Review of 'Other Birds'

From the acclaimed author of Garden Spells comes an enchanting tale of lost souls, lonely strangers, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home.

Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It’s called The Dellawisp and it is named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.

Delightful and atmospheric, Other Birds is filled with magical realism and moments of pure love that won’t let you go. Sarah Addison Allen shows us that between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways.

Review

A beautiful novel, Other Bird shifts between ghosts of loved ones and four main characters, exploring the depths of family and how blood I, not the only thing that matters.

Storytelling

The storytelling here was so breathtaking. Following Zoey from her cold home to the Dellawisp, off the coast of South Carolina, on Mallow Island. Zoey is heading to the one place that is truly her own, given to her by her deceased mother. Alongside her imaginary/ghost bird Pigeon, Zoey is embarking on a new life, seeking to find any connection.

But that is the core of Other Birds, finding love, creating a family, and letting go of the baggage that keeps people locked up.

Lizbeth is a perfect example. As a child, Lizbeth was blinded by her need to be loved failing to see that her father was sexually abusing her sister. This continued into adulting her. Lizbeth needed her story to be shared; she needed to be the center of attention. Her resentment grew, keeping her from being the mother Oliver deserved.

Lizbeth never let go, not until death, straining her relationship with her sister and Oliver.

Charlotte refrained from forming connections because of her dark past. As a young girl, she ran away, escaping the cult her mother pulled her into. Always moving, always on the run, she resisted forming connections.

Abandoned as a child, Mac sought refuge with the woman down the street who would feed any child who came to her doorstep. Mac found a love of cooking with her, but unable to let her go once she passed, he kept her ghost around.

Every single character here is bound by the baggage of their past. Still, when Zoey enters their lives, her eagerness to form a family of her own makes allows others to break down their walls.

Seeing those walls break down pulls the reader in. Zoey is idealistic, but there is sadness around the edges that the reader sees and connects to. No one wants to be alone. Connection, whether romantic or familial, is what drives most humans.

But not one of these characters can connect until those moments when they finally move on. And seeing the way the story moves, creating those character dynamics, evolving them in a way that allows for warmth sets in.

Final Thoughts

Other Birds is a beautiful story about family, love, and the power of letting go.

• Writing Quality : 9.5/10
• Character Development : 9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 10/10
• Intellectual Depth: 10/10
• Originality: 10/10
• Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.