Reviews

The Strange and BeautifulSorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

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lilo23's review against another edition

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2.0

Unpopular opinion: I didn’t like this. This book was just strange but I liked the ending tho.

eponineeurydice's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is heartbreaking, beautiful, important and luminous. It follows a slightly magical and powerfully bonded family, kinda like Encanto. Some of the amazing themes explored in this book are love in all its forms, loss, feminism and neurodivergence. It is slightly mystical but also very real-hence, I guess, why it's labeled as magical realism. Do be aware of the TWs, most of all s*xual assault, as it is quite a dark read at times, and especially at a certain point towards the end. But I think it paints a much-needed picture of strong women, of which there is quite a lack of in YA. The only thing keeping me from rating it 5 stars was the ending, which was pretty open and vague, so if you don't like those... still read it but just be aware of that. It was just so authentic, so evocative and lyrical. I really really enjoyed it.

bookmarksandespressoshots's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-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

5.0

faeriesparks's review

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4.0

This book was just what the title implies - very, very strange but at the same time so beautiful. AND HEARTBREAKING!
I really enjoyed the whimsical writing and the way this story was told. The entire book is told from Ava's POV but we start with her grandmother growing up, then her mother and then get to Ava.
A lot of times I actually had no idea what was happening but I didn't mind at all.

rachd24's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5/5* Review.

I read this book as part of The Transatlantic Book Project - http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2015/11/15/the-transatlantic-book-project/ - 10 bloggers, 2 books, 2 countries.

Magical realism isn't a genre I tend to gravitate towards. I either do contemporary, or full on fantasy, but rarely anything in between. Magical elements make sense to me in a fantasy setting, because they are supposed to be there, but magical realism doesn’t always work for me because the magical, and often downright odd, elements are inexplicable.

The first, and most obvious, thing to say about this book, is how amazed I am that this is Walton’s debut. Whether magical realism works for you or not, there is no denying that this is a beautifully written story. Spanning three generations of Roux women, I loved the historical element to the tale, and the back stories we get for each character. The novel is told with a somewhat whimsical and dream-like tone, reminiscent of an adult/modern fairy tale. While the story is character driven, there is plenty of plot, and the book never really drags at any point – it’s well paced and has an element of mystery throughout, which is intensified by some seriously ominous foreshadowing.

While this book could drown you, at times, in tragedy, unfairness and grief, it could also be quietly uplifting, reassuring and occasionally hopeful. My biggest concern is that our main character does suffer some traumatic circumstances, which were largely left unpunished, and that ultimately didn’t sit right with me.

Check out my full review:
http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2015/12/09/review-the-strange-and-beautiful-sorrows-of-ava-lavender/