There’s so much to appreciate in Allen’s latest...from the quaint island setting to the visiting spirits of lost loved ones to the bravely lived lives of an endearing cast of characters. The biggest challenge for the reader is to try to not turn the pages so quickly in order to extend the fun. Intriguing details and magical realism are hallmarks of Allen’s fiction, along with a slow-burn mystery that connects the past and present. Once again, she mixes those alluring elements together in the perfect ratio to create an outstanding reading experience. Readers who enjoy a Southern story, a touch of the unexplained, and works by Fannie Flagg and Karen White will all be delighted by this novel.
In prose not quite as lavish as in her earlier novels, but with the same keen skill building characters and crafting dialogue, Allen unfolds the histories of these people, slowly braiding their lives together in a quiet, resonant story about holding on, letting go, and finding home ... Languid and peaceful, gentle and comforting, Allen’s newest showcases her talent for tender stories of near magic. Her fans will be lining up for this.
Magical elements are hewn into the marrow of Other Birds. Ghosts and birds—imagined or real, but all mysterious—guide the meandering cast, allowing opportunities for joyful circumstances ... If you're looking for a bit of mystery, whimsical characters and a keen sense of place, Other Birds offers all these delights and more. Allen immerses readers in this island world, as well as in the process of self-discovery, the experiences of being haunted and the gift of surrendering to what we can and cannot control.
Intriguing ... Allen breathes life into her characters, those living and those in between, and fashions a narrative that imparts a powerful belief in everlasting memory ... A lyrical mystery that embraces letting go and living freely.
Charming ... Allen skillfully weaves the various threads, as vignettes narrated by ghosts of former building residents provide further context as the plot unfurls, shedding light on the mysterious birds and absent figures such as Lizbeth’s estranged son and her reclusive sister. This will move readers.
