Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen – 304 pages
ARC from St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an honest review
Book Blurb:
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen: 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.
My Review: 4.5 stars
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen was a long-awaited treat as her fans, which includes me, have been waiting for a new book since 2015. All I can say is welcome back! Her first book, Garden Spells from 2007 was a New York Times bestseller. She has a delightful way of incorporating magical realism into her books that just works.
This book had the most uniquely flawed and loveable characters. Each one needed each other in simple ways, and they all seemed to fill a void for one another. They were a study in misfits that found a much-needed family. There was a hauntingly beautiful atmospheric feeling throughout the book. You just felt like you were there.
Packed with ghosts, magical birds, earnest and flawed characters, romance, strong mother daughter bonds, a renowned author and an unlikely band of residents made up this delightful story. I think that I read this book in a day it just was a necessary escape from reality that sent a hearty message about friendship and opening your heart to others.
Quotes I liked:
If the people around you don’t love or accept you just as you are, find new people. They’re out there.”
“Don’t hold on to old love so hard you forget to live. Old love isn’t the only love you’ll ever have.”
“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.”
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