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anusha_reads 's review for:
All the Little Bird-Hearts
by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow
dark
slow-paced
BOOK 13: ALL THE LITTLE BIRD-HEARTS, VIKTORIA LLOYD-BARLOW #BOOKERPRIZE2023
I really enjoyed reading this book, my last book from the 2023 Booker longlist. It delves deep into human relations in general and is an insightful exploration of motherhood, particularly navigating through the turbulent waters of dealing with a teenager.
Sunday is a divorcee who lives with her 16-year-old daughter Dolly. A couple moves in next door, Vita and Rollo. The blurb made me skeptical of Vita. From the moment she was introduced, I had a preconceived image of her as though she was the white witch of Narnia, although she is portrayed as a sweet lady who is social, amicable, and very fashionable.
Sunday is neurodivergent. She loves her daughter Dolly a lot and enjoys spending time with her. She tries to imitate people’s accents in her mind and is often seen referring to a Book of Etiquette before any social situation. She is also fond of the Sicilian book of quotes from which she is often seen quoting. She observes people and questions every interaction in her mind, thinking about it over and over, reasoning it or trying to rationalise it. All the Little Bird- hearts is a great novel and I'm sure all mothers (of similar teenagers) will relate to Sunday, the protagonist. Though Sunday faces a lot of challenges, she comes across as a patient human.
Why are some teenagers incorrigibly stubborn, moody, or difficult to communicate with?
“I WISHED HER UNCHANGED AND UNCHANGING, AND SOLEMNLY MINE IN ALL THAT ONCE-TINY PERFECTION.” The novel brilliantly depicts the love of a mother for her child and her helplessness at being the mom of a teenager. It is a dark tale that will linger in my memory for days.
Sunday loses her sister and her parents at a young age and continues to live in the same house. She talks about her hurtful relationship with her mother. For all the difficulties that Sunday faced bringing up her daughter, the daughter seemed rather heartless and indifferent towards her mother and made me hate her. The author is brilliant at bringing out these qualities. Though it is slow-paced, it is a powerful read.
“...IN A PAINTING, THE ARTIST INTENDS ALL THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH HE HAS PUT THERE, SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGE, TO BE READ. IN LIFE, THE OPPOSITE IS MORE OFTEN TRUE.”
I really enjoyed reading this book, my last book from the 2023 Booker longlist. It delves deep into human relations in general and is an insightful exploration of motherhood, particularly navigating through the turbulent waters of dealing with a teenager.
Sunday is a divorcee who lives with her 16-year-old daughter Dolly. A couple moves in next door, Vita and Rollo. The blurb made me skeptical of Vita. From the moment she was introduced, I had a preconceived image of her as though she was the white witch of Narnia, although she is portrayed as a sweet lady who is social, amicable, and very fashionable.
Sunday is neurodivergent. She loves her daughter Dolly a lot and enjoys spending time with her. She tries to imitate people’s accents in her mind and is often seen referring to a Book of Etiquette before any social situation. She is also fond of the Sicilian book of quotes from which she is often seen quoting. She observes people and questions every interaction in her mind, thinking about it over and over, reasoning it or trying to rationalise it. All the Little Bird- hearts is a great novel and I'm sure all mothers (of similar teenagers) will relate to Sunday, the protagonist. Though Sunday faces a lot of challenges, she comes across as a patient human.
Why are some teenagers incorrigibly stubborn, moody, or difficult to communicate with?
“I WISHED HER UNCHANGED AND UNCHANGING, AND SOLEMNLY MINE IN ALL THAT ONCE-TINY PERFECTION.” The novel brilliantly depicts the love of a mother for her child and her helplessness at being the mom of a teenager. It is a dark tale that will linger in my memory for days.
Sunday loses her sister and her parents at a young age and continues to live in the same house. She talks about her hurtful relationship with her mother. For all the difficulties that Sunday faced bringing up her daughter, the daughter seemed rather heartless and indifferent towards her mother and made me hate her. The author is brilliant at bringing out these qualities. Though it is slow-paced, it is a powerful read.
“...IN A PAINTING, THE ARTIST INTENDS ALL THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH HE HAS PUT THERE, SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGE, TO BE READ. IN LIFE, THE OPPOSITE IS MORE OFTEN TRUE.”