This Animal Body

Praised by Kirkus Reviews for its “sublimely complex characters,” this touching tale of transformation is both an exploration of human loneliness and a celebration of the magic that’s possible when we reclaim our ties to the wider natural world. Frankie Conner has always felt like an ugly duckling—not just because she’s adopted but because she’s shy, oversensitive, and a constant disappointment to her high-achieving family. After getting fired from yet another job, she’s determined to turn things around by pursuing her PhD in neuroscience, discovering the cause of her depression, and dedicating herself to the search for a cure. But all of Frankie’s plans are shattered when a cockroach, a wolf, and an adorable baby squirrel speak to her in her dreams somewhere deep in a moon-filled forest. Only they can’t just be dreams, because the animals know things she doesn’t: entire Hafiz poems, the fact that rats are ticklish, and mysteries from her past she’s been trying to unravel for years—things they refuse to share until she proves she’s ready. To make sure she hasn’t completely lost her mind, Frankie conducts clandestine experiments to discover the source of the animals’ knowledge. But with her professor determined to derail her, terrifying threats to one of the animals’ life, and a real possibility she’ll plunge back into despair, Frankie must decide how much she’s willing to give up to discover the answers she desperately needs. Who are these animals she's grown to love? Is the hope they offer real, or only her imagination? And can she believe their most fantastic claim—that her depression and anxiety are merely a small part of a much larger story . . . a story that’s ancient, hopeful, and extraordinary?