Reviews

Z cyklu nadrabiam książki, które wrzuciłam do TBRu 6 lat temu. Myślałam, że będąc starsza Ptasiek bardziej do mnie trafi. Ale zupełnie nie wiem, jaki był cel tego wszystkiego, co opisał Wharton. Bardzo dziwna książka. Totalnie mi nie podeszła. Nawet nie wiem co więcej napisać, bo ostatni rozdział jeszcze bardziej wywrócił wszystko do góry nogami.

jobatkin's review against another edition

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4.0

Really interesting story of a boyhood friendship in 1920s America between the more 'normal' Alfonso, a hotheaded Italian who likes girls and sports, and Birdy, an unusual boy who fixates first on pigeons, then canaries and the idea of flying like a bird. His passion turns into an obsession where he dreams of being one of his canaries and struggles to live properly in the real world. Their childhood together consists of some great adventures and money-making schemes, and is mainly told through flashbacks from a mental hospital after the war, to which both boys are drafted. The war has serious effects on the sanity and identity of both boys - more obviously Birdy but perhaps more deeply Al, who becomes deeply afraid and loses all sense of purpose or meaning. He regains some of it in attempting to rescue Birdy from the delusions he has retreated into of being a bird himself. The story itself is interesting, unusual and well-told, but the questions it raises of identity, sanity, purpose and what is 'normal' make it profound and give it a real depth.

miagw962's review

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challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

No one knows more than they have to know. All of us locked in gravity graves.

Birdy was probably one of the most unique war stories I've ever read and for that, I think it is pretty valuable as something that stands out from the rest. I don't want to give too much away but this book explores PTSD between the two characters of Al and Birdy in very different ways, predating their mental health struggles with often absurd stories from childhood, particularly in Birdy's case. There was probably too much talk about birds but I think this adds to Birdy's entire outlook on life which again is so fascinating and oddly emotionally motivated: for example, he named the first female bird he got Birdie and named the first male bird he got Alfonso (after his friend Al) and then proceeded to become emotionally attached to them - did the birds represent his real life friendships? It's something that Birdy doesn't think about but seems almost painfully obvious to the reader. Also, the fact we never get Birdy's real name...he is forever tied to his identity as a bird lover and this seems to never bother him. I would love to do a full in depth analysis of this book and everything it is trying to do but for now I will just sit with my thoughts.

ten123's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

andrew61's review against another edition

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4.0

It is a long time ago that I saw this movie and bizarrely I've never seen it again on tv or as a dvd so when I picked this up in a charity shop I was pleased that the book was as rewarding as i remember the film had been.
At its heart this is a brilliant evocation of frienship and the appalling destruction that the experience of war has upon the individual.
Al and birdy are polar opposites at school, one a star of the sporting arena, popular with an eye on girls and a good time but with a brutal father whose fists al repeatedly is on the receiving end, whilst birdy is insular, skinny, a brilliant engineering brain, who is obsessed with birds and creates his own aviary. An unlikely frienship which supports and sustains both boys through adolescence.
Both end up enlisting in the war and have different experiences in both the battle in France and in the Pacific.
After their return birdy has reverted due to ptsd to existing as a bird in an army run mental health unit. Al recovering from a physical injury is asked to speak to birdy with a hope to assist his recovery.
The story is sympathetically told with the relationship between the two boys/men being both absorbing and moving. There is a point when al tells of his war experience which was so honest I had to put the book down as it is overwhelming.
This is a brilliant book, and whilst I found the canary breeding at times too much information ultimately I was so glad I had read this very powerful novel. Now of to hunt down the film again.

siriussbooks's review

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

yanulya's review against another edition

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4.0

Was just reminded of this book, and read it ~15 years ago, but remember loving it. You really get into the character's head & moods. The book & this author are immensely popular in Poland, but for some reason relatively unknown in the US (despite him being American). This one was made into a movie w/ Matthew Modine & Nicolas Cage (w/ soundtrack by Peter Gabriel).

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