After the success of Away With The Penguins, Hazel Prior has written a sequel aptly titled Call Of The Penguins.
Away With The Penguins was a huge success and was a Richard and Judy book club pick in 2020. I really enjoyed the first book and so was excited to read the second.
Call of The Penguins by Hazel Prior was published in 2021.
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Plot
Veronica, Patrick and Terry are back again, bringing with them their love of penguins. 87-year-old Veronica has enjoyed a trip of a lifetime meeting her beloved Adélie penguins in Antarctica, proving she can do whatever she puts her mind to. Therefore when she’s invited to present a wildlife documentary in the southern hemisphere, she jumps at the chance at another adventure.
Meanwhile, Veronica’s grandson Patrick and his girlfriend Terry are facing big decisions when it comes to their relationship. Patrick is also determined to find out what happened to his mysterious father, but will he and Veronica be prepared for what he discovers?
Call Of The Penguins Book Review
As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the first book but I do feel this sequel lacks some of the charm of the original. It was nice to catch up with the original characters but as a stand-alone novel, I found it a little underwhelming.
In the first book, I loved hearing about Veronica’s past. My favourite parts of the story were hers, and I enjoyed learning what happened in the past to make her such a formidable and independent character. Without these flashes to the past, the book just didn’t have the same impact.
I find Patrick quite an annoying character and I quickly became irritated with his constant whining and poor decision making. It was interesting to find out what happened to his dad, although I think I would have preferred him to take the journey with Veronica. However, there wouldn’t have been much penguin action had that been the case!
There was a lot more talk of environmental issues, especially surrounding the risk to penguins, which can be applauded. We learn about different species of penguins and the dangers they face every day due to human carelessness.
The story was pleasant but I just felt it didn’t really add that much to the original.
What to read next
If you enjoy feel good fiction I’d also recommend books by Libby Page, especially The Lido and The Island Home. I also felt like A Man Called Ove had a similar feel to it.
Related Book Lists
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. For more information please see my disclosure policy.