The author did a great job of describing the animals, people, and setting of her years spent on an animal rescue reserve in Bolivia. I could picture these vivid scenes and wanted to meet each of the unique animals myself.

I'm not really sure what to even say about this book. It definitely wasn't a feel good book, unless you like to read about people getting bitten by hundreds of mosquitos, having worms inside of them that need removed, spider eggs invading their bodies, deforestation, animals that have been terribly abused. I could go on. There were some interesting bits, but I can't really say I liked it.

A young girl who has no idea who she wants to be. A ferocious puma who is terrified of the world. The beautiful Bolivian sanctuary that brought them together.

Rescued animals are like onions. You work so hard to peel off one layer of anxiety, only to expose another, and then another that you had absolutely no idea was hiding underneath. And because all of us really are no different from any of the animals here, because we’re all messed up and broken in our own individual ways, we’re like onions too.

Laura is a young girl, unsure of herself and traveling alone through Bolivia when fate lands her at an animal sanctuary in the middle of the Amazon. She begins thinking she will stay only two weeks and after a few hours there, possibly only a night. But Laura convinces herself to stick it out and volunteers to work with one of the most emotionally complex animals there—Wayra the puma. In this fascinating and, at times, heart-wrenching true tale, Laura discovers her found family in the over 100 animals at the sanctuary as well as the very dedicated volunteers whose hearts they’ve captured.

With a host of captivating human and animal characters and a journey of self discovery, Coleman’s raw and real travel memoir is hauntingly beautiful. It made me ache for the simpler times in my life when I would’ve been able to more easily set aside duties, responsibilities, and family and do something so reckless and amazing as spend countless months in a foreign country caring for and getting to know some of the beautifully fascinating creatures of our planet. I could hardly put this down and sped through it in less than 48 hours. When I came to the end, I was a bit disappointed it was over, but then delighted in the discovery of all the maps, drawings, and photos in the back of the book. Although memoirs are not one of my go-to genres, I think this one will stick with me for quite some time.
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This book intrigued me and I was not disappointed. Laura Coleman's use of language is beautiful and the fact that she ended working in the middle of the jungle with wild animals who are unable to be released pretty much by accident is just insane.

Non-fictie vind ik normaal gesproken leuk en interessant om te lezen, interessant was het boek ook zeker wel maar prettig las het allerminst. Ten eerste bevat het boek naast geen hoofdstukken in verhouding ook heel weinig witregels. Het is bladzij na bladzij vol met tekst, persoonlijk vind ik dat dus echt niet prettig en als er dan ook nog eens wollig geschreven wordt… Het duurde bijna de hele maand om dit boek uit te lezen, onderwijl mailden Anouk en ik een paar keer met elkaar en ik moet zeggen als ik het niet samen met iemand gelezen had was de kans groot dat ik het weggelegd had voor later. Het verhaal van Laura die in Bolivia voor een poema gaat zorgen en nu inmiddels mede-directeur is bij Parque Ambue Ari is heus interessant maar het had denk ik wat bondiger geschreven kunnen worden.