Kendra Coulter's gentle, lyrical first novel, The Tortoise's Tale, takes readers on a leisurely, illuminating journey through the life of a giant tortoise who spends decades on a lush estate in Southern California. The tortoise, who goes by many names, observes the dynamics between the estate's resident humans, passes time in the company of other animals, and gains surprising knowledge about inter-creature relationships and the wider world.
Brought to the estate against her will, the tortoise befriends Takeo, the estate's kindhearted gardener, who christens her Daisuke (Japanese for "big helper"). Later, she bonds with a young girl named Lucy; their friendship will stretch over many years. The tortoise listens attentively as Lucy learns from a tutor; she also develops a deep love for music as the estate becomes a destination for artists, filmmakers, and musicians. As the humans and other creatures come and go, the tortoise thinks seriously about love and friendship, freedom and captivity, and the interconnection of all beings.
Coulter's contemplative prose evokes the tortoise's slow physical movements but also shows the quickness of her mind as she pieces together information and gathers insights. The outside world intrudes in brief glimpses, which help readers match the tortoise's experience of time to the human calendar. Lucy's quest to discover Daisuke's origins brings the tortoise great joy, even as she shares in the griefs and triumphs of the humans she loves.
Reflective, with wry humor and a keen observational eye, The Tortoise's Tale provides an unusual perspective on human-animal relationships through an engaging creaturely lens. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams