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therainbowshelf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A thoroughly unsettling, intriguing read. Definitely an intense metaphor and illustration of trans experiences. Definitely want to check out the content warnings before you dive in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Hate crime, Drug use, Body horror, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Homophobia, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Alcohol, and Outing
Moderate: Police brutality
jpitts's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know if I can articulate it right now but I think this book is gonna stick with me for a while. I almost cried in the grocery store.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism
sammies_shelf's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
jaybird_reads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was the first book that made me find my love for reading again after years of missing that old friend. It is also possibly the first time I’ve felt particularly seen by a book. The PNW setting probably encouraged this.
Lund’s work is beautifully crafted. Her narrative style feels unique in the best way, and she creates a vivid setting and cast of characters.
Toxic and healthy masculinity are key focuses in this book, which I haven’t seen other reviews mention. The “lineage of men who take up space” versus Owen’s uncle telling him that his (Owen’s) father was “like us. Gentle.”, followed by the entire character of Clyde are my favored bits of that.
I’ve seen many people ask what exactly the bird is supposed to symbolize if the other queer characters don’t have one, but I think it’s fairly obvious that the bird is symbolic of being transgender (I mean just read Lund’s interview at the end.) Even if Owen himself isn’t trans, the feeling of being different from everyone around you and having to hide that fact from those peers and also institutions of power (Army of Acronyms) is very much the trans experience, especially since despite all of this pain that Gail causes Owen, Owen loves Gail and could literally not live without her.
The biggest treasure of this book are the character relationships and Owen himself.
Lund’s work is beautifully crafted. Her narrative style feels unique in the best way, and she creates a vivid setting and cast of characters.
Toxic and healthy masculinity are key focuses in this book, which I haven’t seen other reviews mention. The “lineage of men who take up space” versus Owen’s uncle telling him that his (Owen’s) father was “like us. Gentle.”, followed by the entire character of Clyde are my favored bits of that.
I’ve seen many people ask what exactly the bird is supposed to symbolize if the other queer characters don’t have one, but I think it’s fairly obvious that the bird is symbolic of being transgender (I mean just read Lund’s interview at the end.) Even if Owen himself isn’t trans, the feeling of being different from everyone around you and having to hide that fact from those peers and also institutions of power (Army of Acronyms) is very much the trans experience, especially since despite all of this pain that Gail causes Owen, Owen loves Gail and could literally not live without her.
The biggest treasure of this book are the character relationships and Owen himself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Bullying, and Sexual assault
Minor: Medical content, Vomit, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
asteri_mou's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I was extremely excited to read this book after all the amazing things I heard about it. The book was excellent, I just didn't connect to it as much as other people, which is ok. I don't have anything negative to say about the book. I found the story's premise very interesting and as an allegory to certain issues that other people have with their own bodies or another part of themselves. I enjoyed the descriptive writing and I liked how the reader was able to know what was going on inside the main character's mind. Tennesse was my favorite character. I wish I had a cousin like her. I think this book can be very moving for some people and I don't have any personal problems or flaws with the book, it just didn't strike me as much as it did others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
jstrehse's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The writing is very YA, and the queer allegory is very on-the-nose. There are some heartfelt descriptions of what it is like to be queer, but mostly the writing is pretty flat. The characters have development, but it is mostly shared through exposition. I never felt especially connected to the characters, or felt like I was given enough of their stories.
I think for a teen learning to live with their queerness, this could be a relatable read. I might just be beyond the target age group.
I think for a teen learning to live with their queerness, this could be a relatable read. I might just be beyond the target age group.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Violence
lilifane's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book sounded so good at first. With an intriguing premise, magical realism and queer representation, which I love having in my books. It was just... SO boring. The writing wasn't for me, it was extremely dry, repetitive and slow (and weirdly detailed sometimes). So so many words and descriptions of everything for not that much plot. At the same time, I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I loved Tennessee and Clyde and Gail but the rest... not so much, no even Owen... and he's the protagonist. Of course, I was rooting for him, but it was hard for me to feel anything for most of the book because the writing threw me off so much. And the 300 pages felt like 900 tbh.
The setting and atmosphere were nice though, and I loved the friendships and especially the last 5% of the book.
The setting and atmosphere were nice though, and I loved the friendships and especially the last 5% of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Drug use, Alcohol, Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
caseys_chapters's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This memorable coming of age story is guaranteed to make you want to hug the main character through the pages.
