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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This book was so hard to read. Not because it was bad, but because it dealt with grief and the aftermath of loss. Jaye Robin Brown writes a really emotional, moving story about dealing with compounded grief - which is, like, really hard to deal with.
I related to Jess so much, honestly; I don't struggle with anger management, and I've never lost a girlfriend or close friend. But I can understand her reactions and lashing out and isolating herself because I've been in such a similar place before. The Meaning of Birds doesn't skimp on how Jess struggles with everything after losing Vivi, and I could sympathize entirely with how hard it is to readjust to normal life and how Jess feels like she shouldn't be happy without Vivi. A lot of the side characters frustrated me, though; it felt like they were pressuring Jess to just "move on" from Vivi's death, Levi especially.
I really adored Jess and Vivi's relationship, though - they were incredibly cute, and I felt Jess's love for Vivi and how painful it was for her to lose Vivi. Usually I'm not fond of books that constantly go between the past and the present, but I think it worked really well for this book. It showed Jess's life with Vivi and how happy they both were, and contrasted it to after Vivi and Jess learning to find her way without Vivi. Here, I feel like the flashbacks added more of an emotional punch to the book than if it had just been divided into two sections.
One thing I liked is that The Meaning of Birds showed compounded grief, which is when a person experiences loss without really recovering from previous loss, and it isn't something that you see in YA too often. Jess's father had passed several years before Vivi, and her feelings about both get tangled up. I definitely think there are teens out there who might find this book helpful in knowing they're not alone. Losing one person can dredge up old feelings, and I don't think that's talked about enough, in YA or anywhere. The book doesn't prescribe some deeper meaning to death. Sometimes people die for no reason at all, seemingly out of the blue, and there's no pretending otherwise in this book.
Another part that I felt was really important was how art was talked about as something that was both painful yet a way to cope. Jess is an artist, but after Vivi's death, art is too painful for her to do, so she turns to blacksmithing instead as another art form, which was really neat. I also loved Greer and Eliza; they were probably my favourite side characters. We love adorable supportive lesbians. But Jess's blooming interest in blacksmithing shows that it's possible to find new, healthy things you enjoy after a loss. I really understood Jess's feelings around art after Vivi died, and it was good to see her accept that it's okay to grow and change.
There were a few things I felt were a tad questionable that took away from my experience of reading it. A couple off-hand comments about asexuality, bi/pansexuality, and trans women that rubbed me the wrong way, for example. These comments are not directly a/bi/trans-phobic, but it struck me as a bit iffy, especially because some of Jess's views were never really addressed or challenged, and they were casual comments that didn't add much to the story altogether.
Yes, this is a tragic book about a young lesbian losing her girlfriend, but it shows her learning to cope with it, even if there's no "getting over" it. I think a lot of teens dealing with loss of all types could use this book. However, anyone who reads this should definitely have some tissues nearby, because--as you'd expect--it is horribly sad.
content warnings: death of a parent, death of a loved one, grief
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I related to Jess so much, honestly; I don't struggle with anger management, and I've never lost a girlfriend or close friend. But I can understand her reactions and lashing out and isolating herself because I've been in such a similar place before. The Meaning of Birds doesn't skimp on how Jess struggles with everything after losing Vivi, and I could sympathize entirely with how hard it is to readjust to normal life and how Jess feels like she shouldn't be happy without Vivi. A lot of the side characters frustrated me, though; it felt like they were pressuring Jess to just "move on" from Vivi's death, Levi especially.
I really adored Jess and Vivi's relationship, though - they were incredibly cute, and I felt Jess's love for Vivi and how painful it was for her to lose Vivi. Usually I'm not fond of books that constantly go between the past and the present, but I think it worked really well for this book. It showed Jess's life with Vivi and how happy they both were, and contrasted it to after Vivi and Jess learning to find her way without Vivi. Here, I feel like the flashbacks added more of an emotional punch to the book than if it had just been divided into two sections.
One thing I liked is that The Meaning of Birds showed compounded grief, which is when a person experiences loss without really recovering from previous loss, and it isn't something that you see in YA too often. Jess's father had passed several years before Vivi, and her feelings about both get tangled up. I definitely think there are teens out there who might find this book helpful in knowing they're not alone. Losing one person can dredge up old feelings, and I don't think that's talked about enough, in YA or anywhere. The book doesn't prescribe some deeper meaning to death. Sometimes people die for no reason at all, seemingly out of the blue, and there's no pretending otherwise in this book.
