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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
Dark and whimsical this book was a fun and highly enjoyable palate cleanser between the more serious material I've been feeling compelled to read lately.
I really super enjoyed reading this book. The prose was beautiful and the story and characters were vivid and lovable. My only gripe was that I had no idea where the story was going (or even what kind of story it was supposed to be) until the second half of the book. The main character isn’t even introduced until halfway through. Thankfully, the ride to that point was wonderfully scenic and interesting enough to keep me going. Despite its non-formulaic approach, in the end, it just works. This is magical realism for people who don’t like magical realism. 4.5 stars.
Ava Lavender was born with wings, and in her attempt to discover why she researches and records her family's long history of magic and heartbreak. This is reminiscent of the novels of Alice Hoffman: whimsical and bittersweet magical realism with a focus on families, a combination that offers frothy magical elements and overdrawn, almost archetypal characterization. This style simply isn't for me, and I put the book down at around 30 pages.
3.5
I started out loving this book. It's well written and quite unique from most other YA books. But I felt way too disconnected with the characters, and despite the beautiful prose, I was extremely unsatisfied. It was sad and beautiful... but not enough for me.
I started out loving this book. It's well written and quite unique from most other YA books. But I felt way too disconnected with the characters, and despite the beautiful prose, I was extremely unsatisfied. It was sad and beautiful... but not enough for me.
I put off reading this because I feared I wouldn't like it as much as a lot of people seeing as it isn't really a genre I reach for. I'm glad I was way wrong. It had such a calming effect on me as I was reading it, and the writing is beautiful. Loved it.
It has been a year since I read this book, but its magic still captivates me.
From the first page to the end, I was sucked in. I am a fan of history, so from the first chapter, I was sold. I loved the family history, as family is a recurring and important theme of this book it was especially fitting.
The story of Ava Lavender and the generations before her is refreshing - I have not read a book like this before. Although there is something indeed magical about Ava herself, the story simply uses it as a tool and not the main, all-important topic of the book. The book instead explores childhood, innocence, adulthood, the importance of love and support, family, and most of all, overcoming overwhelming grief.
I honestly just want to read it all over again. That's how much I loved this book.
Read it, you won't be disappointed.
From the first page to the end, I was sucked in. I am a fan of history, so from the first chapter, I was sold. I loved the family history, as family is a recurring and important theme of this book it was especially fitting.
The story of Ava Lavender and the generations before her is refreshing - I have not read a book like this before. Although there is something indeed magical about Ava herself, the story simply uses it as a tool and not the main, all-important topic of the book. The book instead explores childhood, innocence, adulthood, the importance of love and support, family, and most of all, overcoming overwhelming grief.
I honestly just want to read it all over again. That's how much I loved this book.
Read it, you won't be disappointed.
This books surprised me because I had been expected a light fantasy-esque novel and instead I get a dark horror-esque novel. But it wasn't bad, I actually liked it.
