author- Leslye Walton
page count- 301 (hardcover)
Publisher- Candlewick press
publication date- March 27th 2014
Synopsis
The Roux
family is marked by generations of foolish love, unrequited love and love lost.
And for the youngest- Ava- this is no exception.
Born with
the wings of a bird Ava has never been what you would call ‘normal’, sheltered
from the outside world Ava yearns to explore the wider world and gain a deeper
understanding about herself.
But not everyone can be as understanding as her
family and two choice friends. Naïve to the harsh realities of small town life Ava
finds herself the fixture of Nathaniel Sorrows obsession, a twisted man with a burning
desire that explodes the night of the summer solstice celebration.
It’s on this
night that Ava’s story reaches its peak and it’s then that a decision will be
made, will she loose herself like countless others in her family? Or will she
decide that love doesn’t define you?
My opinion
This is easily one of the
best books I have ever read, from start to finish I was hooked. I laughed, I
cried and when it was over all I wanted was to read it again. Written in
lyrical prose is a story spanning multiple generations of the Roux family and
their quest for love and belonging with elements of magical realism weaved in;
Contrary to the title it is not entirely focused on Ava who doesn’t come into
the book until the second half. However don’t let that deter you, every
character in this book is so painfully human each showing us what it’s like to succumb
to the desires of the human heart, and how foolish and selfish we can be in the
name of love.
“This
time could be different. This time it could last. Maybe it would be a longer,
deeper love: a real and solid entity that lived in the house, used the
bathroom, ate their food, mussed up the linens in sleep. A love that pulled her
close when she cried, that slept with its chest pressed against her back.”
Walton’s writing is so whimsical
and beautiful evoking emotion from deep inside, making you feel inexplicable
sorrow for these characters and their lives. What I loved most was that despite
having an army of characters Walton still manages to make each of them so three
dimensional and complex without losing focus on her writing. She creates a
storm cloud of emotions surrounding each of the characters, all of whom I loved
reading about- even if they did make my heart hurt most of the time.
“To
many, I was myth incarnate, the embodiment of a most superb legend, a fairy
tale. Some considered me a monster, a mutation. To my great misfortune, I was
once mistaken for an angel. To my mother, I was everything. To my father,
nothing at all. To my grandmother, I was a daily reminder of loves long lost.
But I knew the truth—deep down, I always did.
I was just a girl.”
I was just a girl.”
I’d say that this book
probably won’t appeal to everyone but even if magical realism isn't your thing
give this book a chance, the fantastical aspects of the novel only add to its richness
and uniqueness giving you a other-worldly yet beautifully real novel.
rating: 10/10
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