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A review by emleemay
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
4.0
This is one weirdass book. A good kind of weird, but it definitely isn't for everyone.
[b:All the Birds in the Sky|25372801|All the Birds in the Sky|Charlie Jane Anders|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429225322s/25372801.jpg|45119441] transcends genres, refusing to find its place anywhere - is it sci-fi? Paranormal/fantasy? Dystopian/alternate world? Magical realism? In truth, it's some of all of those. A quirky and strange blend of science and magic.
I can't really liken it to anything else, which makes reviewing hard but is, ultimately, a huge compliment. I love to be able to say "I have never read anything like this" and I have definitely, never ever, read anything quite like this. Damn, I don't even know how much I should say about it.
The story follows two characters - Patricia, who is a witch, and Laurence who is the epitome of a science genius, building his own two-second time machine in middle school. Strangely, though, the rest of this world feels like contemporary realism, with Patricia's witchiness and Laurence's genius defining them as outsiders and causing them to be bullied and punished by their parents.
We stay with Patricia and Laurence through their childhood (which is why this is sometimes being labelled "YA") and into their adult life. Behind it all, there lingers the creepy Mr Rose, a shadow across the novel. His unsettling presence brings a darkness to the story, as we long to know what he wants from our protagonists.
Stylistically, the book feels like magical realism, weaving elements of fantasy and sci-fi into everyday life. I can't quite decide if it's about science vs. nature, or the intrinsic overlapping of the two, so I'll let you be the judge, but it is an interesting tale about the power of both nature and science wrapped up in a surface story of witches and climate change. Like I said - weird.
Patricia, as a witch who can talk to animals, is an embodiment of nature. Laurence, as a technological genius, is an embodiment of science. These two seem like complete opposites and yet their lives are forced together, often at their reluctance.
For a shortish novel, [b:All the Birds in the Sky|25372801|All the Birds in the Sky|Charlie Jane Anders|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429225322s/25372801.jpg|45119441] is packed full of interesting ideas and symbolism, as well as a nice little nod toward the idea that the fate of the world lies in the hands of the rebels, the outsiders, the nonconformists. It has an almost epic feel to it.
Strange, but compelling, I would recommend this to readers who are looking for something different.
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[b:All the Birds in the Sky|25372801|All the Birds in the Sky|Charlie Jane Anders|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429225322s/25372801.jpg|45119441] transcends genres, refusing to find its place anywhere - is it sci-fi? Paranormal/fantasy? Dystopian/alternate world? Magical realism? In truth, it's some of all of those. A quirky and strange blend of science and magic.
I can't really liken it to anything else, which makes reviewing hard but is, ultimately, a huge compliment. I love to be able to say "I have never read anything like this" and I have definitely, never ever, read anything quite like this. Damn, I don't even know how much I should say about it.
The story follows two characters - Patricia, who is a witch, and Laurence who is the epitome of a science genius, building his own two-second time machine in middle school. Strangely, though, the rest of this world feels like contemporary realism, with Patricia's witchiness and Laurence's genius defining them as outsiders and causing them to be bullied and punished by their parents.
We stay with Patricia and Laurence through their childhood (which is why this is sometimes being labelled "YA") and into their adult life. Behind it all, there lingers the creepy Mr Rose, a shadow across the novel. His unsettling presence brings a darkness to the story, as we long to know what he wants from our protagonists.
Stylistically, the book feels like magical realism, weaving elements of fantasy and sci-fi into everyday life. I can't quite decide if it's about science vs. nature, or the intrinsic overlapping of the two, so I'll let you be the judge, but it is an interesting tale about the power of both nature and science wrapped up in a surface story of witches and climate change. Like I said - weird.
Patricia, as a witch who can talk to animals, is an embodiment of nature. Laurence, as a technological genius, is an embodiment of science. These two seem like complete opposites and yet their lives are forced together, often at their reluctance.
For a shortish novel, [b:All the Birds in the Sky|25372801|All the Birds in the Sky|Charlie Jane Anders|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429225322s/25372801.jpg|45119441] is packed full of interesting ideas and symbolism, as well as a nice little nod toward the idea that the fate of the world lies in the hands of the rebels, the outsiders, the nonconformists. It has an almost epic feel to it.
Strange, but compelling, I would recommend this to readers who are looking for something different.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest