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jennrid 's review for:
Anna and the Swallow Man
by Gavriel Savit
This review originally ran on Everyday eBook
A YA Debut for All Ages: Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
Occasionally someone will suggest a book to you, telling you how amazing it is and comparing it to a book beyond compare. I am always leery of these suggestions, as it is rare that they ever live up to the expectations I form. When Anna and the Swallow Man was suggested as a flat-out fantastic read and compared to [b: The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368], well, you can only imagine my skepticism. However, despite being [a: Gavriel Savit|8300713|Gavriel Savit|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1455747293p2/8300713.jpg]'s debut, it indeed lived up to the comparison; in fact, it rose above what I had hoped.
Savit has set his book in Poland during World War II. When Anna's father does not return after a meeting at the university where he teaches, Anna is left alone and unable to enter their apartment. A chance meeting with a man who can seemingly communicate with swallows leads her to a new, unforeseen journey. Unwilling to give his legal name, he becomes "The Swallow Man." The two begin to wander the country, trying to stay alive and evade starvation, capture, and death.
Savit's writing is beautiful, sparse, and poetic; it is easy to forget this is his first book. The writing complements the horrific circumstances of the time. The Swallow Man becomes a father figure and guardian to young Anna, and as they walk the country over years, this is the story they present to the world. He is an enigma to Anna and to us; random hints are dropped as to what his real story may be, but he never reveals his past or anything personal that could possibly be used against him. He spins tales and explains things to Anna in such a way that she can understand what is happening in the world without hearing the horrific reality, which she is exposed to enough while walking.
The end of the book, in particular the way the Swallow Man's story ends, is slightly confusing and seemed out of place to me; I would have preferred more mystery. However, Savit has managed to give the reader hope in a world ravaged by death and fear. While comparisons to [b: The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368] are apt, Anna and the Swallow Man deserves recognition as its own triumph of a novel. Although it is called Young Adult fiction, I urge any reader to pick it up -- it transcends any age category. Adults and teens alike will be swept up in Anna and the Swallow Man's journey.
A YA Debut for All Ages: Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
Occasionally someone will suggest a book to you, telling you how amazing it is and comparing it to a book beyond compare. I am always leery of these suggestions, as it is rare that they ever live up to the expectations I form. When Anna and the Swallow Man was suggested as a flat-out fantastic read and compared to [b: The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368], well, you can only imagine my skepticism. However, despite being [a: Gavriel Savit|8300713|Gavriel Savit|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1455747293p2/8300713.jpg]'s debut, it indeed lived up to the comparison; in fact, it rose above what I had hoped.
Savit has set his book in Poland during World War II. When Anna's father does not return after a meeting at the university where he teaches, Anna is left alone and unable to enter their apartment. A chance meeting with a man who can seemingly communicate with swallows leads her to a new, unforeseen journey. Unwilling to give his legal name, he becomes "The Swallow Man." The two begin to wander the country, trying to stay alive and evade starvation, capture, and death.
Savit's writing is beautiful, sparse, and poetic; it is easy to forget this is his first book. The writing complements the horrific circumstances of the time. The Swallow Man becomes a father figure and guardian to young Anna, and as they walk the country over years, this is the story they present to the world. He is an enigma to Anna and to us; random hints are dropped as to what his real story may be, but he never reveals his past or anything personal that could possibly be used against him. He spins tales and explains things to Anna in such a way that she can understand what is happening in the world without hearing the horrific reality, which she is exposed to enough while walking.
The end of the book, in particular the way the Swallow Man's story ends, is slightly confusing and seemed out of place to me; I would have preferred more mystery. However, Savit has managed to give the reader hope in a world ravaged by death and fear. While comparisons to [b: The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368] are apt, Anna and the Swallow Man deserves recognition as its own triumph of a novel. Although it is called Young Adult fiction, I urge any reader to pick it up -- it transcends any age category. Adults and teens alike will be swept up in Anna and the Swallow Man's journey.