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karnaconverse's review against another edition
3.0
Verble packs a wide variety of characters and themes into this 1920s-era story: prohibition, race relations, a WWI veteran, the Scopes Trial, Native American beliefs, and the day-to-day activities of a zoo and the death-defying performances of its horse diver. The base story itself, however, is a bit difficult to define, and I'm not convinced it's as much a mystery as the promo blurb emphasizes. For me, this story is a search-for-self narrative in which horse diver Two Feathers is beginning to wonder who she is and who she wants to be.
Verble is knowledgeable. In addition to being an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, she grew up in the neighborhood where this story is set and vividly remembers digging up the shoulder bone of a large animal when she was a child. She writes with a warmth that drew me in, but I didn't become as invested in this story as I had in the story she told in Cherokee America, one of the New York Times 2019 Notable Books of the Year.
Verble is knowledgeable. In addition to being an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, she grew up in the neighborhood where this story is set and vividly remembers digging up the shoulder bone of a large animal when she was a child. She writes with a warmth that drew me in, but I didn't become as invested in this story as I had in the story she told in Cherokee America, one of the New York Times 2019 Notable Books of the Year.
erinsbookshelves's review against another edition
postponing my reviews of books published by harper collins + their imprints due to them planning to publish a book by a zionist author in jan. 2024.
oloyack's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
renaplays's review against another edition
4.0
A mash-up of genres, including historical fiction, entertainment history, magic realism, thriller, and mystery.
I was enthralled by the first part of the book--the story of Two Feathers, her horse diving, and the various characters of Glendale Park, particularly her friendship with Crawford and the Montgomery Sisters. I was surprised, delighted, and thoroughly entertained as if I had been at the park myself.
Once the number of points of view proliferated, the narrative got boggy, and my energy flagged. There were too many story lines hinted at and left unresolved, including the wealthy Shackleford ne'er-do-well son, the ghosts of Clive's past, and the relevance of the Scopes Trial.
The author's note reveals how much of the plotline was historical, and I think that would have made for a richer, more satisfying structure than the reduction to a villain-focused story. The magic realist aspects were entertaining, but seemed to belong to a different book. The author is just trying to do too much, and we're left with the thin results.
I would have preferred taking the intriguing, fresh, core characters deeper into their complex histories, embedding them in the compelling local history, and showing us more about a changing America. While the latter part of the book didn't work so well for me, I am still a big fan of Two, Clive, and Crawford, and think the book is a notable read for its behind-the-scenes look at this form of mass entertainment, the complexities of diversity in the 1920s, and an end of an era.
Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an advanced review copy.
I was enthralled by the first part of the book--the story of Two Feathers, her horse diving, and the various characters of Glendale Park, particularly her friendship with Crawford and the Montgomery Sisters. I was surprised, delighted, and thoroughly entertained as if I had been at the park myself.
Once the number of points of view proliferated, the narrative got boggy, and my energy flagged. There were too many story lines hinted at and left unresolved, including the wealthy Shackleford ne'er-do-well son, the ghosts of Clive's past, and the relevance of the Scopes Trial.
The author's note reveals how much of the plotline was historical, and I think that would have made for a richer, more satisfying structure than the reduction to a villain-focused story. The magic realist aspects were entertaining, but seemed to belong to a different book. The author is just trying to do too much, and we're left with the thin results.
I would have preferred taking the intriguing, fresh, core characters deeper into their complex histories, embedding them in the compelling local history, and showing us more about a changing America. While the latter part of the book didn't work so well for me, I am still a big fan of Two, Clive, and Crawford, and think the book is a notable read for its behind-the-scenes look at this form of mass entertainment, the complexities of diversity in the 1920s, and an end of an era.
Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an advanced review copy.
bertolino's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
rachelle_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
4.75
It took me a minute to get into this one, perhaps because of the large cast of quirky characters. But once I did, wow, I really enjoyed the setting, the people, and the stories woven throughout. I wish more people knew about Margaret Verble.
alliepeduto's review against another edition
3.0
When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky is a mystery, a historical novel, and, above all, an educational narrative that will stick with you long after the last page. The characters and situations will draw you in, but the haunting story and the lessons available to those open to learning will keep you.
Two Feathers, our eponymous main character, is a horse diver (and I highly recommend you research that to get a full appreciation for the job title), who is working in the now defunct Nashville Glendale Zoo in 1926. After a series of strange happenings, Two becomes embroiled in a mystery regarding the park’s animals and whether there are supernatural elements at play. It’s magical realism at its finest, but I found the story extremely believable despite this.
But what I found most compelling in the book was the storytelling. This expertly weaved in historical facts while maintaining a sense of the unknown, honoring those who have gone before, with an understanding that history repeats itself. Our job is to listen and learn, and to be better. It’s masterful writing and an engaging story that you won’t want to miss!
Two Feathers, our eponymous main character, is a horse diver (and I highly recommend you research that to get a full appreciation for the job title), who is working in the now defunct Nashville Glendale Zoo in 1926. After a series of strange happenings, Two becomes embroiled in a mystery regarding the park’s animals and whether there are supernatural elements at play. It’s magical realism at its finest, but I found the story extremely believable despite this.
But what I found most compelling in the book was the storytelling. This expertly weaved in historical facts while maintaining a sense of the unknown, honoring those who have gone before, with an understanding that history repeats itself. Our job is to listen and learn, and to be better. It’s masterful writing and an engaging story that you won’t want to miss!
junemcteer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
kappafrog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
This book got off to a very strong start. I loved the opening chapter, immediately grounding the book's approach to historical fiction in Indigenous storytelling and history. Two Feathers was a great main character. The best parts of the book were the ones from her perspective.
The middle of the book dragged. I didn't enjoy reading from the antagonist's POV, and the book drifted too far from her perspective with side characters. I did like Clive as a character, and Crawford, though their romantic side stories were again taking a lot of time away from Two.
I loved the magical realism in this book. The ghosts were really compelling. This book just had such a refreshing take on the setting, providing windows into a variety of worlds, from early 20th century entertainers' lives to the perspective of the buffalo.
So while the romances and Jack dragged the book down a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in this world and seeing it from Two's eyes. We need more books like this.
The middle of the book dragged. I didn't enjoy reading from the antagonist's POV, and the book drifted too far from her perspective with side characters. I did like Clive as a character, and Crawford, though their romantic side stories were again taking a lot of time away from Two.
I loved the magical realism in this book. The ghosts were really compelling. This book just had such a refreshing take on the setting, providing windows into a variety of worlds, from early 20th century entertainers' lives to the perspective of the buffalo.
So while the romances and Jack dragged the book down a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in this world and seeing it from Two's eyes. We need more books like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Animal death, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Stalking, Racism, Vomit, Genocide, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Alcohol, Grief, Violence, War, Sexism, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Classism, Death, and Slavery
Minor: Excrement, Child death, and Homophobia