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

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Spell binding debut novel set in Trinidad & Tobago where we encounter two people who interact with death in ways you don’t see everyday. Darwin has grown up under the rules of his Rastafarian mother, however, since she has gotten older, it’s fallen to him to help keep the two of them from going under. He is essentially forced to take a job as a gravedigger, something he know his mother would disapprove of but it pays the bills. Yejide is doing her best to come to terms with her mother’s recent death and also the fact that it’s now her responsibility to shepherd the city’s souls into the afterlife. Yet, similar to how Darwin sheds his locs to prepare for his new job, Yejide is looking for a way to remove herself from the St. Bernard responsibility. The pair eventually meet at the cemetery and sparks slowly burst. This is more than just a casual love story. This also involves intrigue, murder suspicions and being a part of Caribbean life that we don’t get to experience in the book world. 
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