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All the Birds in the Sky

(All the Birds in the Sky #1)

Charlie Jane Anders (Goodreads Author)

3.59 · Rating details · 39,382 ratings · 6,252 reviews

Childhood friends Patricia Delfine, a witch, and Laurence Armstead, a mad scientist, parted ways under mysterious circumstances during middle school. But as adults they both wind up in near-future San Francisco, where Laurence is an engineering genius and Patricia works with a small band of other magicians to secretly repair the world’s ever growing ailments. But something ...more

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Hardcover, 313 pages

Published January 26th 2016 by Tor Books

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The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2016

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Average rating 3.59 ·

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· 39,382 ratings · 6,252 reviews

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Feb 01, 2016 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, sci-fi

This is one weirdass book. A good kind of weird, but it definitely isn't for everyone.

All the Birds in the Sky transcends genres, refusing to find its place anywhere - is it sci-fi? Paranormal/fantasy? Dystopian/alternate world? Magical realism? In truth, it's some of all of those. A quirky and strange blend of science and magic.

I can't really liken it to anything else, which makes reviewing hard but is, ultimately, a huge compliment. I love to be able to say "I have never read anything like thi ...more

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Sep 19, 2015 Rachel (Kalanadi) rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, winners-nebulas

I hated this book.

If you want the epic rant, read on... but beware: profanity and spoilers.

(view spoiler) I hated this book.

If you want the epic rant, read on... but beware: profanity and spoilers.

(view spoiler)

Does this book actually deserve the vitriol I've hurled at it? No.

But every once in a while, we are all allowed to unapologetically, irrationally loathe something.

If you want to read a fantasy novel about unlikable people being dicks to each other and making horrible mistakes, please read The Magicians by Lev Grossman instead, because that book actually has a plot, and character growth, and a well-developed consistent theme, and it's written so. much. better.

Or, you know, read All the Birds in the Sky, because Lev Grossman blurbed it and said it was great ("a magnificent novel" and "unmissable"). I could just be really, really wrong, but a part of me says I'm not.

("Aggrandizement!")

UPDATE 7/2/2017: This book is fated to win all major genre awards this year just to spite me. What have I done in this life or a past life to deserve this?! ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, 2016-shelf, fanboy-goes-squee, worldbuilding-sf, reality-bending, top-one-hundred

"Indestructible"

Or to put it in milder terms, "I just got ran over by a mac truck."

This novel is just too important to miss, whether or not you're into SF or Fantasy, because it is both. It's a long and delightful and REAL conversation between the two, a heartfelt exploration and a synthesis, a heartbreaking tale and a true wonderment of fiction.

I guess I kinda liked it.

It's a lot more than a magical realism novel, and it's no experiment. There's nothing unreadable about it and it doesn't have t ...more

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Jul 03, 2018 Wil Wheaton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, post-apocalypse, fantasy

One of the best books I have read in ages, easily in the top three I've read this year. ...more

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Dec 29, 2016 Will Byrnes rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, fantasy, computers-ai

Self-awareness paradoxically requires an awareness of the other

A magical savant, a super genius, the world on the brink of eco-apocalypse, possible ways out, or are the solutions as dangerous as the problem? and young love. What’s not to like? Laurence Amstead is your basic pre-ad tech genius, indulging in minor projects like inventing a two-second time machine you can wear on your wrist, and developing a chatty super-computer in his spare time. He is beset, of course, by the usual school b ...more

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Jul 29, 2016 Hannah Greendale rated it did not like it

Shelves: science-fiction, nebula-nominee, adult, fiction, fantasy, nebula-winner

All the Birds in the Sky is a trove of near misses and reads like a low-budget, bad action flick. Among its flaws, the book contains: characters who lack depth, children who talk like adults, forced romance, and a hollow plot lacking substance.

