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A lány és a nektármadár
Felejthetetlen történet egy elrendezett házasságról s megdöbbentő következményeiről...
KELET-AFRIKA ,1903
Amikor a tizennyolc éves Iris Johnson arról kénytelen dönteni, hogy feleségül menjen-e a kellemetlen és ijesztő Lord Sidcuphoz,
vagy egy sosem látott idegen férfihoz, aki a távoli Afrikában él, ő bátran az utóbbit választja.
Azonban amikor Iris megismeri leendő férjét, minden ábrándja szertefoszlik. Mr. Lawrence rideg és kegyetlen ember,
aki egyáltalán nem törődik ifjú felesége érzelmeivel. Iris ennek ellenére megpróbál alkalmazkodni Nairobi szélsőségeihez s a szikes,
forró, ám mégis gyönyörű vidékhez, melynek egyik örömforrása egy apró kismadár, amely minden egyes nap meglátogatja a házukat.
A lány megismerkedik a fiatal kikuju tanítóval, Kamauval, akiben minden megvan, ami Mr. Lawrence-ből hiányzik: szenvedélyes, kedves és figyelmes.
Iris úgy érzi, teljesen elveszett, minden gondolatát kitölti Kamau iránt érzett szerelme. Újra választania kell.
Ám ha követi a szívét, akkor olyan árat kell fizetnie érte, mely mindannyiunk számára pusztító lesz.
"Egy gyönyörűen megírt és mesés történet, amely rabul ejti Dinah Jefferies, Victoria Hislop és Lucinda Riley rajongóit is."
-- The Sun
"Csodálatos könyv, tele lenyűgöző leírásokkal, amitől úgy érezzük, hogy a föld egyik legszebb helyén járunk."
-- Daily Express
KELET-AFRIKA ,1903
Amikor a tizennyolc éves Iris Johnson arról kénytelen dönteni, hogy feleségül menjen-e a kellemetlen és ijesztő Lord Sidcuphoz,
vagy egy sosem látott idegen férfihoz, aki a távoli Afrikában él, ő bátran az utóbbit választja.
Azonban amikor Iris megismeri leendő férjét, minden ábrándja szertefoszlik. Mr. Lawrence rideg és kegyetlen ember,
aki egyáltalán nem törődik ifjú felesége érzelmeivel. Iris ennek ellenére megpróbál alkalmazkodni Nairobi szélsőségeihez s a szikes,
forró, ám mégis gyönyörű vidékhez, melynek egyik örömforrása egy apró kismadár, amely minden egyes nap meglátogatja a házukat.
A lány megismerkedik a fiatal kikuju tanítóval, Kamauval, akiben minden megvan, ami Mr. Lawrence-ből hiányzik: szenvedélyes, kedves és figyelmes.
Iris úgy érzi, teljesen elveszett, minden gondolatát kitölti Kamau iránt érzett szerelme. Újra választania kell.
Ám ha követi a szívét, akkor olyan árat kell fizetnie érte, mely mindannyiunk számára pusztító lesz.
"Egy gyönyörűen megírt és mesés történet, amely rabul ejti Dinah Jefferies, Victoria Hislop és Lucinda Riley rajongóit is."
-- The Sun
"Csodálatos könyv, tele lenyűgöző leírásokkal, amitől úgy érezzük, hogy a föld egyik legszebb helyén járunk."
-- Daily Express
Paperback
First published June 17, 2016
28 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Stonehill
5 books57 followersRebecca Stonehill is an author living in Norwich with her husband and three children. She spends her time working on her prose and poetry and runs Magic Pencil, an initiative to give children greater access to creative writing and poetry. Rebecca has had numerous short stories published over the years, for example in Vintage Script, What the Dickens magazine, Ariadne's Thread and Prole Books but The Poet's Wife (Bookouture) is her first full-length novel, set in Granada during the Spanish Civil war and Franco's dictatorship. Her second novel, The Girl and the Sunbird, was published by Bookouture in June 2016. Her third novel, The Secret Life of Alfred Nightingale, is set in Crete in WW2 and the 1960's. Rebecca's fourth book came out in 2022 - The Sky Within - A Memoir of Sleep. Her first published non-fiction, this won the Backlash Press prize for non-fiction and charts her journey over many years with chronic insomnia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 21, 2016
The Girl and the Sunbird is a descriptive, atmospheric, emotional tale of love and heart breaking loss.
