A review by rebeccajanereads
Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Another book I read for the #readingWomenChallenge2021; I finished last week on my drive to see the fam!

Salma, Moni, and Iman are Muslim women living in Scotland. They go on vacation to a loch where they plan to hike up to the grave of a famous woman. During their weeklong visit, Iman finds a closet full of costumes to wear, Moni befriends an odd little boy, and Salma dives deeper into a flirtation with an old lover. All three of them leave the loch changed women, having to deal with finding themselves and understanding how they fit into their faith.

This book contains a lot of magical realism, so if that isn’t your jam, then don’t pick this up (I really liked it!). Some of the things that happen are a bit weird and fantastical, but I enjoyed seeing each of the characters grow.