Owen is medically known as a Terror, a rare phenomenon where a sparrow (named Gail) lives in his chest. He hides away for most of his childhood, then is forced to flee with his uncle and cousin. We follow his life as Owen lives in fear of the doctors who want to experiment on him and the people who reject him simply for who he is.
I loved the magical realism here! Gail, the titular bird, brings wonderful spirit to the book. She is both literal and metaphorical to the heart of this story - trying to hide a part of yourself while yearning to find someone who understands it. I found this to be a unique and beautifully told spin on that theme.
But it’s not all warm and fuzzy; Owen experiences immense cruelty for being a Terror and his sexuality. The content is not always easy to read, but the endearing characters and short chapters kept me absorbed in a story told with care.
My one minor critique is that it left me with unanswered questions because it didn’t go very deep into some layers, but I enjoyed this nonetheless.
I’m surprised The Boy with a Bird in His Chest doesn’t get more attention. I think so many people will appreciate it!
Owen is medically known as a Terror, a rare phenomenon where a sparrow (named Gail) lives in his chest. He hides away for most of his childhood, then is forced to flee with his uncle and cousin. We follow his life as Owen lives in fear of the doctors who want to experiment on him and the people who reject him simply for who he is.
I loved the magical realism here! Gail, the titular bird, brings wonderful spirit to the book. She is both literal and metaphorical to the heart of this story - trying to hide a part of yourself while yearning to find someone who understands it. I found this to be a unique and beautifully told spin on that theme.
But it’s not all warm and fuzzy; Owen experiences immense cruelty for being a Terror and his sexuality. The content is not always easy to read, but the endearing characters and short chapters kept me absorbed in a story told with care.
My one minor critique is that it left me with unanswered questions because it didn’t go very deep into some layers, but I enjoyed this nonetheless.
I’m surprised The Boy with a Bird in His Chest doesn’t get more attention. I think so many people will appreciate it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Violence
kcarney86's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Stalking, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4/5 stars
The Boy With a Bird in His Chest is a part magical realism/part coming-of-age novel about Owen Tanner, a boy who has a bird in his chest. Literally. Taught his whole life to hide the bird from the world, Owen must eventually learn how to exist in a world where he will always be different, but just might fit in anyway.
I’m going to go ahead and predict that this will not be the last we hear from Emme Lund. The Boy With a Bird in His Chest is a moving, captivating, at times extraordinarily funny and always extraordinarily touching exploration of memorable characters—Owen, his bird Gail, his cousin Tennessee, his uncle Bob, his mother Janice, and a supporting cast of others I won’t name due to spoilers. As with any sprawling coming-of-age novel, the pace was occasionally a bit slow, but there were surprisingly exhilarating moments sprinkled throughout.
Whether the bird is an allegory for anything (Being trans? Being elsewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum? Something else?) is unclear, though likely, but honestly that didn’t matter nearly so much as the story itself. I’m entirely sure this will wind up being one of the most inventive and creative things I’ve read all year—and possibly ever.
Recommended for anyone, but especially those who like: LGBTQ+ characters; coming-of-age stories; magical realism.
CW: Suicidal thoughts; homophobia (including targeted violence); abandonment; mentions of racism.
Rating: 4/5 stars
The Boy With a Bird in His Chest is a part magical realism/part coming-of-age novel about Owen Tanner, a boy who has a bird in his chest. Literally. Taught his whole life to hide the bird from the world, Owen must eventually learn how to exist in a world where he will always be different, but just might fit in anyway.
I’m going to go ahead and predict that this will not be the last we hear from Emme Lund. The Boy With a Bird in His Chest is a moving, captivating, at times extraordinarily funny and always extraordinarily touching exploration of memorable characters—Owen, his bird Gail, his cousin Tennessee, his uncle Bob, his mother Janice, and a supporting cast of others I won’t name due to spoilers. As with any sprawling coming-of-age novel, the pace was occasionally a bit slow, but there were surprisingly exhilarating moments sprinkled throughout.
Whether the bird is an allegory for anything (Being trans? Being elsewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum? Something else?) is unclear, though likely, but honestly that didn’t matter nearly so much as the story itself. I’m entirely sure this will wind up being one of the most inventive and creative things I’ve read all year—and possibly ever.
Recommended for anyone, but especially those who like: LGBTQ+ characters; coming-of-age stories; magical realism.
CW: Suicidal thoughts; homophobia (including targeted violence); abandonment; mentions of racism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Abandonment, Drug use, Violence, Homophobia, Hate crime, Bullying, and Blood
Minor: Racism