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mangocult 's review for:
The Blackbird Girls
by Anne Blankman
A dual-timeline narrative winding around to the convergence of two scared and lonely girls - schoolyard foes (and the estranged grandmother who takes them in together) in the wake of the disaster at Chernobyl - the one that takes the lives of both of their fathers and permanently upends their lives in Soviet-era Ukraine.
I read this immediately after finishing Midnight in Chernobyl, which gave it an entirely new context that I felt enhanced nearly every aspect of this story. It's shelved as middle grade/YA, and while the reading level may be below adult, the story itself transcends age. The themes of prejudice, abuse, healing, growth, and what it means to be a family are equally meaningful to 13 and 30 year olds alike.
I'm so glad I read The Blackbird Girls, and the good news is that almost a month later, I think I have finally replenished all of the electrolytes I lost from CRYING MY EYES OUT while reading.
I read this immediately after finishing Midnight in Chernobyl, which gave it an entirely new context that I felt enhanced nearly every aspect of this story. It's shelved as middle grade/YA, and while the reading level may be below adult, the story itself transcends age. The themes of prejudice, abuse, healing, growth, and what it means to be a family are equally meaningful to 13 and 30 year olds alike.
I'm so glad I read The Blackbird Girls, and the good news is that almost a month later, I think I have finally replenished all of the electrolytes I lost from CRYING MY EYES OUT while reading.