How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior Published by Penguin on June 16, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Animals, Fiction / Family Life / General, Fiction / Women
Pages: 368
Format: Audiobook
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A curmudgeonly but charming old woman, her estranged grandson, and a colony of penguins proves it's never too late to be the person you want to be in this rich, heartwarming story from the acclaimed author of Ellie and the Harpmaker.
Eighty-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy is estranged from her family and wants to find a worthwhile cause to leave her fortune to. When she sees a documentary about penguins being studied in Antarctica, she tells the scientists she’s coming to visit—and won’t take no for an answer. Shortly after arriving, she convinces the reluctant team to rescue an orphaned baby penguin. He becomes part of life at the base, and Veronica's closed heart starts to open.
Her grandson, Patrick, comes to Antarctica to make one last attempt to get to know his grandmother. Together, Veronica, Patrick, and even the scientists learn what family, love, and connection are all about.
Curmudgeonly. That’s the word that Veronica sparks for me. Perhaps she’s earned that moniker with age. Perhaps experience. Perhaps that’s just who she always was. She reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant who I found completely irritating. But over time she grew on me. Getting to know her, her story, and the reasons why behind her curmudgeonly ideas and behaviors. I was honestly prepared to not love this book, I thought I’d like it . . . maybe. And this is one of those times I am proven wrong. Yes, it felt a little too easy but honestly I loved this book in ways I didn’t expect. I guess I should have just trusted Storygraph because it said I’d like it. (This is a very strong match for your taste. Your highest ratings consistently go to stories about repairing broken family bonds and the process of emotional healing. While the setting is unique, the core of the story is about a stubborn heart finally softening, which aligns perfectly with the redemptive narratives you gravitate toward. The way animals act as the catalyst for this growth adds a layer of charm that should resonate with your preference for stories centered on love and connection.)
I was prepared to love the penguins; I mean, who doesn’t think they are absolutely adorable and sometimes hilarious? I wasn’t prepared to actually like Veronica. Entitled, Persnickety, Annoying Veronica. But I guess that’s what I get for judging a character in the first couple of chapters. Now here comes my current signature word, depth. I’d like to have more emotional draw to her backstory. I can’t imagine the true impact that really had on who she became. Her backstory felt like a footnote to explain her, but it didn’t help me get to know her. And I know, in this case, others will wholly disagree, and I can get that too. This would have been a completely different book if I’d gotten that more. And it’s a great book just the way it is.
A bit beach read-y. A little chick-lit-ish. And a whole lot of redemption. Veronica shows that you can learn and grow and change at any age. It’s not just for the youngun’s or even the middleagers. This book is also a gentle nudge that you can’t always trust your own first impressions of others. Me with Veronica. Veronica with her grandson. And the scientists at the outpost. There’s a lot of little nudges throughout this book that don’t make it heavy. It stays mostly light, but there is depth there. Depth I wasn’t looking for . . . I wanted that strong emotional empathy depth. But I got depth in so many other ways. This is a book that I think I’d read again someday just because those little nuggets that I probably missed the first go-round.
About Hazel Prior
Hazel Prior is a Celtic harpist and the author of five bestselling novels. Her books have wildlife and environmental themes and are published in over 20 different languages. Her second novel, Away with the Penguins, was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick in 2020, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick and a number one bestseller.
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