BOOK REVIEW - Natural Selection - Elin Hilderbrand - Digital Book - 3*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Natural Selection - Elin Hildebrand

Another freebie, I can't help myself! This was an additional free read for August's Amazon First Reads. It's a short story, and I will be honest, I wasn't too drawn in by the cover. For some reason, I seem to be more drawn to covers without people, or with quirky imagery. The ones with people on them seem more contrived somehow (whereas cartoons, gold-leafed pears, and hourglasses with cities in them are way more realistic...). But, beggars can't be choosers, right? This was a free read, I was hardly going to turn it down. 

My inner feminist was also slightly perturbed by the fact that the book is casually listed under "Women's Short Stories". Is this a book that cannot be enjoyed by a bloke? Are women only able to read certain books? Or does it mean that it's a book ABOUT a woman? Or BY a woman? Anyway, I digress...didn't realise this was a genre :)

BLURB

When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, a New York woman embarks on their couples' cruise alone to find maybe that the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself. 

After a string of bad dates and no prospects, Sophia Othonos has finally hit the jackpot: an actual nice guy. When he suggests a romantic getaway, she's sure they are about to take the next step towards their future. A rustic cruise to the Galapagos Islands isn't exactly her idea of a vacation, but Sophia is ready for anything...until her boyfriend has to cancel. 

Now she's all alone on a trip that was meant for two. Sophia finds herself at a crossroads about who she is, what she wants, and whether her relationship is really everything she thought. But if she's going to suffer an identity crisis, at least she gets to do it in the unexpected majesty of nature. 

Eight days of wild, unobstructed beauty are enough to make anyone reevaluate their life. These islands are all about adapting to your surroundings - and change just might be what Sophia needs most of all. 

MY REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

SPICE: 🆒

I was surprised how much I liked this short story. I was expecting some sort of trope-filled romance (it's the cover again!) but in reality it went much deeper than that and, in fact, had only a very small romance element (the fact that Sophia has a boyfriend is really all there was to it!). 

I enjoyed all the Darwinisms throughout (didn't pick up the massive hint in the title!). I studied Darwin a little for my Psychology course so I felt a little more "in the know" than I would have been this time last year. The setting of the Galapagos Islands (and a shabby-looking boat built for small groups) was great, it allowed Sophia to be away from it all in the most literal of senses. 

The plot "twist" wasn't really a twist at all, it was fairly apparent from the start however that seems to have been partly the point. Rose-tinted glasses usually mean that everyone else can see the truth more clearly than the wearer. 

With it being a short story, there's often a lack of padding to the characters (particularly the side characters), but I found that even the other people who got lumbered with Sophia had their own interesting little stories going on, which I found really charming. 

Pulling this all together in under 100 pages is a skill I can only imagine is no mean feat. Yes, it was quite predictable. Yes, it was another, women find their strength in being let down, trope. But she didn't find that strength by falling in love with the boat's skipper, which is where it could have gone! It had enough going on to keep things moving forward and I did enjoy the voyage that Sophia went on (literally and metaphorically). 

I have been on a fair few solo holidays, granted not in exactly the same situation, and I completely agree that they are a great opportunity for learning about yourself in a way you can't do in a group of friends or with a partner. I wouldn't say I have ever had a "Darwin" moment but I have had some epic experiences and made some friends for life who I wouldn't change for the world. 

Overall it was a decent, quick read. Not my usual genre, and I read it shortly after a full memoir that was in a really similar vein (holiday of self-discovery, learning that "I don't need no man to be a strong woman" type thing). 

I definitely prefer novels to short stories, but this one was a pleasant and well-written read. It's quick enough to be able to read in an hour or two, so is a great pick for a short road trip, airport waiting areas, or, like I did when you just don't want to start a new book yet because there's only a couple of hours until bedtime and don't want to be up until 4am...but there's a whole couple of hours before bedtime! This book slotted perfectly into that little space in time! 

Do you have any recommendations for short stories? I'd love to hear them! 

Remember to FOLLOW MY BLOG to keep updated on new posts and reviews. I also post bookish content on Instagram and on my YouTube Channel. Happy reading!