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Sep 16, 2017 Roxane rated it really liked it

What a wildly imaginative, delightful novel. I had no idea what to expect from this book but I was just thrilled with this book from the beginning to the end. Patricia and Laurence, who meet each other as kids and develop a friendship of convenience that becomes much more by the end of the novel, are wonderfully drawn characters. I love how fully fleshed out the felt. There is a beautifully written scene between them toward the end of the novel, that is worth the price of admission. The plot sor ...more

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Dec 07, 2017 Matthew rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: magical-realism, sci-fi, fantasy, gr_awards_2016, 2017, kindle, library, least-favorite

I didn't want to finish this but I wanted it to be over.

A short book, but every day the Kindle would taunt me with the slow progression of %

86% . . . 90% . . . 94% . . .

I would groan and sigh every time I went to pick it up. There was no way to remember what was happening because every chapter was so different and so weird. There was very little continuity, huge time jumps, and no cohesion of location - meaning I never knew exactly when or where the charaters were.

They said get lost in a book. ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 Amalia Gkavea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: american-literature, magical-realism, contemporary, dystopia, favorites, usa

"San Francisco never stopped astonishing Lawrence - wild raccoons and possums wondered the streets, especially at night, and their shiny fur and long tails looked just like stray cats, unless you look twice. Skunks nested under people's houses."

Is there any magic left in the world? Magic to heal and provide hope. Has it been completely upstaged by technology, fallen into a meaningless oblivion? How far can technology go? Where does its contribution to society stop and the potential dangers b "San Francisco never stopped astonishing Lawrence - wild raccoons and possums wondered the streets, especially at night, and their shiny fur and long tails looked just like stray cats, unless you look twice. Skunks nested under people's houses."

Is there any magic left in the world? Magic to heal and provide hope. Has it been completely upstaged by technology, fallen into a meaningless oblivion? How far can technology go? Where does its contribution to society stop and the potential dangers begin? Let's try to find the answers in beautiful San Francisco through the eyes of our protagonists, Patricia, a witch, and Lawrence, a tech genius.

To begin with, I need to say that I am really, really tired of the latest trend of parents being horrible. I am actually positively fed up seeing fathers and mothers being cruel and heartless because they don't understand how special their children are. I don't like the message communicated through novels and I don't believe that this is a way to create a better or more believable story, turning parents into great obstacles the lead characters have to surpass or defeat in order to succeed. I am sorry for the rant but I see this more and more in Contemporary Literature and it's beginning to disturb me.

Having said that, I could feel those cute five stars approaching before I reach 50% of the book.

In a not so distant future, Science and Magic choose to fight against each other in a foolish attempt to restore balance to a world that is slowly dying. Patricia and Lawrence have been struggling for years to come to terms with their unique abilities, fighting against hopelessness, against their unsupportive families, and many times, against themselves. This is the premise around which this wonderful story is constructed.

This novel had been waiting in my TBR for quite a long time. I had read some positive reviews, some rather dishearteningly negative ones, but stubborn as I am, I wanted to see what the fuss was about and I grasped the chance to start it for a group reading. I didn't expect to love it so much. I confess I am not so fond of the first (short) part of the story where we see our couple as children and teenagers, but once they reach adulthood the story really comes alive. I wouldn't classify it as YA (again, I don't have much experience in the genre), but for me, the writing, the characters, the story are mature, well-composed and very, very exciting.

The writer has created a world where technology has taken the reins, where robots and humans are of equal importance, but in truth, machines of all sorts and kinds are slowly acquiring precedence. So we're in dire need of some magic here. And magic happens in a story that could have very easily become too cold and distant, too sci-fi and gadgety. There are beautiful urban descriptions of San Francisco, atmospheric and vivid, there are talking birds- many owls, people! There's even a Twin Peaks reference. There is life and beauty and love. Some descriptions are raw and sharp, however, like a knife in the heart. The bleak, perilous environment of the big city. The darkness and isolation. And then, the chaos that breaks out and brings disaster to the world. Floods, shortage in even the most common medicines, diseases, famine, violence, death.

