The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

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The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton (2014)

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

A beautifully written, whimsical tale of magical realism, that really captures the heart with it’s descriptive poetic prose.

Ava Lavender is born with wings, and in this story she recounts the history of her mother (Viviane), grandmother (Emilienne), and the house she lives in, to find some sort of explanation for her appendages, whilst narrating how past actions of her ancestors influenced her own reality. It is confusing why she feels this narrative is the best course of action, and how she is able to narrate, in detail, a story beyond her knowing. Perhaps this is part of the magic? The story is full of love, heartbreak, tragedy, otherworldly knowing and the supernatural.

I enjoyed the story immensely, because the writing was brilliant, although I found Viviane and Enilienne stories far more engaging, heartfelt and relatable compared to Ava’s story. Their stories filled most of the book and Ava’s own tale really only centred on one specific, horrific event.  Many readers have been disturbed by the ending, I was not. I think because the event wasn’t very graphic and happened so fast. Ava suffered for it, but the book never portrays in depth the extend of Ava’s mental anguish or her physical suffering. Honestly, I felt more heartbreak for Viviane’s unrequited love and suffering, than the physical attack Ava endured.

The ending is ambiguous and I hope, it is a metaphor to the phoenix from the ashes, else it is very depressing conclusion and unfair to the other characters in the book who have also suffered so much.

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