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katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
A very good study of a grieving family.
On the day of her birth, Jewel's five year old brother John (known as Bird) jumps from a cliff to his death. Jewel has grown up with the knowledge that her parents and grandfather all feel guilty and sad, that her grandfather hasn't spoken a word since that day. She herself feels guilty as well as hurt by their preoccupation.
Now 12, Jewel has started to follow some of her Jamaican father's superstitious leanings, believing in spirits and back luck. When a boy her own age arrives in the nieghbourhood, she and her family are horrified and fascinated to discover his name is also John. Things are about to come to a head for Jewel and her family. Long-suppressed feelings have to come to the surface eventually.
It's a rather long book for the subject matter, which is the only reason I haven't given it five stars. I felt it could have been a little tighter and shorter without losing anything. That said, it's a very well-written debut and I loved Jewel's voice and view of the world.
It's sad, moving and a sensitive portrait of how every member of a family deals with the death of a child.
On the day of her birth, Jewel's five year old brother John (known as Bird) jumps from a cliff to his death. Jewel has grown up with the knowledge that her parents and grandfather all feel guilty and sad, that her grandfather hasn't spoken a word since that day. She herself feels guilty as well as hurt by their preoccupation.
Now 12, Jewel has started to follow some of her Jamaican father's superstitious leanings, believing in spirits and back luck. When a boy her own age arrives in the nieghbourhood, she and her family are horrified and fascinated to discover his name is also John. Things are about to come to a head for Jewel and her family. Long-suppressed feelings have to come to the surface eventually.
It's a rather long book for the subject matter, which is the only reason I haven't given it five stars. I felt it could have been a little tighter and shorter without losing anything. That said, it's a very well-written debut and I loved Jewel's voice and view of the world.
It's sad, moving and a sensitive portrait of how every member of a family deals with the death of a child.
gmamartha's review against another edition
4.0
"My" book club kids really like this one. Good characters and settings.
tanemariacris's review against another edition
4.0
O poveste sensibilă care a ajuns în casa sufletului meu.
Este scrisă într-un mod fermecător și am recitit cu plăcere paragrafe încărcate de o profunzime aparte ce mi-au stârnit întrebări despre mine, despre oameni, despre viață şi despre totul din jurul nostru.
A fost deosebit de interesant să pătrund în culturile îmbinate în carte şi am învățat multe informații noi atât legate de acestea, cât şi de Univers şi de pământul plin de mistere.
Imperfecțiunile şi frământările personajelor m-au transportat şi mai bine în acțiunea desfășurată în Iowa, ele părând reale, debordând de vitalitate şi evoluând pe parcursul creației.
Vă recomand cu încredere să o citiți!
Este scrisă într-un mod fermecător și am recitit cu plăcere paragrafe încărcate de o profunzime aparte ce mi-au stârnit întrebări despre mine, despre oameni, despre viață şi despre totul din jurul nostru.
A fost deosebit de interesant să pătrund în culturile îmbinate în carte şi am învățat multe informații noi atât legate de acestea, cât şi de Univers şi de pământul plin de mistere.
Imperfecțiunile şi frământările personajelor m-au transportat şi mai bine în acțiunea desfășurată în Iowa, ele părând reale, debordând de vitalitate şi evoluând pe parcursul creației.
Vă recomand cu încredere să o citiți!
eliathereader's review against another edition
4.0
Bu kitap nasıl köşede unutulur? Kederi anlatan güzel kitaplardan üstelik küçük yaştaki bir çocuğun gözünden. Sessizlikler, yürek burkulmaları, mutsuzluklar... Severek okudum.
jwinchell's review against another edition
3.0
Bird is a strong addition to a burgeoning magical realism/fiction + spiritual elements genre that overwhelmingly lacks diverse characters in non-urban settings; I loved that about this solid but rather long middle grade novel. It's important, too, that it speaks eloquently to grief across the generations and the loneliness kids feel when home is full of discord. I will recommend this to students who liked Older's Shadowshaper (with notes that there are no zombies and the spiritual elements are more subdued) or Hoffman's Nightbird (noting that that this contains much more realism).
readacorn's review against another edition
5.0
In den Sternenhimmel gucken, auf Bäume klettern und nach besonderen Steinen graben - in John hat Jewel einen Freund gefunden, mit dem all das noch viel mehr Spaß macht. Zusammen mit ihm ist sie sogar mutig genug, dem Bürgermeister die Meinung zu sagen und ihren Eltern Fragen zu stellen. Fragen über diesen einen Tag, an dem Jewel geboren wurde, ihr Bruder starb und sich das Leben ihrer Familie für immer verändert hat....
