A review by jayisreading
How to Turn Into a Bird by María José Ferrada

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

How to Turn Into a Bird was a poetic and dreamily written book, and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in the original Spanish. The book is a bit difficult to describe when it comes to the plot, which wanders from one day to the next. It is a coming-of-age story, though, and is narrated by a curious boy, Miguel, who is captivated by the world around him. However, he is especially interested in his eccentric uncle, who happens to live on a billboard. It seems simple enough (and a little quirky), but Ferrada takes this opportunity to reveal the deep mistrust that runs through humans when they encounter someone different, as well as the quickness to blame those who aren’t “normal” for existing problems in the community. Miguel finds himself trying to make sense of everything in all of this. Considering this, he presents himself to be a rather introspective boy, and his narration is tinged with quiet sadness.

As beautifully written as this book was, I wasn’t quite taken to it as much as I had hoped. I think it might have been because I wasn’t entirely in the right mindset while reading it, because I often found myself distracted while reading. I think it’s worth checking this one out, though, especially if you’re a fan of dreamy prose.

Thank you to Tin House for sending me an ARC.
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