A review by srivalli
Nightjar by Katya Balen

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

 4.5 Stars (rounded up to 5 stars as it made me teary-eyed) 

One Liner: Heartwarming and beautiful!

Noah is a thirteen-year-old boy with a beautiful heart. He loves birds and saves the injured ones with his friend Annie. However, he is also troubled because of his relationship with his dad. 

His dad arrived from the US to attend Noah’s Bar Mitzvah, trying to play his part. In one such attempt, Noah and his dad find an injured nightjar on their trip to a park. They have different opinions on what to do. Soon, it’s clear that the duo need to talk and understand each other. 

Can Noah and his dad find common ground? 

The story comes from Noah’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts:

This is a long short story or a novelette that delivers what it promises and more. Right from the beginning, we know Noah (our MC) is a young boy with an old soul. He is such a kindhearted kid! 

The opening chapter sets the stage and tells us what we need to know. Noah’s dad loves him but doesn’t understand him or take the time to get to know his child. Living on another continent isn’t easy, but a child’s heart longs for parental love. 

Bit by bit, the story unfolds. This one focuses entirely on emotions. It’s much like wanting to hug and assure a melancholic little kid that everything will be fine. 

The writing is poetic without being overly so. Many birds are mentioned, some with a few descriptions and some with none. Noah’s love for birds, nature, and a simple life comes across on every page. 

Bits and pieces of information are scattered, just enough to paint a complete picture without getting into too much detail. 

I love Noah’s mom. She’s a tailor, working hard to provide her child with decent living conditions. She is also sensible and efficient and knows how to handle her son’s emotions. 

Of course, there’s a message too. No one is perfect or without fault. What’s right and wrong changes based on the circumstances. And most importantly, parents and kids need to make an effort to understand each other. All of this comes without being preachy. 

The book has soft illustrations- pencil/ charcoal sketches since Noah also makes charcoal sketches of all the birds he sees. The illustrations are subdued and borderline sad. They suit the book’s theme and tone. 

The publisher specializes in dyslexic-friendly books and ensures the content has high engagement value and low difficulty level. This one fits right in. Kids will relate to some or another aspect of the story. 

To summarize, Nightjar is a tender little story sure to impress readers of all age groups. This is my first book by the author, and I’ll definitely read more of her works (her Birdsong is already on my list). 

Thank you, NetGalley and Barrington Stoke, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#Nightjar #NetGalley