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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
Captivatingly written, but I continue to be irritated by the recurring theme that women are ruined by love and that closing off one's heart is a livable solution. Other than that, the magical bits are enchanting.
This book isn't really about Ava. It's about her mother and grandmother and great-aunt & uncle, and how their lives were utterly destroyed by mishaps in romance. They die, they transform into birds, they withdraw from life entirely, they do not stand up for themselves, they allow callow others to sever their hearts from their bodies.
Beautiful writing. Annoying, wallowing-in-self-pity-for-decades characters.
This book isn't really about Ava. It's about her mother and grandmother and great-aunt & uncle, and how their lives were utterly destroyed by mishaps in romance. They die, they transform into birds, they withdraw from life entirely, they do not stand up for themselves, they allow callow others to sever their hearts from their bodies.
Beautiful writing. Annoying, wallowing-in-self-pity-for-decades characters.
This strange fiction was not at all what I thought it would be. This family lived so far removed from life in their own town, that I just couldn't relate to or even much care about them. I did kind if like one secondary character, and I'm glad things worked out well in the end for him. All the rest of it was just a bit of a weird fantasy. I can't think of anyone I'd recommend it to.
Beautiful and sad. This story has all-ages appeal. Multi-generational magical realism. So if you like stories that are a little bit strange, you might like this. Strong female characters, tragic love stories, magical happenings, and beautiful writing make this a really great read.
I'm not always a fan of magical realism but I absolutely loved this! A modern-day fairy tale - more like the un-sanitized originals with death, horror, and heartbreak. It's lovely, sad, whimsical, and beautifully crafted.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Gosh this was the weirdest and most wonderful book I have read in a long time! Whimsical and sometimes incredibly odd (wait, make that all the time) this was absolutely amazing! Definitely recommend!
3.5 stars
This book was confusing, alluring and extremely interesting. There were times where I felt like I had no clue what was going on, but at the same time I couldn't put the book down! Some clarity would have made the book even better but I definitely enjoyed it!
This book was confusing, alluring and extremely interesting. There were times where I felt like I had no clue what was going on, but at the same time I couldn't put the book down! Some clarity would have made the book even better but I definitely enjoyed it!
Whimsical
I really loved this book. The story reminds me of Big Fish and how whimsical it was. This book was just lovely and moving. Really sad that the story ended as I could have kept reading about these characters.
I really loved this book. The story reminds me of Big Fish and how whimsical it was. This book was just lovely and moving. Really sad that the story ended as I could have kept reading about these characters.
Book about Ava Lavender took over half the read time to start discussing Ava Lavender.
If I were rating this book specifically on writing style, the book would probably recieve a 4/5. Walton is good at describing scenes that blend magical elements in with realism as if it was common. Magical realism is often a hit-or-miss with me, and I personally enjoyed how she implemented it within the story.
That being said, I struggled to fall in love with this book. I learned far more about the Lavender family rather than Ava herself. When a book explicity calls out a wonderful girl with wings by name , I expect to read mostly about her trials and triumphs. I wanted to know more about how her wings impacted her daily life. I hoped to hear more about her childhood curiosity. This book, although interesting, deviates too much from its primary selling point.
If I were rating this book specifically on writing style, the book would probably recieve a 4/5. Walton is good at describing scenes that blend magical elements in with realism as if it was common. Magical realism is often a hit-or-miss with me, and I personally enjoyed how she implemented it within the story.
That being said, I struggled to fall in love with this book. I learned far more about the Lavender family rather than Ava herself. When a book explicity calls out a wonderful girl with wings by name , I expect to read mostly about her trials and triumphs. I wanted to know more about how her wings impacted her daily life. I hoped to hear more about her childhood curiosity. This book, although interesting, deviates too much from its primary selling point.
Sad so very sad. There is an inkling of light in this book, but it is very well written and captivating.