Another part that I felt was really important was how art was talked about as something that was both painful yet a way to cope. Jess is an artist, but after Vivi's death, art is too painful for her to do, so she turns to blacksmithing instead as another art form, which was really neat. I also loved Greer and Eliza; they were probably my favourite side characters. We love adorable supportive lesbians. But Jess's blooming interest in blacksmithing shows that it's possible to find new, healthy things you enjoy after a loss. I really understood Jess's feelings around art after Vivi died, and it was good to see her accept that it's okay to grow and change.
There were a few things I felt were a tad questionable that took away from my experience of reading it. A couple off-hand comments about asexuality, bi/pansexuality, and trans women that rubbed me the wrong way, for example. These comments are not directly a/bi/trans-phobic, but it struck me as a bit iffy, especially because some of Jess's views were never really addressed or challenged, and they were casual comments that didn't add much to the story altogether.
Yes, this is a tragic book about a young lesbian losing her girlfriend, but it shows her learning to cope with it, even if there's no "getting over" it. I think a lot of teens dealing with loss of all types could use this book. However, anyone who reads this should definitely have some tissues nearby, because--as you'd expect--it is horribly sad.
content warnings: death of a parent, death of a loved one, grief
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
well fuck. this author doesn't know me but somehow wrote out every intricity of my life and turned it into a stunning book that really really hurt my feelings. everything from the loss of a loved one to the bird obsession to the anger issues to the blacksmithing all ties into my life and i am so broken after reading this. not only that but the writing style is beautiful and the way the then chapter titles fit so seamlessly into the writing was gorgeous. i read this aloud with a friend and we both just sobbed through the last few chapters and i've never wanted to thank an author whilst suing for emotional damages more than i do right now.
poruszyła. to była książka słodko-gorzka ze względu na przeplatającą się historię pierwszych chwil pierwszej miłosnej relacji wraz z rozdziałami o jej stracie i żałobie po niej.
zauważyłam kilka detali w kompozycji, które sprawiły, że miałam wrażenie uważnego tkania opowieści - takie rzeczy jak rozdziały, które przeskakiwały na osi czasu zaczynały się i kończyły podobnym zdaniem, momentem, powodując gładkie przejścia czy oddanie rozpływającej się powoli żałoby poprzez większą intensyfikację rozdziałów z przeszłości na początku powieści, tak by czytelnicy pozostali w teraźniejszości wraz z bohaterki na koniec.
historia skłoniła mnie do pomyślenia o stracie, która może mnie dotknąć i poczucia, że wszystko wokół jest kruche. cenię sobie to, bo wtedy więcej doceniam.
zauważyłam kilka detali w kompozycji, które sprawiły, że miałam wrażenie uważnego tkania opowieści - takie rzeczy jak rozdziały, które przeskakiwały na osi czasu zaczynały się i kończyły podobnym zdaniem, momentem, powodując gładkie przejścia czy oddanie rozpływającej się powoli żałoby poprzez większą intensyfikację rozdziałów z przeszłości na początku powieści, tak by czytelnicy pozostali w teraźniejszości wraz z bohaterki na koniec.
historia skłoniła mnie do pomyślenia o stracie, która może mnie dotknąć i poczucia, że wszystko wokół jest kruche. cenię sobie to, bo wtedy więcej doceniam.
This was a cute book! And I loved that the main character was a lesbian, but the book didn't revolve around her sexuality, it was just a given and part of the story. And that she was dealing with anger issues as a result of turning grief and sadness inward. RELATABLE.
But something about the characters did not click with me on a deep level. I think there were parts that were gripping and emotional, and it was a fun read, but not a gut wrencher (but maybe that's for the best?).
There was also some coded racism and transphobia tidbits that were unnecessary, and had no impact on the story or plot. Deuces didn't need to have a trans girlfriend (she was brought up in one conversation and never mentioned again) and just, I wish Brown would have either consulted with Black folks and trans folks, or not have written them in at all.
But something about the characters did not click with me on a deep level. I think there were parts that were gripping and emotional, and it was a fun read, but not a gut wrencher (but maybe that's for the best?).
There was also some coded racism and transphobia tidbits that were unnecessary, and had no impact on the story or plot. Deuces didn't need to have a trans girlfriend (she was brought up in one conversation and never mentioned again) and just, I wish Brown would have either consulted with Black folks and trans folks, or not have written them in at all.
