Other Birds: A Novel

Sarah Addison Allen never fails to delight me with her characters and her stories. I have read every single one of her novels, and I just keep coming back for more. I think that Zoey's character could have used a bit more development, but I still loved it. The mix of characters; Zoey, Charlotte, Mac, Oliver, Frazier, Lucy and Lizbeth and the stories about their lives and how they all come to be together at The Dellawisp is great storytelling. The ghosts just add to it, although most aren't truly revealed until the ending with the exception of Camille. The tiny, whimsical dellawisp birds just added to the story. I won't go into the story line other than to say it was delightful and atmospheric and I loved it. If you want a good read you cannot go wrong with any of Sarah Addison Allen's novels. Looking forward to whatever she writes next.

I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. I enjoyed getting to know Charlotte, but Zoey needed a little more depth. I liked getting glimpses of each character from their own perspective, but it spread the story a little thin. The ending felt rushed. I guess I just want to spend a little more time with the residents of the Dellawisp.

Other Birds4/502/15-02/19/2023A story of a menagerie of lost souls loosely connected with secrets and a past some wish would remain forever hidden. The strength of Other Birds lies with these characters, their stories and entanglements with just a smidgen of magic.A delightful quick read for a book club with the focus on characters and character development, hints of the past and perhaps, a future.A Delightful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Other BirdsAuthor: Sarah Addison AllenGenre: Magical RealismRating: 5/5I enjoy stumbling onto new (to me) authors that delight and entertain me. Especially authors who can build a world within our world that takes the bitter and/or the mundane and turns it into something wondrous. Sarah Addison Allen did all of that and more in Other Birds. This was my September 2022 BOTM (Book of the Month) pick, and the cover alone is enough to draw the eye, but what’s inside completes the package.We begin with Zoey and her sassy, bossy, and invisible bird companion named Pigeon on their way to the somewhat-famous Mallow Island. And that’s just in the first few pages. From there we get introduced to a colorful cast of characters, each wounded and brave in their own way. Mac, the red-haired chef that wakes up coated in cornmeal every morning. Charlotte, the henna artist (how different and cool is that!) who is struggling to plant her roots while outrunning her past. Frasier, who knows way more than anyone realizes. Lizbeth and Lucy, sisters living side by side with secrets and silence. Oliver, struggling to find distance from his childhood, but needing closure on it. And finally, the Dellawisp Condos where everyone lives, including the Dellawisps for which it’s named – mischievous, fantastical birds that like to steal and divebomb unsuspecting victims.Then there’s the death followed by the ghosts.There are so many elements to this story, but what it is overall is a bittersweet tale of letting go of the past and of past love (not romantic) to build a found family that celebrates what others ignored or never appreciated. There are tinges of romance, sweet and budding, to add flavor to the mix, but the foundation remains family and acceptance.Charlotte became the standout character for me by the end of the book. I felt like everyone grew through the story, but Charlotte had the most to let go of and the most to gain if she found the strength to stop running. Her story didn’t solidify until the very end, which surprised me because I didn’t see that little twist coming, but it was a fitting addition to what made her Charlotte.I recommend this book for anyone who may want a relaxing, but engaging, read that pulls you in and has you realizing it’s 4AM as you close the book on Mallow Island and the Dellawisps. I look forward to trying out this author’s other titles.

Quick easy and entertaining read. A great book if you are visiting the Charleston area to get you in the theme

I loved this book. It's a heartwarming account of people pulled together by circumstances, drawn into a place populated by beautiful, albeit quirky birds and, at its core, containing interesting mysteries. The location was perfect, the background so interesting. The end was fantastic. This book absolutely deserves five stars. I'll read it again, it's just that good.

This is such an amazing story! Six living humans, 3 ghosts, an invisible bird, and a flock of “dellawisp” birds, charming characters, budding romances (no sex), no graphic violence, and no cliffhanger ending. A story where “Everything…stitched together by unseen threads, as thin as gossamer.” (Quote from the story). By the time you get to the end all the tangles are smoothed out, the stories are told, the mysteries explained, and the unseen threads are stitched together to form the tapestry. I love every one of her books. I really wish there were more. They are all worth reading and enjoying over and over.

This book is just so wonderful. I'm a sucker for books about people creating a family. This novel serves up this concept in spades. All of the characters are wonderful if a little fractured. Childhood trauma is something that leaves a lasting impression. Sometimes you can't get over stuff that was done to you as a child. You may bury it deeply in your soul but something might trigger a memory that still has the power to slay you. Most of the people in this book have a childhood that is less than ideal. They are all decent human beings full of love and kindness. The idea that they would find each other on this mystical island filled me with so much joy!

So worth the wait! I devoured this gorgeous book! So beautiful and you can read the emotion in the words. The acknowledgments brought tears to my eyes. So hope there are more treasures from SAA to follow. Her talent has been missed.

Excited to read this new book from SAA. It's such a shame that at nearly £20 the book jacket is covered in grease marks and generally a bit battered before I've even started.

Another stunning, sweet well written novel by an authour who is slowly created a wonderful body of work in the southern magical realist stream. I've read all of Sarah's books and love everyone of them. Wonderful characters, great plotting, magical story with lovely settings - descriptive and inspiring. There is the deep ethos of the southern "way", that is modern and feminine, with the emotionally resonant touches of current issues that matter most to all - familial relations, memory, history, grief. The book is beautifully rendered with a striking cover and I always love a dust jacket. The size is slightly different, slimmer and taller perhaps and the paper stock is sturdy and the typeface easy on the eyes. This is a complex story that Sarah has managed to write with mastery and a light touch. I won't give too much away except to say that the last chapter made me hang my head and weep - truly. A deeply fulfilling read that is both fun and touching. A great gift for yourself or others. Sarah has also prepared a book club guide - with recipes!!!

Sarah Addison Allen is my favorite author and all of her books are like gifts to me.They are my comfort, my piece of home, my way back to hope.This one was not different.I could see a lot of Sarah, her other books and myself in this one.It broke my heart insome parts, ot healed me in others.What a great talent Sarah has. Talent and hard work.This one is about love, grief, found families and finding a home. All of her books that about these topics and I hope I'll never get enough.Yeah. It was lovely.

This was my first novel by this author and will be my last. The writing was okay but the story felt disjointed. A big problem imo was the number of different POVs that kept popping up (right up to the very end of the book!). It felt like the author took an easy way out. I forced myself to finish but by the end I was just skimming. I wouldn’t recommend.