Don't think this is a dark, depressing read. Well, it is at times, but there is also a distinct element of humour centered on our stubborn protagonists. Elegant and smart, faithful to every day speech. On the other hand, the writing completely changes tone in the most terrifying, harrowing moments, when we're close to witness the world's end. It becomes dark, ominous, raw and perfect. I was impressed by the function of the Caddy in the story. It's a gadget that aims to help people form a "better" life, one that would be "compatible" with their choices and preferences. They customize their profiles and it customizes their lives, an ideal example of how technology rules over society in the novel. Although, I admit that Patricia and Lawrence should have listened to their Caddies more carefully....

Ah, Patricia and Lawrence...You'll love these two. Patricia is a witch who uses magic to bring whatever kind of happiness she can, to save and soothe. She punishes the ones whose acts require punishment. She is a Healer that talks to animals and they provide company and help. But sometimes, it is too late...Lawrence is a tech- genius who aspires to make the world better without ignoring that it is ill-used technology that will bring disaster. I loved their relationship. It's tender and loyal and awkward, something we would expect from two people whose absolute priority is their talent. In fact, forget all the previous. To put it clearly and shout it for the world to hear, Lawrence and Patricia are one of the most beautiful, wonderful, well-matched and every positive adjective you can imagine couples we'll ever meet in a book.

You may find this novel boring if you aren't all that interested in the cyber - world and technology in general. You may find it too perplexing and confusing. Give it a chance, nonetheless. As far as I'm concerned, I believe it is a book that depicts the concerns and fears of today's world successfully. Is the human race threatened by the hungry greed that almost always comes with progress and power? I'd say that any book that makes you think and search for whatever answers may exist has completed its job and more. And we shouldn't forget that even the darkest times were washed away when people acted in unison, free of any prejudices and retained hope against all odds. Perhaps, we should remember this from time to time....

And just out of curiosity, what would you be? A Trickster or a Healer?

Also, Kit Harington for Lawrence's part (if the book ever becomes a film) because of reasons. ...more

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Jul 10, 2018 ☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, memorabilia

Unbelievably stupid and I loved every minute of it.

Guaranteed: lessons on how to become a bird and a witch, ice-cream-loving assassins part-timing as school advisors, inside perspective on suet and AI, magic school, nerds, bullying. Plus a healthy dose of the Absurd - enough to induce a very strong feeling of déjà lu.

I'm slowly getting a feeling that half the books I read were written by one writer. Even though their names say they aren't.

I really love how Patricia's life is focused on how one ...more

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Mar 23, 2016 Darth J rated it really liked it

Shelves: awesome, witch-wizard, would-recommend, better-than-i-thought-it-would-be, stand-alone-but-needs-sequel, magical-realism, urban-fantasy

Impressive

So I kinda loved this. We have 2 junior high outcasts named Patricia and Laurence, both painfully geeky and both destined to change the world.

Until they grow up and go their separate ways to discover that what made them different made them awesome.

Patricia goes to a magical school that was founded by the joining two seemingly disparate groups: healers and tricksters (#foreshadowing). It's like if you took The Ability by way of The Magicians for the magical aspects of her life. ...more

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Feb 01, 2016 Maxwell marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Eek. I gave it 85 pages, but I can't keep reading this book. The writing is pretty bad. It's stilted and unnatural, especially the dialogue. I can't get past the writing style to actually enjoy what's happening in the story. And because the novel is a weird mash-up of science fiction and fantasy—and I'm not sure if that's just accepted in this world because neither of the main characters is fazed by anything magical or inexplicable happening—it was difficult to get situated in the goings-on of t ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Philip rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-releases, sci-fi, fantasy, hugo

4.25ish stars.

Bizarre, insightful, quirky, and unique in its examination of the relationships between and within science, nature and humanity.

Laurence and Patricia as characters are weird, dumb, and oh so real. Every step of the way I was shaking my head at them, laughing at them, rolling my eyes, screaming at them in my head and rooting for them until the end.