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I saw the cover and I was sold. I knew I needed to read it. The only issue was I was on vacation and I saw it in a public library that was over a thousand miles away. I couldn’t get a library card and check it out when I was scheduled to fly out the next day. It would have been rude to who I was visiting. So I waited for my library to get it and then forgot about the book, until I saw that cover again.
This book has so many positive things. Things like an aroace main character (not so great is the aphobia that the MC spouts at this character when she gets mad). There is a straight boy in a relationship with a trans girl (of course there is transphobia over this because of the ridiculous idea that trans women are men. Please stop. Trans women are women. Done). There is the idea that anger can be covering up other emotions and the idea that women can be angry.
Honestly my favorite part of this book is the anger. The MC has a lot of anger and has been in therapy for it. She knows it is there and she suffers the consequences of not being able to control it. I love that she on page goes through the steps to stop her anger and that the few times she gives in are reasons I would legitimately have issue faulting her for (but other characters do). So I really understood the feelings of wanting to give in to the anger since it didn’t matter why she was angry. And angry was better than numb or sad. Angry was safe. Was this book written for teenage me? Because anger was my number one emotion.
The pain that comes with art is also fascinating. It is wonderful to see pain and anger in such a nuanced way in a YA book. I remember being unable to even drive by the place someone took me on a first date after a break-up that was particularly painful. I can’t imagine losing someone like the MC did. That pain being put onto her art which is a coping mechanism for her was so painful and raw. I loved how she learned new art and new creativity. I loved how she didn’t jump right back into a relationship. I loved how she made so many mistakes and was far from perfect. At times the MC was downright toxic and awful. She was called out for it and she refused to budge. Then she was called out for something else and went “shit, I am really messing up”. It took her a while. She was so human. I just adore this book.
This was almost a perfect book for me. There was a random transphobic moment near the 3/4 mark that just didn’t make any sense. There was no reason for the remark, especially considering the character was completely cool with a trans woman character (who is only mentioned, but never actually seen and had already met my random transphobia limit in the book). There was also a lot of biphobia for some weird reason. The MC is very concerned about her girlfriend being interested in men and gets super defensive and weird when things are explained. It was just not ok.
I saw the cover and I was sold. I knew I needed to read it. The only issue was I was on vacation and I saw it in a public library that was over a thousand miles away. I couldn’t get a library card and check it out when I was scheduled to fly out the next day. It would have been rude to who I was visiting. So I waited for my library to get it and then forgot about the book, until I saw that cover again.
This book has so many positive things. Things like an aroace main character (not so great is the aphobia that the MC spouts at this character when she gets mad). There is a straight boy in a relationship with a trans girl (of course there is transphobia over this because of the ridiculous idea that trans women are men. Please stop. Trans women are women. Done). There is the idea that anger can be covering up other emotions and the idea that women can be angry.
Honestly my favorite part of this book is the anger. The MC has a lot of anger and has been in therapy for it. She knows it is there and she suffers the consequences of not being able to control it. I love that she on page goes through the steps to stop her anger and that the few times she gives in are reasons I would legitimately have issue faulting her for (but other characters do). So I really understood the feelings of wanting to give in to the anger since it didn’t matter why she was angry. And angry was better than numb or sad. Angry was safe. Was this book written for teenage me? Because anger was my number one emotion.
The pain that comes with art is also fascinating. It is wonderful to see pain and anger in such a nuanced way in a YA book. I remember being unable to even drive by the place someone took me on a first date after a break-up that was particularly painful. I can’t imagine losing someone like the MC did. That pain being put onto her art which is a coping mechanism for her was so painful and raw. I loved how she learned new art and new creativity. I loved how she didn’t jump right back into a relationship. I loved how she made so many mistakes and was far from perfect. At times the MC was downright toxic and awful. She was called out for it and she refused to budge. Then she was called out for something else and went “shit, I am really messing up”. It took her a while. She was so human. I just adore this book.
This was almost a perfect book for me. There was a random transphobic moment near the 3/4 mark that just didn’t make any sense. There was no reason for the remark, especially considering the character was completely cool with a trans woman character (who is only mentioned, but never actually seen and had already met my random transphobia limit in the book). There was also a lot of biphobia for some weird reason. The MC is very concerned about her girlfriend being interested in men and gets super defensive and weird when things are explained. It was just not ok.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated