Book Review: Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
Happy belated pub day to Other Birds and Sarah Addison Allen! And thank you St. Martin’s Press for the early copy and bookish goodies!
“There are birds, and then there are other birds. Maybe they don’t sing. Maybe they don’t fly. Maybe they don’t fit in. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather be an other bird rather than just the same old thing.”
About The Book
This story felt magical. From the food references to the locale to the friendly ghost stories, their was a whimsical and quaint feel to Other Birds that kept me turning page after page. And it completely snuck up on me!
Book Details
Title: Other Birds
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publication Date: August 30, 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism
My Rating: ★★★★/5
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org | Book Depository
Add on Goodreads | Literal >> Check out my blog all about Literal Club here <<
Synopsis
An enchanting tale filled with magical realism and moments of pure love that won’t let you go.
Between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways.
Right off the coast of South Carolina, on Mallow Island, The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe, and named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.
When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at the Dellawisp she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors, including a young woman with a past, two estranged middle-aged sisters, and a lonely chef, and three ghosts. The sudden death of one of Zoey's new neighbors sets off a search that leads to the island's famous author and to a long-estranged relative of the sisters.
Each of them has a story, and each story has an ending which hasn't yet been written.
“Zoey looked inordinately pleased that someone other than her liked something so odd, as if that kind of camaraderie, that sameness was unfamiliar to her.”
The Story
spoiler-free
Stories take flight and a residential mystery ensues when Zoey moves into a small community on Mallow Island in Charleston, SC taking over residence of her mother's old studio space. There's not only new people to meet and stories to uncover but a whole new world to explore and Zoey does it with a graceful innocence that's endearing.
this book has:
shifting POVs
Charleston area locale
death x mysterious happenings
paranormal magical realism
small condo community
Dellawisps 🐦
food = love
found family
friendly ghosts
interconnected storylines
attention to detail
reclusive/unexpected hero
The Characters
these are only *some* of the main players. The ones who the story revolves around the most.
Zoey, our ultimate main character, who carries herself with a graceful innocence and whismical sense of wonder about all things, especially people and stories.
Fraiser, our story’s kind of mentor who has a preternatural sense of the paranormal and looks out for Zoey upon her arrival to Mallow Island.
Charlotte, one of the condo community’s residents and a bit of a nomad with some artistic skills, she becomes the big sister of the story, especially to Zoey.
Mac, our big teddy bear of the story who’s also majorly chef-inclined and lives in the condo community, too.
Pigeon, a companion of Zoey’s who travels with her to Mallow Island.
Content Warnings
These are just potential content warnings that I noticed while reading:
death and death of a friend/parent (mostly off page)
hoarding and a religious cult (light references/mentions to each)
Overall Thoughts
Like I mentioned earlier, this story just felt magical. From the food references to the locale to the friendly ghost stories, their was a whimsical and quaint feel to Other Birds that kept me turning page after page. And it completely snuck up on me! This is a story about coming home and feeling safe. Unexpected love. New friendships. Closure. Letting go. And fresh possibilities. It was beautiful and touching in the most unexpected way! And there were so many twists I didn’t see coming or, quite honestly, expect!! This story was so insightful and relatable and simultaneously unexpected that it will definitely stick with me for a while.
“But Zoey was uneasy with the thought of untold stories. What happens to them? Where do they go?”
About The Author
About Sarah:
New York Times Bestselling novelist Sarah Addison Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing to bear on her fiction -- a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town sensibility. Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sarah grew up with a love of books and an appreciation of good food. With millions of books now in print and translated into more than 30 languages, Sarah continues to serve heaping helpings of the fantastic and the familiar in fiction she describes as "Southern-fried magic realism."
Check out her website for her full bio!
Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest
*Pic and bio Courtesy of her website
Other Birds is out now!
Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press for the advanced review copy.
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I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Leggings, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a bookworm and homebody at heart with a knack for content creation & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
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