The novel was at once a small slice of life story about two very different social outcasts AND a giant commentary on the forces of nature ...more

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Apr 30, 2017 Matthew Quann rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: sci-fi fans, fantasy fans, all readers

Shelves: sci-fi, sff-award-winners, fantasy

As a reader, every once and a while a book comes along that charms the living daylights out of you. All the Birds in the Sky surprised, astounded, and captivated me in equal measures. Unfortunately, when a book is this good it makes it almost too difficult to review: there's little to be said that the novel won't say for itself. If you think you might like this novel, read it.

All the Birds in the Sky's hook is that it is a story that blends sci-fi and fantasy. I got the impression prior to my r As a reader, every once and a while a book comes along that charms the living daylights out of you. All the Birds in the Sky surprised, astounded, and captivated me in equal measures. Unfortunately, when a book is this good it makes it almost too difficult to review: there's little to be said that the novel won't say for itself. If you think you might like this novel, read it.

All the Birds in the Sky's hook is that it is a story that blends sci-fi and fantasy. I got the impression prior to my read that it would be a bit like Harry Potter meets Iron Man, that there'd be some cool fight scenes, and would be some nice brain candy. The hook, though apt, doesn't deal with how well Charlie Jane Anders manages to weave these two genres together. It's obvious that Anders is an acolyte of SFF canon, though here they are able to both pay it homage and move it forward. The novel walks a fine line between the recognizable and the new, crafting a story that feels unlike anything I've ever read before.

Though I think the novel is aimed at a millennial audience, I too think that it has universal appeal. The future of the novel looks at a world not too far removed from our own. Young people are galavanting around with smartphones, eating hip food, and doing their very best to find themselves amidst the noise of the digital world. Anders is able to make the novel work as commentary and reflection on modern society without ever seeming preachy, condescending, and without a touch of Luddism.

The world building here is breathtaking. Anders manages to concoct a magic system (more wondrous than Sanderson-esque rigour), build a sci-fi plot, MARRY THE TWO CONCEPTS, and never falters on either account. The world always felt rich, deep, and full of mysteries waiting to be uncovered. Anders smartly tells the reader just enough that they are able to imagine a concept, place, or event and burn to know more. All the Birds in the Sky makes for a world that I'd love to come back to, but would be perfectly happy if this was all that Anders chooses to do in this world.

None of this would work without Patricia and Lawrence. While the world, story, and systems pay homage to SFF, reflect the real world, tap into fears about climate change, an unstable political climate, and questions our modern society, it's really all about Patricia and Lawrence. The story opens with their childhood adventures and mishaps, but by the time I was a third of the way into the book I couldn't wait to spend more time with the duo.

Both characters are compelling in their own right. Lawrence is a brilliant but neurotic engineering prodigy kept in check by his unambitious parents. Patricia is a courageous but impulsive fledgling witch who just can't seem to get out of the shadow of her successful sister. The pair complement one another, but their individual POV chapters never left me feeling as if I'd prefer to be reading one character over another.

All the Birds in the Sky did just about everything I want in a book. It is superbly written, it has compelling characters, a fast-moving plot, a surprising amount of humour, it is literary, it is a thinker, and it is all wrapped up in a sci-fi and fantasy blend. I can't recommend All the Birds in the Sky enough and hope you all take a chance on this one. It was a blast to read and I can't wait to badger all my friends and family to read it. ...more

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Jan 30, 2016 Joe rated it it was ok

Having read io9 for years (including CJA's posts on constructing narrative) and anticipating this novel for upwards of six months, I found All the Birds in the Sky really disappointing. Not only does it feel like CJA didn't take her own advice on how to structure the novel, the quality of the writing varies widely through the book (at times it feels painfully amateurish and the dialogue is stilted).

Most problematically, I never bought into the love story between Laurence and Patricia. This may ...more

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Jul 26, 2016 Althea Ann rated it liked it

Book club selection for this month.

As I started this, I wasn't sure if Anders' sense of humor was going to gel with mine, but after a bit, I actually really got into it. Actually, it might've been my favorite part of the book: lighthearted portrayals of over-the-top awfulness that although on one level absurd, on another level ring heartbreakingly true.

