This Animal Body - by Meredith Walters (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

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?

Review Quotes

"Seamlessly blending elements of fabulism and fantasy with a focus on science and mental health, Walters's story will appeal to readers interested in the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, as well as our indelible connection to nature."
--BookLife Reviews

"This Animal Body is an interesting book told from a viewpoint that will pique the interest of the avid magical realism fan."
--Readers' Favorite, 5-star review

". . . a compelling narrative, offering profound insights to those seeking to unravel the complexities of the human experience."
--IndieReader

"If you've ever wondered what the cockroach who narrowly escaped your boot is thinking, if you've ever imagined what it feels like to run like a wolf, if you've ever questioned who you are--This Animal Body is a tale for you. Creative and thought-provoking, it might change the ways you relate to all animals, both human and nonhuman."
--Jenni Ogden, Sarton Women's Book Award-winner, Nautilus Book Award-winner, and author of A Drop in the Ocean

"Walters touches all the bases in this multi-layered story of a young woman searching for her birth mother and finding a devoted family of forest creatures eager to be her guides and mentors. A beautifully written depiction of Love as the underpinning of all life!"
--Susan Crawford, bestselling author of The Pocket Wife

"A unique story, imaginative, beautifully written, with characters so real I kept forgetting I hadn't met them in real life. Captivating from so many angles at once--a dramatic search for a birth mother, the plight of animals in a human world, the crush of depression on the human spirit, a searing choice between science and conscience. I couldn't put it down."
--Jude Berman, author of The Die

"This Animal Body explores the sacred interconnection of all living beings and the quiet wisdom of the natural world. Meredith reminds us that there is more to life than what is evident and how listening deeply to nature rekindles our belonging, intuition, and remembering the truth of who we are."--Alicia M. Rodriguez, 2024 International Book Award Winner and author of The Shaman's Wife

"Heartwarming, tender, and deeply insightful, This Animal Body is a compelling journey into the heart and soul of what it means to be human."
--Jen Braaksma, author of Amaranth

"Walters's creativity is boundless and leaves you full of wonder and joy at what is possible."
--Nate Summers, author of Primal

2025 Nautilus Book Awards Gold Winner in Fiction (Large Publisher/Large Hybrid)
2024 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Gold Medal Winner in Fiction - Animals
2024 Living Now Book Awards Bronze Medalist in General Fiction
2024 American Fiction Awards Winner in Coming of Age