Jason Webber’s Reviews > Monarchs of the Sea: The Extraordinary 500-Million-Year History of Cephalopods > Status Update

The usage of species and sub species names got a little confusing, but I think the main point it was trying to explain with divergence of shape, purpose, and lifestyle, overtime across the three types of cephalopods was really well done

I love how naturally the subject changes and how much is described and explained, even in only two pages

I love how in depth (no pun intended) the description of the history of understanding the taxonomy and form and function behind different ammonite species, shells, and aptychus is described. I love how everything is put together with where fossils were discovered, how that area formed and what the context behind those formations are. I also love how it described how the three linages of cephalopods coexisted.

I absolutely adore how wide of a scope this book is described in, and how manageable it is to read. There are a few wording choices that feel may be a little harder to understand sometimes, and I find myself rereading sentences or paragraphs more often then I did at the beginning, but over all it is fascinatingly engaging and entertaining, and I am genuinely learning a lot.

I absolutely love how well each subject is set up to play into the next, and how different subjects are allowed to rely on one another to paint a fuller picture. I adore how casual yet potent the information in this book is.

I absolutely adore the amount of genuine knowledge that is expressed with such enthusiasm and passion in such a reachable and digestible way. Staaf writes as someone who understands what it’s like to be a wide eyed kid, a curious student, and an educated professional and expresses it so flawlessly in a way that seems incredibly casual.