The first part of the book reminded me in feel of Jo Walton's 'Among Others,' (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) both in its portrayal o ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

Well that was a surprise! A pleasant one though. Once I had adjusted to the talking birds and realised there was much more fantasy in the book than science fiction, I settled down to enjoy what I found to be an excellent story.

Laurence and Patricia made a beautiful pair, especially once they had left home and school. What an awful school that was! The assassin/school counsellor reminded me of Terry Pratchett's books. He was very fond of his school for assassins and the amazing things they could ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Book Riot Community added it

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

There are novels that come along and utterly change how you think about fiction. They challenge you, they charge you, they fire you deep into the shadowed spaces within yourself that you could only previously grasp. By the end, you simply feel entrenched, like you somehow exist deeper in this beautiful, insane world we inhabit, and can better understand the connections between everyone who lives on it. The last novel to do this to me was Among Others by Jo Walton, and I’m thrilled to say Anders’ ...more

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Jan 01, 2016 Larry H rated it liked it

There were a number of times while reading Charlie Jane Anders' All the Birds in the Sky that I thought, "How am I going to review this?"

What I realized, however, is that while the book was utterly different than I expected it to be from the blurbs I read, and there's much about the plot that defies description, I found it to be an ambitious, poignant, slightly meandering, somewhat imperfect book, which packs a resonant, emotional punch.

Laurence and Patricia meet in middle school. Both are There were a number of times while reading Charlie Jane Anders' All the Birds in the Sky that I thought, "How am I going to review this?"

What I realized, however, is that while the book was utterly different than I expected it to be from the blurbs I read, and there's much about the plot that defies description, I found it to be an ambitious, poignant, slightly meandering, somewhat imperfect book, which packs a resonant, emotional punch.

Laurence and Patricia meet in middle school. Both are outcasts—Laurence is obsessed with computers and technology, so much so that he builds his own two-second time machine (mostly to help him avoid being bullied), while Patricia discovers she has an unusual ability to communicate with other creatures. And while these abilities make them less than popular among their peers, and cause a multitude of problems within their families, when Patricia reveals the full extent of her skills to Laurence, that—along with the machinations of a teacher—strains their relationship nearly to the breaking point.

Years later, they are both living in San Francisco when they run into each other again. Patricia, having graduated from an exclusive school for those with magical talents (but far more mercenary than Hogwarts), works with a band of magicians to right wrongs, and sometimes destroy the people perpetrating these wrongs. Laurence works for an eccentric genius he met when he was younger, and he and his teammates are building a device to save the world in the event of total catastrophe, which seems imminent. Laurence and Patricia are, once again, drawn to, and repelled by, one another, but there is no denying the two share a powerful bond. Until the interests she and her fellow magicians are working to protect interfere with Laurence's work, which sets a chain of events in motion that rocks the world.

All the Birds in the Sky is a book about friendship, love, magic, and trying to avoid the end of the world. It's about the struggle between listening to your heart and following your head, and how hard it is to stay true to yourself in the face of cruelty and doubt. And it's also about the power of one person (or two) to make a difference, although the difference that Laurence and Patricia are seeking to make is a little more dramatic than everyday change.

About a quarter of the way into the book, I wasn't sure I wanted to stick with it. I felt as if Anders spent a lot of time dwelling on how bullied Laurence and Patricia were, and how horribly misunderstood they were by their families. It got a little relentless, and it wasn't what I was expecting or wanted to read. But I soldiered on, and I am glad I did, for while the book is confusing and a little overblown, it's still utterly fascinating, and Laurence and Patricia are such fascinating characters that I couldn't tear myself away.

Charlie Jane Anders is very talented—she really worked hard to create an entire world in this book. While I wished at times she would have followed the core of her story a little more, I still was quite interested in what she was going to do with the characters and their story. This is certainly not a book for everyone, but if you give it a chance, I think you'll agree about Anders' storytelling ability.

