The ocean is a scary pit. [Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman]

I can't recall why I requested Julia Rothman's Ocean Anatomy. A general interest maybe? Whatever the case I was very moved. Yes, moved. A book about the creatures and make-up of the world's oceans moved me. To tears specifically. The author's introduction explaining her writing process and reasons for writing this book unexpectedly elicited tears from my eyes. That's when I knew the book was going to be good.

Preambled with mentions of the children and littered with fantastical illustrations, Ocean Anatomy might seem like it's geared for children (though NetGalley doesn't tag in any respective categories). That assumption proves to be categorically false. The terminology is technical while the writing style remains playful, cute, and entertaining. Complex information is imparted to the reader with ease.

Myself, when I think about the food chain and the large role of fish in meeting the human demand for food, I never think of most fish as being carnivorous. Obviously I'm aware that large marine animals are carnivorous, but I was genuinely surprised by how a majority of the animals I'd envisioned as peaceful vegetarians eating algae, or peaceful marine life subsiding on krill, are vicious flesh eaters. And Ocean Anatomy is full of surprised. I walk away from this book with a much greater appreciation for marine biology and the extents to which the discipline must approximate near encompassing integration of related biological and chemical disciplines.

I'd recommend Ocean Anatomy to anyone with any sliver of interest in the oceans, a massive part of our daily lives whether we acknowledge it or not. The attention to and lens of climate change, in the context of which Ocean Anatomy is told and regularly revisits, is also great. The sad truth of the environmental crisis as present in this book eggs on participation, involvement, and conservation efforts, not matter how small. A shining 5 stars from me. A stellar read.