Book Review: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, by Leslye Walton
By Erin Parks
Ava Lavender, born with the wings of a bird, longs to take flight and explore the outside world. However, her mother and grandmother keep her close to home. With the help of friends, Cardigan and Rowe, Ava sneaks out and gets a taste of the world. The theme of love and its devastating effects permeates the book as Ava recounts the melancholy history of her mother and grandmother and leads up to the life-changing event that alters her irrevocably.
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is a coming-of-age fairytale and is infused with magical realism. Leslye Walton has a lyrical writing style, and the prose is poignant in its beauty. What I love most about this book are the elements of magic throughout the book and the ultimate triumph of Ava. This book has received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly and is perfect for fans of The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan and Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. You can find it in Overdrive/Libby, and Hoopla.
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