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo.... ...more

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Feb 26, 2016 Emma rated it did not like it

Shelves: ya, science-fiction, magic

The premise for this book could have worked...but, well- it didn't! I have enjoyed "some" really well written and engaging YA book. This book read like a YA novel written by a tween. ...more

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Jul 14, 2015 Justine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-read, favourites-2016

All the Birds in the Sky is a very different book. Part science fiction and part fantasy, it also has a feel of magical realism. It follows the friendship of Patricia, a witch, and Laurence, a science genius, from middle school to adulthood.

On the surface the story is about the collision of the worlds of magic and science set against the decline of both the natural world and society. Embedded in that context is the more personal story of friendship and love, what that means, and how it can take ...more

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Sep 20, 2018 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ marked it as to-read

Shelves: fantasy

This multiple-award-winning fantasy is Tor's free ebook of the month (Sept. 2018) if you join their free ebook club here: https://www.tor.com/2018/09/18/downlo... If you like fantasy and SF, this is definitely worth doing. No purchase necessary, no commitments, the monthly free ebooks are high quality (usually books I was already interested in), and the weekly Tor newsletters are actually interesting and non-annoying. I highly recommend it if you're a SF/fantasy reader.

Tip: Click on the above T ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, 2016

An utterly unique book. Parts of it bear resemblance to things I've read before, but as a whole, it's completely original. And heartbreaking, and confounding, and joy-inducing, and terrifying.

I won't soon forget Patricia and Laurence. Nor do I ever want to. ...more

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Jun 01, 2015 Renay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016, nebula-winner

I LOVE THIS BOOK. I need to think about what I write because it's a novel that could easily be misrepresented, but I loved it so much I am BURSTING. I feel like I need to write Tor publicity a handwritten thank you note WITH A GLITTER GEL PEN for letting me read it early. It was everything I didn't know I wanted. :D READ IT AND THEN COME TALK ABOUT LOVE AND CONSCIOUSNESS AND SACRIFICE WITH ME!!!

More thoughts: http://ladybusiness.dreamwidth.org/20... ...more

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Feb 16, 2016 Liam || Books 'n Beards rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: specfic-group-reads, nope, 2016, bought-2016, fantasy

So after a really promising first half, this book entirely fell apart for me in the second half.

The concept was neat, the characters were great, but the plot was just... what. Maybe this is one of those situations where the impressiveness of the writing and the symbolism and all that shit has gone over my head, but I've always been a strong believer in a story standing on its own merits without needing anything on top of it, and in the end the story this book was telling was - while unique - fan ...more

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Dec 16, 2015 Paul rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: z_archive16_read-2016, z_archive16_librarybook2016

Lovely book that I think lost itself some in the second half.

Recommendation: If you enjoy your fantasy or science fiction with more contemporary fiction elements, with a magical realism feel, you'll like this one. I recommend a library or a paperback buy. If you own it already I'd say a medium-high priority.

This is a story about two outcasts, one magical and one technological, that grow up together, grow apart, and then find themselves again after college, only to experience a horrible geologi Lovely book that I think lost itself some in the second half.

Recommendation: If you enjoy your fantasy or science fiction with more contemporary fiction elements, with a magical realism feel, you'll like this one. I recommend a library or a paperback buy. If you own it already I'd say a medium-high priority.

This is a story about two outcasts, one magical and one technological, that grow up together, grow apart, and then find themselves again after college, only to experience a horrible geological catastrophe on a wide scale. Patricia is a witch, she can commune with nature, but magic in this world is an act of balance, give and take, and Patricia wants to give too much. Laurence is a technological genius that is researching a way to open a portal to another world just in case this Earth dies. Patricia very much believes that the Earth is worth trying to save and heal while Laurence and his friends believe that leaving Earth is the answer.

I absolutely loved the first half of this book. The first half is all about Patricia and Laurence growing up as kids and fitting in. It read very much like a well written young adult book and I found both Patricia and Laurence's lives interesting. I loved Laurence building an A.I. in his bedroom closet and Patricia desperately wanting to somehow use her magical powers she learned she had as a child. I connected with the bullying but it might have gone a little overboard in that area. Also a lot of reviewers seem to point out that these two characters have no adult support, as both of their parents are bad parents. I'd expect the kids to turn out much worse without any adult support system than what they did. They had a rough childhood and sometimes they weren't even there for each other because of peer pressure but this story held my interest so much during the first half.

The magic in this world was amazing. In this world magic is a balancing act. If you give too much, you have to take something. If you do too many good things, something bad might happen elsewhere. The biggest sin when it comes to magic is pride and aggrandizement. There is trickster magic that is basically a contract with people when you preform magic for them. For every form of magic there is a cause and an effect. The technology aspects were great and I love the A.I. Laurence made and later in the story, the personal idevices called Caddies.

During the second half of this book, I got a bit confused on what Anders was trying to do. First off, the romantic relationship between Laurence and Patricia was awkward and unneeded. I found their relationship more believable and better as just close friends. There is a lot of emphasis on ethics and if ethics is something that changes or is stationary. There is also a running theme that science and nature(magic) are at odds with each other. Anders wants the reader to decide if science and nature can coexist or not. I think that this book would have worked better if Anders stuck to one main theme in the second half and wrote the plot around that one theme. Instead she is writing the plot around many different themes and this caused the plot to become a bit convoluted. Things go a bit crazy and characters turn into X-Men, become professional motorcyclists, there are ridiculous mech like machines, and not to mention completely ignored plot points and characters.

I liked this book quite a bit but I became disappointed in the follow through. At the half way point I was ready to give this a 5 star rating. The more subtle and downplayed SFF elements really appealed to me. I think if the second half stuck with a more downplayed story and told the story more chronologically without flashbacks, it would have worked so much better. I also felt that the writing strength in the second half was much less than the first. The first half had some amazing sentences that made me stop and think.

I am really happy I read this book and I'll be excited to read another book by Anders in the future.

3/5
15/25 Possible Score
Plot - 3(Good)
Characters - 3(Good)
World Building/Setting - 3(Good)
Writing Style - 3(Good)
Heart & Mind Aspect -3(Good)
...more

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May 29, 2015 Steph Sinclair marked it as maybe-read

Shelves: adult, tor, print-arc, fantasy, sci-fi, 2016-release, did-not-finish, january, magical-realism

I'm putting this aside for now. It's good, but I'm struggling to keep interest. ...more

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Sep 13, 2015 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it really liked it

Shelves: sword-and-laser, read2016, own, sci-fi-fantasy

I pre-ordered this book because I was excited for it - I have enjoyed Anders' short stories and this one sounded interesting. It defies genre boxing for the most part - there is fantasy, magic, science fiction, apocalypse, and the strange healing power of madrigals. But I like how all the parts fit together, and didn't find it messy or like the author was trying to cram too much in there.

I think part of why these elements work is that they aren't the point of the novel. The focus is the friends ...more

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Jan 12, 2018 Thomas rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, lgbtq

I wanted to enjoy All the Birds in the Sky based on the recommendation of Roxane Gay and one of my close friends, but alas, I did not. The book follows childhood friends Patricia Delfine and Laurence Armstead, who part ways in high school but cross paths as adults right about when the planet descends into chaos. Patricia is a talented witch who graduated from Eltisley Maze, a hidden academy for those with magical powers, and Laurence is an engineering genius whose fellow group of scientists aims I wanted to enjoy All the Birds in the Sky based on the recommendation of Roxane Gay and one of my close friends, but alas, I did not. The book follows childhood friends Patricia Delfine and Laurence Armstead, who part ways in high school but cross paths as adults right about when the planet descends into chaos. Patricia is a talented witch who graduated from Eltisley Maze, a hidden academy for those with magical powers, and Laurence is an engineering genius whose fellow group of scientists aims to save the world with machinery. All the Birds in the Sky explores their relationship as it develops over time as well as the clashing forces of the mystical and the factual.

I appreciated how the book addressed the theme of nature and science and how these two forces interact, compete, and collaborate. Other than that, though, I did not like much else about All the Birds in the Sky. The plot jumped around a lot and felt difficult to follow. The two main characters lacked emotional depth; they did things and things happened to them, but I wanted more internal reflection or growth from both of them. Underneath the wonky elements of fantasy and magical realism, I at first felt excited to see the development of Patricia and Laurence's friendship, but that too turned into an oddly-shaped, rushed romance.

