A review by cgreenstein
When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this! It's heartwarming and life-affirming despite being a book about death, loss, and the crushing pressure of duty. One aspect that I really liked was how both characters wrestle with the weight of familial expectations, but they don't solve their problems in the same way, as this stays true to the reality that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to life. I also got to learn a little about Trinidad from this book, which was great, because before this I knew essentially nothing about it. The main characters were easy to root for, and I was thoroughly satisfied with the ending.