Book Review for The Crow Girl by JB Trepagnier

The Crow Girl, by JB Trepagnier, is a story about an elderly man struggling to help young woman in need, and illustrates what it means to be a family.

Liam Collins had recently been fired from his job at a newspaper. After finding a young woman hiding within his garden, and subsequently shooting at her, he takes her to a hospital. Despite the nurse’s, Greta’s warnings, he decides to take her in and teach her how to talk, to not be afraid, to understand the environment around her. Little does he know, both he and the mysterious woman he named Einin slowly begin to learn from one another, and understand what it truly means to be human. In this heartwarming story, Trepagnier explores the bond that develops between two unlikely individuals, both of whom realize that there’s more to life than what they realized.

I loved seeing the relationship between Liam and Einin. You have a man who takes in a strange woman, a woman that hasn’t been in human society in decades, and you have a frightened creature who doesn’t understand a word anyone’s saying. Even so, they both managed to overcome the barriers, and become family, despite everything that’s happened. What’s more encouraging is the support they get along the way, from Greta with her strong, sharp disposition, to her son, who offered Einin an opportunity at financial independence. Needless to say, I was a bit shocked when I learned that Einin was around thirty years old, and am that much more surprised with the progress she’s made. It shows that there is something truly wonderful inside people, something that neither science nor religion could grasp.

I also liked reading about the familial ties in this book. What started off as mere strangers living their lives had become more than that the moment that Einin burst into their lives. It was like I was watching them becoming more and more intertwined with one another with each page I read. It was magical, because it showed that even if you have nothing, you can create a home out of something. Even the most unlikely of people can become precious to you in just a blink of an eye. It sharply contrasted to Einin’s own family and the love they showed her.

Personally, this story reminded me of a news article that I read back in my high school psychology class. Officials in France found a supposed wild child living in the woods. Given the name Victor of Aveyron, this child had ran away from different homes eight times, and had been the subject of developmental delay in academic circles. Einin’s case reminded me of his, because they were both found in the woods. Despite that, Victor made little progress intellectually, while Einin blossomed beautifully. Of course, cases such as these are incredibly rare, but fascinating nonetheless.

I loved this story. It showed the timeless themes of family and love in a way that made the story heartwarming. Not only that, but its analysis of developmental delay was also something I took an interest in. While I couldn’t help but disagree with the miraculously rapid progress Einin was making, I was happy nonetheless. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5.0 stars, and recommend it to those who enjoy Jessie’s Song by Jeremy Williamson and My Ladybird Story by Magus Tor.