A magical adventure into the world of twilight

 

5 stars

The Secret World of Twilight is just the sort of non-fiction I love at the moment. Written in poetic prose with a loving appreciation of the multitudes of intricate detail that fill its pages, it is a marvellous journey into a little understood time of day, dawn and dusk. The reader happily dives deep into twilight and the creatures who thrive there, us included. It's not only daylight and nighttime that matter but the magical half light where wonders occur.

I honestly grabbed this book because I love so many crepuscular creatures - owls, bats, moths, cats - and hoped to learn more about them. I did, thank you, but learned much more than I could have expected. The terrestrial world is astounding but the lives of the creatures that dwell in the twilight zone of the sea is utterly mind-boggling. I know light pollution is a big problem, and can see the lit horizon of the nearest town from my rural door step, but never thought our artificially illuminated world could cause so much damage. Everyone should read this and strive to keep the night as dark as possible for all living creatures.

Thank you, Sally Coulthard, for your no nonsense (dare I say Yorkshire?) approach to this beautifully wondrous time and the marvels that unfold when light is soft and low. The Secret World of Twilight is choked full of amazing facts delivered in a gentle way that makes it all easily palatable and wholly intriguing. Skilfully done. I am so pleased to have found you and look forward to my next adventure with you.