I take little to no pleasure in saying mean things about writing, so I will end this review by sharing that I feel glad that others have enjoyed this book. Perhaps people who like or have a higher tolerance for nonlinear, funky, uncouth books with fantastical elements will like All the Birds in the Sky. To finish on a positive note, here is a quote that one of the characters says that I loved, especially given the need for empathy and compassion when the United States is currently governed and controlled by those who lack those very qualities:

"'I don't actually think that ethics are derived from principles. At all.' Patricia scooted a little closer again and touched his arm with a few cool fingertips. 'I think that the most basic thing of ethics is being aware of how your actions affect others, and having an awareness of what they want and how they feel. And that's always going to depend on who you're dealing with.'" ...more

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Jun 03, 2015 gio rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Weird is...weird.

All the birds in the sky is...a whimsical novel. Okay, it is freaking weird, which was a positive thing for me, but I can see why not everybody would enjoy it. It's definitely not a book I would recommend to everyone, in spite of the fact that I did enjoy it a lot.

The positive thing is that I can say without a doubt that I've read something unique. If you're looking for something original I would definitely suggest you give this book a try.

The fact that symbolism permeates the e ...more

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About Charlie Jane Anders

Charlie Jane Anders

2,815 followers

My latest book is The City in the Middle of the Night.

Previously: All the Birds in the Sky and a short story collection, Six Months, Three Days, Five Others.

Upcoming: An untitled YA trilogy, and a short story collection called Even Greater Mistakes.

I used to write for a site called io9.com, and now I write for various places here and there.

I won the Emperor Norton Award, for “extraordinary inve My latest book is The City in the Middle of the Night.

Previously: All the Birds in the Sky and a short story collection, Six Months, Three Days, Five Others.

Upcoming: An untitled YA trilogy, and a short story collection called Even Greater Mistakes.

I used to write for a site called io9.com, and now I write for various places here and there.

I won the Emperor Norton Award, for “extraordinary invention and creativity unhindered by the constraints of paltry reason.” I've also won a Hugo Award, a Nebula Award, a William H. Crawford Award, a Theodore Sturgeon Award, a Locus Award and a Lambda Literary Award.

My stories, essays and journalism have appeared in Wired Magazine, the Boston Review, Conjunctions, Tin House, Slate, MIT Technology Review, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, Tor.com, Lightspeed Magazine, McSweeney’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, ZYZZYVA, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, 3 AM Magazine, Flurb.net, Monkey Bicycle, Pindeldyboz, Instant City, Broken Pencil, and in tons and tons of anthologies.

I organize Writers With Drinks, which is a monthly reading series here in San Francisco that mashes up a ton of different genres. I co-host a Hugo Award-winning podcast, Our Opinions Are Correct, with Annalee Newitz.

Back in 2007, Annalee and I put out a book of first-person stories by female geeks called She’s Such a Geek: Women Write About Science, Technology and Other Nerdy Stuff. There was a lot of resistance to doing this book, because nobody believed there was a market for writing about female geeks. Also, Annalee and I put out a print magazine called other, which was about pop culture, politics and general weirdness, aimed at people who don’t fit into other categories. To raise money for other magazine, we put on events like a Ballerina Pie Fight – which is just what it sounds like – and a sexy show in a hair salon where people took off their clothes while getting their hair cut.

I used to live in a Buddhist nunnery, when I was a teenager. I love to do karaoke. I eat way too much spicy food. I hug trees and pat stone lions for luck. I talk to myself way too much when I’m working on a story. ...more

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“You know... no matter what you do, people are going to expect you to be someone you're not. But if you're clever and lucky and work your butt off, then you get to be surrounded by people who expect you to be the person you wish you were.” — 94 likes

“Society is the choice between freedom on someone else’s terms and slavery on yours.” — 58 likes

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