Erzählt aus der Sicht der zwölfjährigen Jewel hat diese Geschichte eine ganz magische Atmosphäre, die sogar leicht an Allendes 'Geisterhaus' erinnert. In einer ausgesprochen poetischen aber dennoch glaubhaften Sprache werden wir in die Gefühlswelt der Erzählerin mitgenommen. Hin und her gerissen zwischen einem stummen Großvater, einer äußerst rationalen Mutter und einem Vater, der fest an Geister, Zeichen und Flüche glaubt; Eltern, deren Ehe den Tod ihres ersten Sohnes noch nicht verkraftet hat, sucht Jewel Orientierung und Identität. Ein Buch, was mit jedem Kapitel besser wird.
Ich weiß nicht mehr, wie dieses Buch in mein Regal gelangte oder wer es mir empfohlen hat, aber die Ausdrucksform hat mich unglaublich berührt und ich hoffe, dass mein Stapel ungelesener Bücher noch mehr solcher Volltreffer hergibt.
Erzählt aus der Sicht der zwölfjährigen Jewel hat diese Geschichte eine ganz magische Atmosphäre, die sogar leicht an Allendes 'Geisterhaus' erinnert. In einer ausgesprochen poetischen aber dennoch glaubhaften Sprache werden wir in die Gefühlswelt der Erzählerin mitgenommen. Hin und her gerissen zwischen einem stummen Großvater, einer äußerst rationalen Mutter und einem Vater, der fest an Geister, Zeichen und Flüche glaubt; Eltern, deren Ehe den Tod ihres ersten Sohnes noch nicht verkraftet hat, sucht Jewel Orientierung und Identität. Ein Buch, was mit jedem Kapitel besser wird.
Ich weiß nicht mehr, wie dieses Buch in mein Regal gelangte oder wer es mir empfohlen hat, aber die Ausdrucksform hat mich unglaublich berührt und ich hoffe, dass mein Stapel ungelesener Bücher noch mehr solcher Volltreffer hergibt.
ori_gina_lity's review against another edition
4.0
Inspired by nature, superstition, and tradition Bird by Crystal Chan is a stunning middle grade debut. In a small Iowan town Jewel is born on the day her brother dies. Now 12 years old for Jewel living in a home filled with silent grief and secrets is all she has ever known, until she finds a boy in her favorite climbing tree.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, the writing style is so down-to-earth. Chan takes time to beautifully describe our connection with the natural world, a central theme in the novel. I was most impressed with the evolution of Jewel’s relationship with her grandpa as well as her friendship with the mysterious boy in the tree. Both developments had me smiling and offered levity when Jewel faced tough times. Sensitive to the real issues a sibling encounters when a family endures with the loss of a child the novel does possess a darker tone - addressing anger and the damage silence can do, but Chan also demonstrates how silence can heal so there is always a bit of light on the next page. Jewel’s voice remains strong and thoughtful from beginning to end, you gain a realistic sense of her growth as she questions loneliness, joy, and the traditional beliefs of her multiracial family. A poignant read about family, friends, and forgiveness. 4/5 stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, the writing style is so down-to-earth. Chan takes time to beautifully describe our connection with the natural world, a central theme in the novel. I was most impressed with the evolution of Jewel’s relationship with her grandpa as well as her friendship with the mysterious boy in the tree. Both developments had me smiling and offered levity when Jewel faced tough times. Sensitive to the real issues a sibling encounters when a family endures with the loss of a child the novel does possess a darker tone - addressing anger and the damage silence can do, but Chan also demonstrates how silence can heal so there is always a bit of light on the next page. Jewel’s voice remains strong and thoughtful from beginning to end, you gain a realistic sense of her growth as she questions loneliness, joy, and the traditional beliefs of her multiracial family. A poignant read about family, friends, and forgiveness. 4/5 stars.
pally's review against another edition
5.0
i’ve read this book about two times previously. i thought id read it again because it’s been some time since the last read and i remember really liking this book and crying while reading it. near the end kinda struck some chords and i could feel the emotion. the last couple of pages tho got me and there i was, teary eyed on the train. there’s something about the way this book is written and expresses emotions and describes experiences, in a way that hits close. thinking about the way i’ve read it in three completely different phases of my life was kinda bittersweet too and it got me in the end while i was walking home, because i’ve been a different palwasha every time. i guess nothing much has changed, this book is still so dear to me and still evokes the same feelings. i love this book.
helendeu's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine being born on the day your brother died. Would each birthday be celebrated or mourned?
I came to this book after the YA Midnight Reads review. Expectations were high and Bird came through. The prose and symbolism were spot on and there are two points in the book (which I'm afraid to name for fear of spoiling it for others!) that I actually cried, gasping, ugly crying. I love a book that makes me feel so much.
Only as I think about it now, I realise that I don't like that the book was named after Bird. This is Jewel's book.
Do yourself a favour.
I came to this book after the YA Midnight Reads review. Expectations were high and Bird came through. The prose and symbolism were spot on and there are two points in the book (which I'm afraid to name for fear of spoiling it for others!) that I actually cried, gasping, ugly crying. I love a book that makes me feel so much.
Only as I think about it now, I realise that I don't like that the book was named after Bird. This is Jewel's book.
Do yourself a favour.