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thomaswjoyce's review
4.0
An excellent tale of love and obsession. My introduction to Busboom's fiction, and it made a great impact. Isaac falls under the mysterious Lilith's spell the moment he spots her. And I imagine there is something supernatural going on straight away. She is described as being very beautiful, but Isaac's obsession seems to go much deeper, much quicker than simple teenage lust. But Busboom's description of a young man's descent into need and desire is very engaging and realistic, full of emotion and straight from the heart. As is his depiction of Isaac's relationship with the troubled Elizabeth. Their own problems will feel very real to anyone who has dealt with depression or had a partner who has dealt with it. Their love soon spirals into the mundane and probably would have done so anyway, but seems to do so all the quicker because of Isaac's obsession with Lilith.
The role of the antagonist seems to draw on multiple classic tropes and weave them into one complex - and horrifying - character. She is vampiric, drawing on the lifeblood of her victims. But she is also like a succubus, relying on a succession of mates to maintain her power. Then there is the myth of "Lilith" herself, as an entity in ancient folklore, as discussed in the story itself. And the transformation to a bird of prey is something that has been written about before. But to bring all of these elements together makes for a very compelling character.
From the moment he met her, Isaac was a fly caught in a web. He wasn't the first, and most likely won't be the last. The length of the story was perfect, Busboom getting the pacing just right. And the ending is suitably bleak for one character, while offering another character redemption, giving the reader, if not a completely happy ending, a very satisfying one indeed.
The role of the antagonist seems to draw on multiple classic tropes and weave them into one complex - and horrifying - character. She is vampiric, drawing on the lifeblood of her victims. But she is also like a succubus, relying on a succession of mates to maintain her power. Then there is the myth of "Lilith" herself, as an entity in ancient folklore, as discussed in the story itself. And the transformation to a bird of prey is something that has been written about before. But to bring all of these elements together makes for a very compelling character.
From the moment he met her, Isaac was a fly caught in a web. He wasn't the first, and most likely won't be the last. The length of the story was perfect, Busboom getting the pacing just right. And the ending is suitably bleak for one character, while offering another character redemption, giving the reader, if not a completely happy ending, a very satisfying one indeed.
inkychaotics's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read and Busboom's prose is just lovely. The descriptions of scenery and setting in particular are wonderful. Nightbird uses elements from the Lilith myth in a compelling way. There are familiar elements there, but what is known becomes mixed intimately into the protagonist's (Isaac) life in a really intriguing way -- a way that makes the book hard to put down. Also, I'm a fan of erotic horror so I just enjoyed the sexy, bloody moments when they cropped up.
What I liked most about this book is how well the characters are written, especially Elizabeth. She is such a raw and real character who gets the short end of the stick, not really knowing what Isaac has got himself into, but her arch and especially the epilogue were what really made me invested in this very fine book by Busboom. Definitely recommend.
What I liked most about this book is how well the characters are written, especially Elizabeth. She is such a raw and real character who gets the short end of the stick, not really knowing what Isaac has got himself into, but her arch and especially the epilogue were what really made me invested in this very fine book by Busboom. Definitely recommend.
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