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Scorpionfish
A captivating and transporting travel novel, Scorpionfish reveals how what we leave behind may be exactly what we've been looking for all along.
After the unexpected deaths of her parents, young academic Mira returns to her childhood home in Athens. On her first night back, she encounters a new neighbor, a longtime ship captain who has found himself, for the first time in years, no longer at sea. As one summer night tumbles into another, Mira and the Captain’s voices drift across the balconies of their apartments, disclosing details and stories: of careers, of families, of love.
For Mira, love has so often meant Aris, an ex-boyfriend and rising Greek politician who has recently become engaged to a movie star. There is, too, her love for her dear friend Nefeli―a well-known queer artist who came of age during the military dictatorship―as well as Dimitra and Fady, a couple caring for a young refugee boy. Undergirding each relationship is the love that these characters have for Athens, a beautiful but complicated city that is equal parts lushness and sharp edges.
Scorpionfish is a map of how―and where―we find our true selves: in the pull of the sea, the sway of late-night bar music, the risk and promise of art, and―perhaps most of all―in the sparkling, electric, summertime charge of endless possibility. Award-winning author Natalie Bakopoulos weaves a story of vulnerability, desire, and bittersweet truth, unraveling old ways of living and, in the end, creating something new.
After the unexpected deaths of her parents, young academic Mira returns to her childhood home in Athens. On her first night back, she encounters a new neighbor, a longtime ship captain who has found himself, for the first time in years, no longer at sea. As one summer night tumbles into another, Mira and the Captain’s voices drift across the balconies of their apartments, disclosing details and stories: of careers, of families, of love.
For Mira, love has so often meant Aris, an ex-boyfriend and rising Greek politician who has recently become engaged to a movie star. There is, too, her love for her dear friend Nefeli―a well-known queer artist who came of age during the military dictatorship―as well as Dimitra and Fady, a couple caring for a young refugee boy. Undergirding each relationship is the love that these characters have for Athens, a beautiful but complicated city that is equal parts lushness and sharp edges.
Scorpionfish is a map of how―and where―we find our true selves: in the pull of the sea, the sway of late-night bar music, the risk and promise of art, and―perhaps most of all―in the sparkling, electric, summertime charge of endless possibility. Award-winning author Natalie Bakopoulos weaves a story of vulnerability, desire, and bittersweet truth, unraveling old ways of living and, in the end, creating something new.
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First published July 7, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 8, 2020
Mira returns to Athens after the death of her parents. She has long semi-anonymous conversations with the sea captain next door as they navigate loss, family, art, politics, and more. It made me think of Rachel Cusk a bit in theme but not writing style. It's a bit mundane really, but I enjoyed sinking deeply into the daily lives of the characters.
I had a copy from the publisher, this comes out July 7.
I had a copy from the publisher, this comes out July 7.
March 20, 2020
This book was my companion at the outbreak of COVID-19 and I could not have wished for a better friend. The grieving narrator is uprooted and lost, spending her time napping, drinking a little too much, and cleaning up her dead parents apartment all the while kindling a romance with a mysterious neighbor via a shared balcony. It's haunting and precise. I loved it.
June 16, 2020
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Tin House Books for the Advanced Copy received through NetGalley.
I really am unsure of how to even write a review for this. And that's not because I disliked it, but because I'm not sure if I liked it.
It was an interesting story, but the plot was so all over the place it seemed like there were mini-plots that seemingly existed even though there was no grand plot. It was also like the story was being told from the present, but also from the future? Like the narrators (Mira and The Captain) would be in the present living a moment, but then add a snippet of their life from the future? Very confusing. I wanted more from specific aspects of this book. And what it actually provided, are the things I could've actually cared less about. I didn't really enjoy Nefeli, even though I feel like I was meant to. I enjoyed Rami, but was indifferent about Dimitra, Fady and Leila. It was like they weren't who mattered, and Rami was only there to provide Mira something to do. Aris was actually the worst. I disliked him, both because of how he treated Mira and also because of how he was such a dick in general. When it comes to The Captain, I was interesting in his relationship with Katerina and what happened with her unspoken lover. However I also wanted SO MUCH MORE from the "relationship" that was brewing between him and Mira. It was there, yet it was non-existant and this frustrated me to no end.
My main issue with the book was that it had no plot, like I've previously mentioned. I'm realizing now, that the only reason I was remotely interested in it is because I was waiting for something to happen the whole time. Not just the romance I had hoped for, but anything, something interesting. I didn't get that until the second to last page, and only briefly. And it really only wrapped up this mini-plots that I only kind of cared about.
The ending, like the rest of the book, left something to be desired. It was this whole book about internal conflict and relationships yet, everything seemed to be wrapped up in a bow. But not a pretty bow, a messy bow that kind of looks good from one angle, but looks completely disastrous from another angle.
I was looking forward to this book because I thought it would be a lot more than it ended up being, and I'm simply disappointed.
Thank you to Tin House Books for the Advanced Copy received through NetGalley.
I really am unsure of how to even write a review for this. And that's not because I disliked it, but because I'm not sure if I liked it.
It was an interesting story, but the plot was so all over the place it seemed like there were mini-plots that seemingly existed even though there was no grand plot. It was also like the story was being told from the present, but also from the future? Like the narrators (Mira and The Captain) would be in the present living a moment, but then add a snippet of their life from the future? Very confusing. I wanted more from specific aspects of this book. And what it actually provided, are the things I could've actually cared less about. I didn't really enjoy Nefeli, even though I feel like I was meant to. I enjoyed Rami, but was indifferent about Dimitra, Fady and Leila. It was like they weren't who mattered, and Rami was only there to provide Mira something to do. Aris was actually the worst. I disliked him, both because of how he treated Mira and also because of how he was such a dick in general. When it comes to The Captain, I was interesting in his relationship with Katerina and what happened with her unspoken lover. However I also wanted SO MUCH MORE from the "relationship" that was brewing between him and Mira. It was there, yet it was non-existant and this frustrated me to no end.
My main issue with the book was that it had no plot, like I've previously mentioned. I'm realizing now, that the only reason I was remotely interested in it is because I was waiting for something to happen the whole time. Not just the romance I had hoped for, but anything, something interesting. I didn't get that until the second to last page, and only briefly. And it really only wrapped up this mini-plots that I only kind of cared about.
The ending, like the rest of the book, left something to be desired. It was this whole book about internal conflict and relationships yet, everything seemed to be wrapped up in a bow. But not a pretty bow, a messy bow that kind of looks good from one angle, but looks completely disastrous from another angle.
I was looking forward to this book because I thought it would be a lot more than it ended up being, and I'm simply disappointed.
March 14, 2020
Wow wow wow wow wow
This is going to be a bit more informal than an Edelweiss+ review, but I can't not review it everywhere.
So this book drew me in with its hypnotic, kind of ever-flowing prose and kept me on the line with the characters' personal philosophies, which although vivid and certain had an innate ambiguity. The writing was real but beautiful without making the reading too florid. It was a nice foray for me into a romance (?) genre, as it maintained the feeling of the love story, but was also literary, conversational.
Aside from the romance of the book, there was so much literary love in this as well: a quote and clear influence from Elena Ferrante in the writing, allusions or even name drops of different classics and storytellers throughout.
In addition to the references sprinkled in, it's almost a contemporary Athenian version of Scenes de la vie de Boheme, perhaps due in part to the balance of microcosmic life of friends and lovers to the macrocosmic, existing in a metropolis in the midst of conflict (rise of the alt/far-right, refugee crisis), change, and promise (; then again, it could just be that every story about young adults living in a major city dealing with issues that any generation deals with in both personal and social lives is a bit bohemian in itself). Regardless, it's a story entrenched in the geographic details and cultural idioms of Athens.
That being said, I'm not remotely related in any way to any of the characters--I'm unfamiliar with Athens, I've never experienced their particular grief, I'm just starting adulthood whereas most of the cast is in their 30's or above--but still, the way Natalie Bakopoulos writes certain scenes and conversations related to experiences or feelings (although not explicitly the same) that I have had. Like break ups. Or learning family 'secrets' that aren't very scandalous at all but change the way you think of people. (in this sense especially, I can feel the reflective connection to Ferrante.) It made me feel so close to the story, but in the same restrained yet solidaire closeness as sharing a personal moment with a stranger.
I can't wait for Scorpionfish to come out; it's timely in touching on certain issues, it's timely in that it takes place over summer, it's the right length and breadth to act as a travel or beach book, but too can stand alone as a reading experience. I'm so excited to recommend this book to readers! Please come out in hardcover eventually lol I love this book so much
ARC provided to me by Tin House Books (W.W.Norton) through my bookstore, Oxford Exchange, Tampa FL.
This is going to be a bit more informal than an Edelweiss+ review, but I can't not review it everywhere.
So this book drew me in with its hypnotic, kind of ever-flowing prose and kept me on the line with the characters' personal philosophies, which although vivid and certain had an innate ambiguity. The writing was real but beautiful without making the reading too florid. It was a nice foray for me into a romance (?) genre, as it maintained the feeling of the love story, but was also literary, conversational.
Aside from the romance of the book, there was so much literary love in this as well: a quote and clear influence from Elena Ferrante in the writing, allusions or even name drops of different classics and storytellers throughout.
In addition to the references sprinkled in, it's almost a contemporary Athenian version of Scenes de la vie de Boheme, perhaps due in part to the balance of microcosmic life of friends and lovers to the macrocosmic, existing in a metropolis in the midst of conflict (rise of the alt/far-right, refugee crisis), change, and promise (; then again, it could just be that every story about young adults living in a major city dealing with issues that any generation deals with in both personal and social lives is a bit bohemian in itself). Regardless, it's a story entrenched in the geographic details and cultural idioms of Athens.
That being said, I'm not remotely related in any way to any of the characters--I'm unfamiliar with Athens, I've never experienced their particular grief, I'm just starting adulthood whereas most of the cast is in their 30's or above--but still, the way Natalie Bakopoulos writes certain scenes and conversations related to experiences or feelings (although not explicitly the same) that I have had. Like break ups. Or learning family 'secrets' that aren't very scandalous at all but change the way you think of people. (in this sense especially, I can feel the reflective connection to Ferrante.) It made me feel so close to the story, but in the same restrained yet solidaire closeness as sharing a personal moment with a stranger.
I can't wait for Scorpionfish to come out; it's timely in touching on certain issues, it's timely in that it takes place over summer, it's the right length and breadth to act as a travel or beach book, but too can stand alone as a reading experience. I'm so excited to recommend this book to readers! Please come out in hardcover eventually lol I love this book so much
ARC provided to me by Tin House Books (W.W.Norton) through my bookstore, Oxford Exchange, Tampa FL.
July 24, 2020
4.5 rounded up
July 29, 2023
Boken saknar typ någon egentlig handling… Skulle beskriva den som lågmäld, det är som att takten i boken tar läsaren igenom sorgen som Mira befinner sig mitt i.
Författaren lyckas verkligen fånga Aten, både det kaotiska och det romantiska, och upplevelsen att vara både främling och bekant i Grekland. Ger en extra stjärna för detta!
Författaren lyckas verkligen fånga Aten, både det kaotiska och det romantiska, och upplevelsen att vara både främling och bekant i Grekland. Ger en extra stjärna för detta!
April 4, 2020
ARC #PLA2020
How do we define ourselves? People, place, employment? And after crisis, how do we redefine ourselves?
Scorpionfish is a lovely and engaging novel of the time in between, and the relationships we choose.
How do we define ourselves? People, place, employment? And after crisis, how do we redefine ourselves?
Scorpionfish is a lovely and engaging novel of the time in between, and the relationships we choose.
July 9, 2020
"our entire body, like it or not, enacts a stunning resurrection of the dead just as we advance toward our own death. We are, as you say, interconnected...In the most absolute tranquility or in the midst of tumultuous events, in safety or danger, in innocence or corruption, we are a crowd of others,"
A Greek American "woman of a certain age" returns to her parent's apartment in Athens the summertime, months after they're both fatally killed in a car accident. On that alone, one might expect to find a thriller or mystery to follow such a tragic event.
However, given she begins with a quote by Elena Ferrante, I might've guessed this book's depth would be delving much deeper than a cheap thrill.
Instead, the book bounces between Mira, -a working writer without children who's still in love with a man she's no longer certain she wants to be with- and The Captain, a mature older man who prefers to sleep in his apartment next door to Mira's rather than return to his home, and his own wife and children.
Soon after arriving to Athens, Mira reconnects with some friends of hers who each carry their own burdens.
Nefeli, a brooding queer artist carrying a bitter broken heart forward into her political installations, and Fady, Dimitra and their son. It is through her interactions with them, that we are given an honest and imperfect tour of life in Athens.
"...Nefeli and Fady and Dimitra were my connection to the present moment, a guide to a reality of this city, that as the American journalist Kevin Andrews had written decades earlier, was both the most intense and the least visible."
While Mira's friends struggle to survive financially, they also assist an immigrant family in uniting, keeping a low profile in order to avoid the deportation of a young boy in their care.
Through all of this, MIra and The Captain's lives intersect, while they remain divided by the lives that lead them up to the present.
As a first time reader of Bakopoulos's work, I believe it is the equal facets of dark and light that can be seen on the streets of Athens that made this book stain my mind, as if it were a memory of a past trip I took.
If you're looking for a coming-of-age story for late bloomers, this is for you.
Bakopoulos' has written a book that's a salve for a sore heart, and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to #Netgalley for the review copy of #Scorpionfish and Congratulations to Natalie Bakopoulos!
A Greek American "woman of a certain age" returns to her parent's apartment in Athens the summertime, months after they're both fatally killed in a car accident. On that alone, one might expect to find a thriller or mystery to follow such a tragic event.
However, given she begins with a quote by Elena Ferrante, I might've guessed this book's depth would be delving much deeper than a cheap thrill.
Instead, the book bounces between Mira, -a working writer without children who's still in love with a man she's no longer certain she wants to be with- and The Captain, a mature older man who prefers to sleep in his apartment next door to Mira's rather than return to his home, and his own wife and children.
Soon after arriving to Athens, Mira reconnects with some friends of hers who each carry their own burdens.
Nefeli, a brooding queer artist carrying a bitter broken heart forward into her political installations, and Fady, Dimitra and their son. It is through her interactions with them, that we are given an honest and imperfect tour of life in Athens.
"...Nefeli and Fady and Dimitra were my connection to the present moment, a guide to a reality of this city, that as the American journalist Kevin Andrews had written decades earlier, was both the most intense and the least visible."
While Mira's friends struggle to survive financially, they also assist an immigrant family in uniting, keeping a low profile in order to avoid the deportation of a young boy in their care.
Through all of this, MIra and The Captain's lives intersect, while they remain divided by the lives that lead them up to the present.
As a first time reader of Bakopoulos's work, I believe it is the equal facets of dark and light that can be seen on the streets of Athens that made this book stain my mind, as if it were a memory of a past trip I took.
If you're looking for a coming-of-age story for late bloomers, this is for you.
Bakopoulos' has written a book that's a salve for a sore heart, and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to #Netgalley for the review copy of #Scorpionfish and Congratulations to Natalie Bakopoulos!
February 27, 2022
i loved this book. i went in with low expectations of a linear plot or significant events, as the reason i had even heard of the novel was because it was suggested as similar to the works of Rachel Cusk. the writing was concise but not boring; every word felt meaningful. because of that, i would have been perfectly happy if the book did lack an overall plot. however, i was pleasantly surprised with how linearly the main character's life changing return to greece flowed.
June 29, 2021
A beautiful story of a Greek tenured Professor at an American University, a grown third culture kid, who returns to Greece to grieve her parents' death. How do we find comfort in who we are when our identity is composed of a mixture of places and people, both of which impermanent and changing? Scorpionfish is one long poem on identity and memory.
August 18, 2022
Loved. Rachel Cusk vibes
October 2, 2020
I had no expectations going into this novel (I had even forgotten what it was about, as it was a library hold that finally came in), and dang... I absolutely devoured it. While I found this a compulsively readable novel, it is also one that enveloped me in a thoughtful and calm atmosphere. The rather heavy topics that Bakopoulos discusses—grief, exodus, history, and memory—are somehow made breathable through her attentive storytelling.
I loved the discussion of exodus and return—the evolving idea of home and what place you feel like you belong to (and where other people think you belong). Mira and The Captain both explore these ideas as they apply to their own history and how they are both beginning to find their footing again in Athens. While I have not felt torn between two countries, and two cultures, Mira's narrative allowed me to wallow in that liminal feeling and begin to understand what this conflict is like. Bakopoulos also interweaves more concrete references to current events—the chaotic political situation in Greece and the influx of refugees seeking passage into Europe. This helped ground the story in reality, and really made Mira and The Captain appear even more real, as if I would run into them while wandering the streets in Athens.
This is a meandering story of grief, trust, and community, interwoven with political and artistic messages that are ever relevant. The two narratives offer mirrored glimpses into the same story, and speak to each other as the story goes on. I read that the author sees "identity as relational" and I feel like that is the perfect phrase to define how this book feels. Mira and The Captain are fleshed out by their stories of each other, and by the communities that surround them.
This novel is gorgeous, thoughtful, and intelligent, yet approachable. There is much to think on here, and I am overjoyed as I look upon my notes and the quotes I highlighted. I underlined so much, and I would like to hope that I will come back to this story in the future for a re-read. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year!
I loved the discussion of exodus and return—the evolving idea of home and what place you feel like you belong to (and where other people think you belong). Mira and The Captain both explore these ideas as they apply to their own history and how they are both beginning to find their footing again in Athens. While I have not felt torn between two countries, and two cultures, Mira's narrative allowed me to wallow in that liminal feeling and begin to understand what this conflict is like. Bakopoulos also interweaves more concrete references to current events—the chaotic political situation in Greece and the influx of refugees seeking passage into Europe. This helped ground the story in reality, and really made Mira and The Captain appear even more real, as if I would run into them while wandering the streets in Athens.
This is a meandering story of grief, trust, and community, interwoven with political and artistic messages that are ever relevant. The two narratives offer mirrored glimpses into the same story, and speak to each other as the story goes on. I read that the author sees "identity as relational" and I feel like that is the perfect phrase to define how this book feels. Mira and The Captain are fleshed out by their stories of each other, and by the communities that surround them.
This novel is gorgeous, thoughtful, and intelligent, yet approachable. There is much to think on here, and I am overjoyed as I look upon my notes and the quotes I highlighted. I underlined so much, and I would like to hope that I will come back to this story in the future for a re-read. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year!
December 14, 2022
I had a realization while reading this book, which is that I think my favorite niche genre are stories with a city as a main character. Athens, a place everyone told me was dirty and in disrepair but that I ended up loving, is center stage in this novel about all the ways we can love people. I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
July 26, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Tin House Books for providing me with an ARC of Scorpionfish in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
I read this book a couple of months ago when the restlessness and reality of the lockdown really kicked in.
I live very close to the Greek neighbourhood in my hometown and with everything having been shut down the prospect of not being able to travel or even take a stroll down my beloved neighbourhood made me sad.
When I was scrolling through NetGalley I was hoping to find something that slightly reflect that sense of limbo I was feeling. At the same time, I needed a mental escape. I needed something that would take me far away from my couch.
I also needed a story that had a protagonist I could relate to.
I don’t know how or why I ended up requesting Scorpionfish, but I read halfway through the synopsis and decided I must read this story.
