A review by kristennm1972
All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld

4.0

This is just a dark, dark book. Its pages are rife with physical and psychological violence and pain. The imagery throughout is grim and disturbing--everything is wounded and broken. I can't say I enjoyed reading it, but I'm glad I did. Jake is an original, interesting character--I can't think of anyone else like her. Wyld tells Jake's story in two narratives, alternating between chapters--one in her present life as a largely isolated sheep farmer, and one that unfolds in reverse chronology to reveal her mysterious past. I found the structure at times disjointed and confusing, but I did think Wyld succeeded in creating the sense that these narratives moving in opposite temporal directions would converge. And they do in the book's stunning conclusion. In the penultimate chapter, Jake and Lloyd seem to find some comfort and companionship with one another in their devastated lives. And the final chapter? It's one page, two paragraphs. I've read it three more times since I finished the book last night, and every time it seems more beautiful and gut-wrenching. It's probably because it's so fresh to me, but right now it feels like my new favorite ending to a book ever.