Happiness

Attila, a wildlife biologist studying urban foxes in London, crosses paths with Jean, an American psychologist specializing in trauma treatment. Their meeting on Waterloo Bridge marks the beginning of intersecting narratives about migration, identity, and connection. The story follows multiple characters navigating life in contemporary London, including a Bosnian window washer working on skyscrapers and a young girl training a problem-solving parrot. Through these parallel lives, the novel explores how humans and animals adapt to changing urban environments. As Attila works to help a friend's child who has been taken into custody by immigration authorities, Jean continues her research on human resilience in the face of adversity. Their individual quests bring them into contact with a network of London residents from different backgrounds and circumstances. The novel examines how people build relationships and find meaning in an increasingly complex world, questioning conventional definitions of both happiness and healing.

Readers found this book slower-paced and more character-driven than expected from its thriller-like premise. Many appreciated Forna's detailed observations of urban wildlife and her exploration of trauma, isolation, and human connections in London. Liked: - Deep character development and psychological insights - Writing quality and atmospheric descriptions - Portrayal of immigrants' experiences - Scientific details about wildlife and animal behavior Disliked: - Slow plot progression - Multiple storylines that take time to connect - Some found the wildlife metaphors heavy-handed - Expected more focus on romance based on marketing Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) "Beautiful writing but moves at a glacial pace" - Goodreads reviewer "The fox and wolf storylines felt forced" - Amazon reviewer "Not the love story promised but something more meaningful" - BookBrowse review

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🌟 Author Aminatta Forna spent part of her childhood in Sierra Leone, where her father was a prominent political activist who was later executed by the state in 1975 🌺 The novel's protagonist, Attila, is based on real-life trauma specialists the author met while researching how people cope with war and conflict 🐺 A central plot element involving urban foxes was inspired by actual fox populations in London, where residents have complex and varied relationships with these wild animals 🎓 Forna teaches at Georgetown University as Lannan Foundation Chair of Poetics and has previously won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Windham Campbell Prize 🌉 The book explores the intersection of human and animal behavior through parallel storylines: one following urban wildlife research in London, and another examining how humans process trauma and grief