The Details
I liked the protagonist. On paper she looks like she’s got everything working out for her. A successful university professor and from the looks of it enough financial means to keep a place of residence in America, while taking an extended leave of absence in Greece to deal with some family business.
She is a bit of a mess, though. She is struggling with some past trauma and this gives her some depth.
I also liked the concept of two people getting to know each other by talking without seeing each other. Those nightly conversations each on their respective balconies gave them the freedom to open up without the distraction of having to look at each other.
There was something beautiful about it.
I liked the writing. The author showed great skill and talent bringing all those characters to life. The descriptions of the places and setting were vivid and enchanting.
Yet, at times everything felt just a little too abstract. I wanted more. More of the captivating language the narrator used to draw the reader into the world of this story.
The ending left me puzzled and unsatisfied.
The Verdict
Overall, I may have at first picked this book solely based on the title and the cover, but I was mesmerized by its content.
Call me greedy, but I wanted more. A little less of the abstract storytelling and more of the escapism I found within the pages of this story.
I still highly recommend it as a relaxing and calming read.
ElliotScribbles
The Gist
I read this book a couple of months ago when the restlessness and reality of the lockdown really kicked in.
I live very close to the Greek neighbourhood in my hometown and with everything having been shut down the prospect of not being able to travel or even take a stroll down my beloved neighbourhood made me sad.
When I was scrolling through NetGalley I was hoping to find something that slightly reflect that sense of limbo I was feeling. At the same time, I needed a mental escape. I needed something that would take me far away from my couch.
I also needed a story that had a protagonist I could relate to.
I don’t know how or why I ended up requesting Scorpionfish, but I read halfway through the synopsis and decided I must read this story.
The Details
I liked the protagonist. On paper she looks like she’s got everything working out for her. A successful university professor and from the looks of it enough financial means to keep a place of residence in America, while taking an extended leave of absence in Greece to deal with some family business.
She is a bit of a mess, though. She is struggling with some past trauma and this gives her some depth.
I also liked the concept of two people getting to know each other by talking without seeing each other. Those nightly conversations each on their respective balconies gave them the freedom to open up without the distraction of having to look at each other.
There was something beautiful about it.
I liked the writing. The author showed great skill and talent bringing all those characters to life. The descriptions of the places and setting were vivid and enchanting.
Yet, at times everything felt just a little too abstract. I wanted more. More of the captivating language the narrator used to draw the reader into the world of this story.
The ending left me puzzled and unsatisfied.
The Verdict
Overall, I may have at first picked this book solely based on the title and the cover, but I was mesmerized by its content.
Call me greedy, but I wanted more. A little less of the abstract storytelling and more of the escapism I found within the pages of this story.
I still highly recommend it as a relaxing and calming read.
ElliotScribbles
January 30, 2021
i liked this a lot but i wish i had spent more attention on it (read it while i was moving around a lot). hopefully will reread in the future
May 9, 2020
Thank you to Tin House Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available July 7th 2020
Set in the sultry, decadent and decaying Athens, Natalie Bakopoulos's second novel, "Scorpionfish" passes like a slow mirage. Dealing with the unexpected death of her parents, young academic Mira returns to her childhood home to reconcile with her past. She meets Capitan, an elder Greek man with his own demons, and Nefeli, a queer artist bringing light to contemporary Greek issues. As readers, we are transported with her to a Greece that revitalizes the olden days with equal parts passion and restraint. Bakopoulos's romantic prose will allure any reader to this salty city, so central to the story itself.
Available July 7th 2020
Set in the sultry, decadent and decaying Athens, Natalie Bakopoulos's second novel, "Scorpionfish" passes like a slow mirage. Dealing with the unexpected death of her parents, young academic Mira returns to her childhood home to reconcile with her past. She meets Capitan, an elder Greek man with his own demons, and Nefeli, a queer artist bringing light to contemporary Greek issues. As readers, we are transported with her to a Greece that revitalizes the olden days with equal parts passion and restraint. Bakopoulos's romantic prose will allure any reader to this salty city, so central to the story itself.
February 13, 2021
“To return to a place again and again is to confront the sneaky passing of time. Here I am at fifteen, at twenty-five, at twenty-nine, at thirty-nine. What of those earlier selves is left in me?”
SO LOVELY. so many parts of this really struck a chord with me but especially the motif of Mira and the Captain getting to know each other via conversations through opaque glass, sitting next to each other on their separate balconies, together and yet apart, looking out at the same landscape through different eyes. GOD THAT IS WRITING.
SO LOVELY. so many parts of this really struck a chord with me but especially the motif of Mira and the Captain getting to know each other via conversations through opaque glass, sitting next to each other on their separate balconies, together and yet apart, looking out at the same landscape through different eyes. GOD THAT IS WRITING.
October 11, 2023
throughout the book i felt like the plot was all over the place and i wasn’t getting the deeper meaning of it. by the end though, i was left with a feeling i don’t even know how to describe — nostalgia? longing? the realization of what life will feel like at age 40? not sure but suddenly, the plot made sense in my head and it all tied in well together.
