels, Richardson engages with a range of dedicated conservationists, wardens, academics and others who are working tirelessly for the seals' welfare — a constant struggle given funding constraints.
The book is deeply informative and has taught me a great deal about seals — their ecology, physiology and the diverse threats they face. Whilst Richardson's research is meticulous, she shares her considerable knowledge in an easy and engaging manner. But more than this, she takes the reader into folklore, selkie stories and shamanism. She meets a researcher absorbed by soundscapes, seal vocalisation and their reaction to different musical instruments.
As her journey around the shores of Wales, England, Scotland and the Isle of Man unfolds, Richardson finds herself facing her father's own personal journey into failing health and dementia, and these parallel threads are woven together seamlessly.
The book offers no easy answers, but it poses urgent questions about our relationship with animals and invites us to consider how we might live better alongside them.

[Kayleigh McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

80% seal related stories and information, 20% memoir about the author's dad's deteriorating health - a combination that I'm still unsure how much I liked. The writing was enjoyable, and even on our twentieth chapter describing watching another herd of seals lying on yet another beach, there was enough going on to keep me interested. We learn lots about seal life cycles, persecution, conversation efforts and challenges facing their protection. We listen to a lot of moaning about other people who don't respect seals enough, or don't appreciate them as deeply as the author does (these sections really did grate on me at times). Some of the links to the sections about her dad were tenuous (e.g. "I was patient for ten hours watching a seal to give birth, so why couldn't I be patient with my dad's frustrating dementia?") but the accounts of her own life were just as compelling as the seal sections. Restores my faith that women can produce good nature writing after a particularly rubbish recent read elsewhere!

[Bethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Part factual, part memoir, this book tells the story of grey seals and the myths surrounding them, with so much heart and feeling.

While following the seals in the wild and in sanctuaries, from life to death, Susan Richardson intertwines her own life with that of the seals. We follow her father from being diagnosed with dementia to moving into a care home. Despite this, I found it to be really uplifting and lovely how she turned to grey seals as a source of comfort. My grandad has recently been diagnosed with dementia so reading about someone else's experiences really touched my heart and brought me comfort. The most coincidental thing was how her father's dementia nurse was called Bethan! It felt so perfect.

I loved learning all about grey seals and hearing about the places the author went when looking for seals. It was very exciting to hear about how Orkney is faring after all these years and still having a good seal population!

Where the seals sing was also funny and witty and was such a joy to listen to.

[Catherine Gemmell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the journey this book too me on. As someone who loves the sea and has enjoyed Susan's poetry I knew I was in for a good read but the emotions and insights I gained during reading were totally unexpected.

It was one I picked up on my lunch breaks and morning coffees and was transported around the UK to understand more about the amazing Grey Seal. Susan's descriptions of both the seals and their protector's were brilliant, funny and painted such a vivid picture.

The story into the journey of her and her Dad with dementia was also so thoughtfully done and truly made me feel not alone and just wanted to read out and hug Susan through the pages!

I would highly recommend reading this book, but be warned, you will learn loads and be inspired to head out and start counting seals the second you put it down :)

[Nicola Greaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has loved walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and observing these fascinating marine animals, I was naturally very interested in reading this book. And it was an absolute joy to read. Susan’s passion and love for these enigmatic whiskered creatures just shines through this meticulously researched account of the Grey Seal as she journeys around the UK.

I learnt so much about their world, from the many challenges they face and the role humans play in both their survival and their suffering, to their representation in folklore and mythology. All beautifully described in a way that made me fall in love with these animals all over again. The interwoven story of the struggles she had with her father’s dementia was particularly poignant.

Susan is a superb writer who has a wonderful ability to move, educate, inspire and entertain her readers. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[Donn Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get why some people don’t like this book. And I had those feelings as well: the way she writes about people doing very people things (like anthropomorphising, which she herself is often guilty of) can sound condescending.

I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt though, because though it doesn’t come through in the words, I could imagine her writing on some silly comment one of the people she’s observing said and not be “disapproving”, but rather having a wry smile and chuckling to herself while knowing maybe she shouldn’t.

Overall I thought the book was touching (reminding me about my own dad, grandma, and cat!) and about my own forays, long since forgotten, going to the beach myself and just staring out and thinking/not thinking. It taught me about a part of the world and life that I normally don’t give much thought to, and how interconnected we (humans, animals, nature) all are.

[Ray Hirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really appealing and absorbing book which successfully marries quality nature writing with personal memoir. Richardson's insights into grey seal pupping activity at many locations around the coast of Britain from Cornwall to Norfolk are particularly vivid, as are her descriptions of her home terrain in Pembrokeshire, a place with which she is wonderfully in tune.

While the book is laced with humorous touches, Richardson also sensitively charts her father's declining health and movingly expresses the ways in which connecting with seals help her deal with the associated grief and loss. A rich read on so many levels.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm slogging through this poorly written judgemental book wondering whether I'll bother to finish it. I am picking up some interesting facts but it would be a much more enjoyable read if it had been properly edited. Some sentences are so long and convoluted you loose track of the subject of the sentence! I wonder why Collins didn't get the prose trimmed and generally tightened up?? Also - and sorry about this Susan - but although dementia is an important issue, this isn't what I wanted when I bought a book that I thought would be about seals.

[Gemma Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best works of nature writing I've read. The writing is so vivid and lyrical and Richardson's love and concern for seals and the wider natural world shine through every word. As well as being inspired by her physical journey round the coast of Britain and her breathtakingly-detailed research into seals' lives, I was deeply moved by the parallel personal journey of her father's experience of dementia. The way in which she brings the two narrative threads together towards the end is really satisfying and clever. Richardson can be very funny too - it's a real gift to be able to make readers laiugh and cry within the space of a few pages.

[Drew Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nuanced and modern take on what it means to protect and advocate for wildlife, especially ones as charismatic as seals. I'll admit to being enamoured by them and humanising them myself but ultimately they are wild animals. That though is what makes them so amazing. Nature is at its best undisturbed. It's a shame that too many people don't realise that.

[Maggie Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely journey around the coast of the UK visiting seal colonies along the way. The author’s passion and gentle sense of humour illuminates the lives of seals existing alongside humans.
Real life is interwoven through the concurrent experience of the author’s father whose dementia is progressing.
Highly recommended for wildlife lovers

[Leah Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!
As a seal lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved Susan’s writing style and found it engaging and I felt I learnt a lot.
I thought the balance between the narrative with her father and the seal focus was lovely and I found it very readable where I sometimes find similar books to be slow going.
Will definitely be recommending to fellow nature lovers and BDMLR medics!

[Jennefer Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't quite sure what to think of this book. it was at times a bit preachy-teachy but overall the way it melded with her relationship with her father I found interesting. I had assumed that it would be written by a professional seal 'person' but found it better that she was actually a creative writer by trade but obviously enjoyed the task of tracing seals round the UK.