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A review by em_writing
The Fable of Wren by Rue Sparks
5.0
The Fable of Wren is the second of Sparks’ books that I’ve had the pleasure of reading (the first being their short work Daylight Chasers) and I’m happy to report that it does not disappoint.
The story follows Wren, a stubborn, reclusive enby trying to put their life back together after the death of the uncle that raised them. When their uncle’s best friend is found dead in the woods under mysterious circumstances, Wren must learn to rely on new friends and old to help bring themself and the town closure. Featuring a cinnamon roll best friend, a slightly magical secret society of bird-watchers, and storytelling from beyond the grave, this quiet, speculative mystery certainly packs a punch. But a gentle, kind punch.
Sparks’ has such an amazing way with words, painting perfect pictures of the hot humid forestry of Lousiana, the dusty quiet of the records room in a small town, and the chatter of a well-loved diner. It’s something that I can’t help but envy as a writer myself. They also capture grief and loss in an incredibly sensitive and delicate manner. These are themes that often occur in Sparks’ work, but each piece brings something new, adding an extra dimension to the conversation surrounding these topics. Fable of Wren explores the impact of death on mental health and relationships, as well as displaying the importance of finding community (or family) to help heal some of that pain. It is an incredibly tender and warm-hearted book and it deserves more stars than Goodreads and Amazon will allow me to offer.
As puzzle writer, I also love a good mystery and this book certainly appealed to me on that level as well. While the narrative and resolution to the story might not be quite what you’d expect of a classic mystery (which is why Sparks’ describes it as a quiet mystery), it was certainly fun to try and puzzle out the answers as Wren worked to uncover the killer. The Fable of Wren contains plenty of interesting tidbits to mull over between reading sessions and it was hugely satisfying to have many of my guesses proved right in the end. You always know you’ve done foreshadowing well when the sleuthy readers can see where you’re going!
Overall, this is another five star book from a brilliant indie author that I can’t help but envy. Sparks’ is a real talent and I hope you’ll give their work a try.
The story follows Wren, a stubborn, reclusive enby trying to put their life back together after the death of the uncle that raised them. When their uncle’s best friend is found dead in the woods under mysterious circumstances, Wren must learn to rely on new friends and old to help bring themself and the town closure. Featuring a cinnamon roll best friend, a slightly magical secret society of bird-watchers, and storytelling from beyond the grave, this quiet, speculative mystery certainly packs a punch. But a gentle, kind punch.
Sparks’ has such an amazing way with words, painting perfect pictures of the hot humid forestry of Lousiana, the dusty quiet of the records room in a small town, and the chatter of a well-loved diner. It’s something that I can’t help but envy as a writer myself. They also capture grief and loss in an incredibly sensitive and delicate manner. These are themes that often occur in Sparks’ work, but each piece brings something new, adding an extra dimension to the conversation surrounding these topics. Fable of Wren explores the impact of death on mental health and relationships, as well as displaying the importance of finding community (or family) to help heal some of that pain. It is an incredibly tender and warm-hearted book and it deserves more stars than Goodreads and Amazon will allow me to offer.
As puzzle writer, I also love a good mystery and this book certainly appealed to me on that level as well. While the narrative and resolution to the story might not be quite what you’d expect of a classic mystery (which is why Sparks’ describes it as a quiet mystery), it was certainly fun to try and puzzle out the answers as Wren worked to uncover the killer. The Fable of Wren contains plenty of interesting tidbits to mull over between reading sessions and it was hugely satisfying to have many of my guesses proved right in the end. You always know you’ve done foreshadowing well when the sleuthy readers can see where you’re going!
Overall, this is another five star book from a brilliant indie author that I can’t help but envy. Sparks’ is a real talent and I hope you’ll give their work a try.