September 9, 2020
Comfortable, almost mundane in places... A serious story, told in serious tones, yet
it's relatable. This one doesn't scream at you, but walks quietly and deeply, carrying a big stick.
it's relatable. This one doesn't scream at you, but walks quietly and deeply, carrying a big stick.
March 5, 2025
This had lovely descriptions of Greece and Greek food.
And that is where my praise ends, but I'm going to try my best to not be too much of a sourpuss about this.
I was told that the author "braids a story of vulnerability, desire, and bittersweet truth, unraveling old ways of living and, in the end, creating something new."
Whaaaaat? Did I even read the same book? I noted none of these things. None.
Mira is going through some tough things - the recent death of her parents, an unexpected but not really breakup with her boyfriend, and an old friend who is acting suspiciously. She begins talking to a man, the Captain, across the divide of their shared balcony. She also has friends who have taken in a refugee boy.
This sounds promising enough, right? Perhaps it could have been. Unfortunately, the plot (I'm using this word VERY loosely) is all over the place. There's a lot going on without anything ever really going on. We are told Mira is grieving, but it never FEELS that way. We are told she is upset about her breakup, but it never FEELS sincere. We are told that she cares about her old friend, but they have nothing more than quick snippets of conversation that end abruptly and unresolved. We are told that she has this...relationship (?) with the Captain, but we are privy to only a few extremely short exchanges with no depth to them. There is NO CHEMISTRY TO BE FOUND. This book suffers from telling but never/rarely showing. We also get some chapters from the Captain's POV. These are no better and his "voice" sounds almost identical to Mira's.
Part 1 has the illusion of a plot, but the second half teeters on the edge of completely nonsensical. We are suddenly thrown a flurry of comments on refugees and identity, often emphasizing "whiteness."
I did not feel particularly American either, but I felt comfortable in my outsiderness. Maybe this was a function of Americanness, or whiteness, to feel one can go anywhere and belong. (Uhm...sure?)
'Sometimes you're so first-world. So white. You think you have a solution to everything.'
The political angle seems like it was thrown in for depth but really does nothing to add to the story. There was no depth to anything - we just hopped from one thing to another, with nothing lingering long enough to stick. In Part 2 we also experience a whirlwind of Mira and the Captain traveling (separately) to-and-fro from city to island to city to I don't even know nor care at this point. These people apparently have no actual responsibilities as they just vacation and nap and go for unsafe swims alone and go to talk to people they care about for three seconds and then give up and leave. Seriously. No one actually acts like these yahoos. I hope.
I was unable to form an attachment to the characters. No one was particularly likeable nor was anyone truly unlikeable. They were just flat, and I never got the feeling of who anyone really was, which is disappointing given that a theme of this appeared to be identity.
But it was not my sense of self. What, exactly, was? That was the question.
Yes! Wonderful! Now if only that could have been answered even a little bit...
2 Stars
And that is where my praise ends, but I'm going to try my best to not be too much of a sourpuss about this.
I was told that the author "braids a story of vulnerability, desire, and bittersweet truth, unraveling old ways of living and, in the end, creating something new."
Whaaaaat? Did I even read the same book? I noted none of these things. None.
Mira is going through some tough things - the recent death of her parents, an unexpected but not really breakup with her boyfriend, and an old friend who is acting suspiciously. She begins talking to a man, the Captain, across the divide of their shared balcony. She also has friends who have taken in a refugee boy.
This sounds promising enough, right? Perhaps it could have been. Unfortunately, the plot (I'm using this word VERY loosely) is all over the place. There's a lot going on without anything ever really going on. We are told Mira is grieving, but it never FEELS that way. We are told she is upset about her breakup, but it never FEELS sincere. We are told that she cares about her old friend, but they have nothing more than quick snippets of conversation that end abruptly and unresolved. We are told that she has this...relationship (?) with the Captain, but we are privy to only a few extremely short exchanges with no depth to them. There is NO CHEMISTRY TO BE FOUND. This book suffers from telling but never/rarely showing. We also get some chapters from the Captain's POV. These are no better and his "voice" sounds almost identical to Mira's.
Part 1 has the illusion of a plot, but the second half teeters on the edge of completely nonsensical. We are suddenly thrown a flurry of comments on refugees and identity, often emphasizing "whiteness."
I did not feel particularly American either, but I felt comfortable in my outsiderness. Maybe this was a function of Americanness, or whiteness, to feel one can go anywhere and belong. (Uhm...sure?)
'Sometimes you're so first-world. So white. You think you have a solution to everything.'
The political angle seems like it was thrown in for depth but really does nothing to add to the story. There was no depth to anything - we just hopped from one thing to another, with nothing lingering long enough to stick. In Part 2 we also experience a whirlwind of Mira and the Captain traveling (separately) to-and-fro from city to island to city to I don't even know nor care at this point. These people apparently have no actual responsibilities as they just vacation and nap and go for unsafe swims alone and go to talk to people they care about for three seconds and then give up and leave. Seriously. No one actually acts like these yahoos. I hope.
