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A review by 2treads
When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
'...Fair don’t always mean good. Exchange don’t always mean peace. Power don’t always mean free.’ –Petronella
When We Were Birds is a story of transformation, legacy, and family inheritance that not only uses the lush flora and fauna of Trinidad but also our shared history that is rooted in story, belief, and culture.
The relationships here are complicated and as we get to know each character, their experiences heighten our connection and reaction.
Beneath a facade of simple existence, Lloyd Banwo layers a complex and intricate story of death and how it weaves through a community, how it appears and is experienced by individuals.
It is proof of her prowess that we are pulled so effortlessly into the tale of Yejide and Darwin, that we so instantly form a connection to them and their unique individual expression and situation. Trailing them both is the duty that binds them to family, the yearning to find their own way no matter the difficulty, no matter the danger.
Simply woven with terrific effect.
It is not hard to become immersed in a story of death and the closeness of spirits to our physical existence when you've grown up with a mother who has had encounters with the passing souls of her brother, sister, and nephew. Our mother has always held the belief that loved ones can reach out from the beyond with messages for the ones they are leaving and so do we.
When We Were Birds is a story of transformation, legacy, and family inheritance that not only uses the lush flora and fauna of Trinidad but also our shared history that is rooted in story, belief, and culture.
The relationships here are complicated and as we get to know each character, their experiences heighten our connection and reaction.
Beneath a facade of simple existence, Lloyd Banwo layers a complex and intricate story of death and how it weaves through a community, how it appears and is experienced by individuals.
It is proof of her prowess that we are pulled so effortlessly into the tale of Yejide and Darwin, that we so instantly form a connection to them and their unique individual expression and situation. Trailing them both is the duty that binds them to family, the yearning to find their own way no matter the difficulty, no matter the danger.
Simply woven with terrific effect.
It is not hard to become immersed in a story of death and the closeness of spirits to our physical existence when you've grown up with a mother who has had encounters with the passing souls of her brother, sister, and nephew. Our mother has always held the belief that loved ones can reach out from the beyond with messages for the ones they are leaving and so do we.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Murder, and Death of parent