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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
A mesmerizing, lyrical tale of longing, desire and the pain of love.
Foolish love appears to be a Roux family birthright, and for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is key to her inheritance. In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to join her peers, sixteen-year-old Ava ventures away from home, ill-prepared for what awaits her in a world that does not know whether to view her as girl or angel. Ava’s search and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo until, on the summer solstice, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava’s fate is revealed.
It’s 1959. 15-year-old Ava Lavender was born with wings and has lived most of her life shut away in a quirky house on Pinnacle Lane in central Seattle. When she forms a friendship with neighbour Cardigan, she’s persuaded to escape the confines of the house and explore the wider world but doing so brings her to the attention of the locals, not all of whom are friendly. As Ava tries to find her place in the world and has her first tentative experiences of love, she realises that her fate is intertwined with the history of her extraordinary family and in particular, her mother, Viviane (who rarely leaves the house), and grandmother Emilienne who runs the local bakery ...
Leslye Walton’s debut YA novel is a quirky literary tale with a magical realist feel that would appeal to fans of Wes Anderson movies. It’s an engaging read but while I kept turning the pages, I have to say that I wasn’t convinced that it’s actually a YA book. This is mainly because the first 115 pages aren’t about Ava at all, instead going into the family and romantic adventures of her mother and grandmother and even when Ava’s story comes to the floor, it’s told through the prism of her family’s experiences. I can see that as turning off some teenage readers. In addition, I wasn’t comfortable with a rape scene because it seemed solely intended to reinforce the image of the character as first a victim and then a survivor and the perpetrator as a villain and as such, seemed gauche and cliché. Ultimately I can see it as being a Marmite book that readers either love or hate, although I enjoyed it enough to want to read Walton’s next book.
Ava is a sensitively drawn character. Despite her wings, she just wants to be seen as a normal girl but is scared of going out and putting that to the test. I enjoyed her friendship with the vivacious, sexually prolific Cardigan (who I’d have loved to see more of). I must admit though that I found her mother and grandmother more interesting, particularly their love affairs as it’s Viviane’s relationship with Jack that impacts most on the story.
Walton’s quirky, lyrical style reminded me a lot of Wes Anderson’s films, particularly with the sympathetic way she depicts askew characters and I look forward to reading her next book.
The Verdict:
Leslye Walton’s debut YA novel is a quirky literary tale with a magical realist feel that would appeal to fans of Wes Anderson movies. It’s an engaging read but while I kept turning the pages, I have to say that I wasn’t convinced that it’s actually a YA book. This is mainly because the first 115 pages aren’t about Ava at all, instead going into the family and romantic adventures of her mother and grandmother and even when Ava’s story comes to the floor, it’s told through the prism of her family’s experiences. I can see that as turning off some teenage readers. In addition, I wasn’t comfortable with a rape scene because it seemed solely intended to reinforce the image of the character as first a victim and then a survivor and the perpetrator as a villain and as such, seemed gauche and cliché. Ultimately I can see it as being a Marmite book that readers either love or hate, although I enjoyed it enough to want to read Walton’s next book.
THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER is released in the United Kingdom on 27th March 2014. Thanks to Walker Books for the ARC of this book.
Foolish love appears to be a Roux family birthright, and for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is key to her inheritance. In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to join her peers, sixteen-year-old Ava ventures away from home, ill-prepared for what awaits her in a world that does not know whether to view her as girl or angel. Ava’s search and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo until, on the summer solstice, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava’s fate is revealed.
It’s 1959. 15-year-old Ava Lavender was born with wings and has lived most of her life shut away in a quirky house on Pinnacle Lane in central Seattle. When she forms a friendship with neighbour Cardigan, she’s persuaded to escape the confines of the house and explore the wider world but doing so brings her to the attention of the locals, not all of whom are friendly. As Ava tries to find her place in the world and has her first tentative experiences of love, she realises that her fate is intertwined with the history of her extraordinary family and in particular, her mother, Viviane (who rarely leaves the house), and grandmother Emilienne who runs the local bakery ...
Leslye Walton’s debut YA novel is a quirky literary tale with a magical realist feel that would appeal to fans of Wes Anderson movies. It’s an engaging read but while I kept turning the pages, I have to say that I wasn’t convinced that it’s actually a YA book. This is mainly because the first 115 pages aren’t about Ava at all, instead going into the family and romantic adventures of her mother and grandmother and even when Ava’s story comes to the floor, it’s told through the prism of her family’s experiences. I can see that as turning off some teenage readers. In addition, I wasn’t comfortable with a rape scene because it seemed solely intended to reinforce the image of the character as first a victim and then a survivor and the perpetrator as a villain and as such, seemed gauche and cliché. Ultimately I can see it as being a Marmite book that readers either love or hate, although I enjoyed it enough to want to read Walton’s next book.
Ava is a sensitively drawn character. Despite her wings, she just wants to be seen as a normal girl but is scared of going out and putting that to the test. I enjoyed her friendship with the vivacious, sexually prolific Cardigan (who I’d have loved to see more of). I must admit though that I found her mother and grandmother more interesting, particularly their love affairs as it’s Viviane’s relationship with Jack that impacts most on the story.
Walton’s quirky, lyrical style reminded me a lot of Wes Anderson’s films, particularly with the sympathetic way she depicts askew characters and I look forward to reading her next book.
The Verdict:
Leslye Walton’s debut YA novel is a quirky literary tale with a magical realist feel that would appeal to fans of Wes Anderson movies. It’s an engaging read but while I kept turning the pages, I have to say that I wasn’t convinced that it’s actually a YA book. This is mainly because the first 115 pages aren’t about Ava at all, instead going into the family and romantic adventures of her mother and grandmother and even when Ava’s story comes to the floor, it’s told through the prism of her family’s experiences. I can see that as turning off some teenage readers. In addition, I wasn’t comfortable with a rape scene because it seemed solely intended to reinforce the image of the character as first a victim and then a survivor and the perpetrator as a villain and as such, seemed gauche and cliché. Ultimately I can see it as being a Marmite book that readers either love or hate, although I enjoyed it enough to want to read Walton’s next book.
THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER is released in the United Kingdom on 27th March 2014. Thanks to Walker Books for the ARC of this book.