I was unable to form an attachment to the characters. No one was particularly likeable nor was anyone truly unlikeable. They were just flat, and I never got the feeling of who anyone really was, which is disappointing given that a theme of this appeared to be identity.
But it was not my sense of self. What, exactly, was? That was the question.
Yes! Wonderful! Now if only that could have been answered even a little bit...
2 Stars
May 2, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House Books for the ARC of Scorpionfish by Natalie Bakopoulos in exchange for an honest review. Immediately I was attracted to the cover as well as the synopsis. A young academic named Mira goes back to Athens and encounters a retired ship captain. Shortly into returning home her longtime boyfriend Aris breaks up with her for a movie star while Mira is immediately transported back into the lives of her friends Fady and Dimitra who are caring for a young refugee boy named Rami and her queer artist aunt/friend Nefeli who came of age during the time of a military dictatorship in Greece. This novel has a lot of meat and to put it simply, I enjoyed it.
Scorpionfish has drawn comparisons to an Elena Furrente novel and I can see it. This novel is equal parts lush and violent. Athens is a beautiful city and almost paradise on the surface with rich history and culture but it is suffering a lot of social and economic hardship. There is street violence, crime, and people who aren’t able to keep up with the financial strain of living there. This novel does an excellent job showing both sides of Athens in a realistic and heartfelt way.
The novel is told in two POVs. Mira is the young academic who just lost her parents. She has tenure and I believe she is working on her dissertation. She left Chicago to return to Greece which is where she grew up and the place where her mother always felt attached to. In a way, Mira expects to pick up her life where she left off. Her plan consisted of moving in with her boyfriend Aris but it’s derailed since he got a movie star pregnant. That paired with his rising political career is what drives a wedge between their relationship. Throughout the novel we see more “action” from Mira’s POV. Two of her friends have a daughter named Leila and they’re caring for a refugee boy named Rami. Dimitra and Fady are in a relationship together and it’s through them that Mira is able to have a social life. Meanwhile Nefeli is Mira’s aunt who is an artist and activist of sorts. Late into the book it is revealed that Nefeli is sick with little chance for survival.
The second POV is told from The Captain’s perspective. He shares a balcony with Mira and the two of them get close after having conversations about life, careers, and love. The Captain’s father is described as a leftist and he knew Nefeli through his father. The Captain is also suffering through a break up, his wife and mother of his nine year old twins, Katerina wants a divorce. The Captain and Mira have an intimate friendship while drinking their beers and talking. The Captain’s POV chapters aren’t really as action-packed as Mira’s and I never developed a connection with him. His chapters are some of the weaker points of the novel for me.
This is an easy read. The novel is rich and elegant in language with a setting that is easy to get into. My only complaint is that I don’t find it particularly memorable which is why I’m giving it three stars.
Scorpionfish has drawn comparisons to an Elena Furrente novel and I can see it. This novel is equal parts lush and violent. Athens is a beautiful city and almost paradise on the surface with rich history and culture but it is suffering a lot of social and economic hardship. There is street violence, crime, and people who aren’t able to keep up with the financial strain of living there. This novel does an excellent job showing both sides of Athens in a realistic and heartfelt way.
The novel is told in two POVs. Mira is the young academic who just lost her parents. She has tenure and I believe she is working on her dissertation. She left Chicago to return to Greece which is where she grew up and the place where her mother always felt attached to. In a way, Mira expects to pick up her life where she left off. Her plan consisted of moving in with her boyfriend Aris but it’s derailed since he got a movie star pregnant. That paired with his rising political career is what drives a wedge between their relationship. Throughout the novel we see more “action” from Mira’s POV. Two of her friends have a daughter named Leila and they’re caring for a refugee boy named Rami. Dimitra and Fady are in a relationship together and it’s through them that Mira is able to have a social life. Meanwhile Nefeli is Mira’s aunt who is an artist and activist of sorts. Late into the book it is revealed that Nefeli is sick with little chance for survival.
The second POV is told from The Captain’s perspective. He shares a balcony with Mira and the two of them get close after having conversations about life, careers, and love. The Captain’s father is described as a leftist and he knew Nefeli through his father. The Captain is also suffering through a break up, his wife and mother of his nine year old twins, Katerina wants a divorce. The Captain and Mira have an intimate friendship while drinking their beers and talking. The Captain’s POV chapters aren’t really as action-packed as Mira’s and I never developed a connection with him. His chapters are some of the weaker points of the novel for me.
This is an easy read. The novel is rich and elegant in language with a setting that is easy to get into. My only complaint is that I don’t find it particularly memorable which is why I’m giving it three stars.
August 10, 2020
SCORPIONFISH is a quiet, meditative look at grief, illness, heartbreak, and being a multinational. I was pleasantly surprised by Natalie Bakopoulos' beautiful prose and haunting story of a young academic who moves into her parent's apartment in Greece after their untimely deaths. Mira, a Greek-American from Chicago, has only experienced Athens during summers so as she navigates a full-time life in her second home, and grieves the loss of her parents and also a boyfriend who dumps her unexpectedly after their funeral, we follow her journey in re-discovering her place of origin.
I greatly related to the voyage of coming to terms with being from two countries, and finding a balance between your American self and your expatriate self. Mira spends most of the book going on an inward journey of self-discovery, while also falling for a handsome sea captain (!) who lives next door. In a few of my favorite chapters, we also follow his story as he goes through a divorce and struggles to raise his twin daughters. This is an unexpected book, not a page-turner but a solid story about ordinary and extraordinary loss. It is also about art, academia. found families, and the recent Greek economic crisis. A wonderful debut from an author I'm so glad I know about now.
I greatly related to the voyage of coming to terms with being from two countries, and finding a balance between your American self and your expatriate self. Mira spends most of the book going on an inward journey of self-discovery, while also falling for a handsome sea captain (!) who lives next door. In a few of my favorite chapters, we also follow his story as he goes through a divorce and struggles to raise his twin daughters. This is an unexpected book, not a page-turner but a solid story about ordinary and extraordinary loss. It is also about art, academia. found families, and the recent Greek economic crisis. A wonderful debut from an author I'm so glad I know about now.
January 20, 2021
I kept wondering when a catastrophic event would shift this simply plotted but complexly profound novel into a murder mystery or a gritty political drama but at the end of it all it was just a gorgeous, flowing commentary on pure grief and belonging and selfhood.
The author’s descriptions of the little moments of appreciating things you wouldn’t often notice - the warm sun on your back, the sound of the wind moving through the sails of boats in a harbor - were stunning. The observations of how common and everyday mindless activities can be symbolic of our innermost pain and struggle were incredibly poignant and moving.
Mira is older than she comes across for most of the novel which is a harsh but true reminder that no matter how old we get we may never stop wondering to whom we belong, worrying that we’ll end up like our parents while simultaneously fearing disappointing them, and craving validation and openness from those we admire most. But her pathlessness also makes a statement that it’s never to late to break free of the boundaries you’ve built for yourself.
The author’s descriptions of the little moments of appreciating things you wouldn’t often notice - the warm sun on your back, the sound of the wind moving through the sails of boats in a harbor - were stunning. The observations of how common and everyday mindless activities can be symbolic of our innermost pain and struggle were incredibly poignant and moving.
Mira is older than she comes across for most of the novel which is a harsh but true reminder that no matter how old we get we may never stop wondering to whom we belong, worrying that we’ll end up like our parents while simultaneously fearing disappointing them, and craving validation and openness from those we admire most. But her pathlessness also makes a statement that it’s never to late to break free of the boundaries you’ve built for yourself.
July 16, 2020
This. Book. So good.
4.5 stars
I just finished this book this morning and it is amazing. It is about love, relationships, art, immigration & so much more all set against the beautiful landscape of Greece. But first and foremost this is a book about grief & how we process loss. At times devastating but also healing.
Highly recommend.
"We owe the dead a lot"
4.5 stars
I just finished this book this morning and it is amazing. It is about love, relationships, art, immigration & so much more all set against the beautiful landscape of Greece. But first and foremost this is a book about grief & how we process loss. At times devastating but also healing.
Highly recommend.
"We owe the dead a lot"
May 25, 2021
“Grief never appeared the way we expected, and it snuck up in terrifying, surprising waves. Others needed to see it translated into something visceral and simple, something that could be read, understood. Because when we are in it’s midst it cannot be translated at all.”
August 22, 2020
This novel took on a lot in not many pages: familial loss, homeland loyalties, complicated friendships, basic human connection and much more. The main character, Mira, had an interesting point of view as someone who came from a Greek family but grew up predominantly in the US. And though she works as a professor in America when the books opens, her ties to Greece and her memories there are palpable. She is back in Athens following the death of her parents and finds her years long relationship unexpectedly dissolved. I was equally invested in her flashbacks to times when she was young, many of which feature her new realization that her mother’s alcoholism started much younger than she originally remembered, and her conversations with her artist friend and those with the older couple who has been in her life for many years. Though I liked the short point of view sections with The Captain, I wish they didn’t fully understand their conclusion. I liked their connection and the relative anonymity their talks on their adjoining balconies maintained, but I wish more of the content was seen more in the text. I never knew what direction the book was going in but I was glad it didn’t turn into an over the top unbelievable romance. This was another great release from Tin House.
September 18, 2020
4.5 Beautiful book!
November 26, 2020
Quiet and simmering with a narrative voice and sensibility that reminded me a lot of Elena Ferrante. A novel about love and grief and family set against the backdrop of modern Greece. I loved it.
August 17, 2021
A new favorite.
May 19, 2025
2.75 stars. I was drawn to this book because it was set in Athens, Greece. The prose was introspective and meandering, sometimes lovely, but it felt like it held me at an emotional distance.
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