This is the story of a strong woman who endures a lot of heart ache, mostly due to the decisions her parents make for her at the beginning of this beautifully written tale.
Although a very different story, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my favourite Philippa Gregory book, A Queen’s Fool, during the early chapters of this book.
I loved that this book triggered lots of happy thoughts, such as my own love of birds, my trips to the Eden Project, where they have baobab trees, and memories of me playing croquet in the back garden with my family when I was a child.
My only criticism of this book is that I found the jump in time later on in the book to be a little too much for me personally, and it sort of briefly threw me out of the world I had become a part of. I had a mini panic that I might not be able to get back into the book, but luckily after a few chapters, I was sucked back into the tough and heart breaking life Iris experienced.
I would like to thank the publisher, Bookouture for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of a strong woman who endures a lot of heart ache, mostly due to the decisions her parents make for her at the beginning of this beautifully written tale.
Although a very different story, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my favourite Philippa Gregory book, A Queen’s Fool, during the early chapters of this book.
I loved that this book triggered lots of happy thoughts, such as my own love of birds, my trips to the Eden Project, where they have baobab trees, and memories of me playing croquet in the back garden with my family when I was a child.
My only criticism of this book is that I found the jump in time later on in the book to be a little too much for me personally, and it sort of briefly threw me out of the world I had become a part of. I had a mini panic that I might not be able to get back into the book, but luckily after a few chapters, I was sucked back into the tough and heart breaking life Iris experienced.
I would like to thank the publisher, Bookouture for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2016
Definitely one of the most beautiful stories that I have read this year! Spanning from 1903- 1957, The Girl and the Sunbird swept me back to Africa and smack dab in the middle of a forbidden romance between a young Englishwoman and an African schoolteacher. Beautifully written and visually descriptive, I was completely immersed in this historical fiction tale. Iris is a strong, intelligent, opinionated, and resilient woman that was relatable and will stick in my memory for a very long time. The choices that Iris is forced to make are REALLY heart-wrenching( I never use that word lightly) and I wasn't sure that my poor heart would be able to handle all the twists and turns, not to mention the roadblocks that Iris comes up against during the course of her life's story.
That being said, the story does suffer from a little loss of momentum during the part II portion of the novel. However, I am not going to let those 50 pages deter from what was an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced review copy of this sweeping historical romance. I look forward to spoiling myself with another Rebecca Stonehill story very soon!
That being said, the story does suffer from a little loss of momentum during the part II portion of the novel. However, I am not going to let those 50 pages deter from what was an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced review copy of this sweeping historical romance. I look forward to spoiling myself with another Rebecca Stonehill story very soon!
June 17, 2016
I knew I was going to love this book and it was an amazing read. The cover is simply stunning and promises a really emotive, atmospheric read. Like her first book, The Poets Wife, I was totally lost within the pages and drawn into the history, sights and aromas of the time. I love her beautiful writing style and the characters and settings she so vividly draws in your mind. It tugs on your heartstrings with the romance and heartbreak.
I have always wanted to visit Kenya and I feel as though I have been on a trip through it’s history and scenery. It’s one of those books that weaves itself into your soul and stays with you long after you reluctantly read the last page. I can see me wanting to add all of her books onto my favourites bookshelf- I could just look at the cover for ages.
With many thanks to Bookoutre and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have always wanted to visit Kenya and I feel as though I have been on a trip through it’s history and scenery. It’s one of those books that weaves itself into your soul and stays with you long after you reluctantly read the last page. I can see me wanting to add all of her books onto my favourites bookshelf- I could just look at the cover for ages.
With many thanks to Bookoutre and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2016
I’ve loved travelling since I was a child, and have been fortunate enough to have been given many opportunities to do so. Different cultures fascinate me: and when in another country I prefer to plunge right in and try to “feel” the place through the people who live there. No wonder, then, that I felt such a connection to Iris Johnson, the main protagonist in Rebecca Stonehill’s The Girl and the Sunbird. This is the poignant story of a young woman with no choice in life: she must either marry a despicable Lord, or be sent to East Africa to marry a man she has never met, found through a magazine advert by her cold mother. She chooses the latter – I would too! And sets off on the adventure of her life.
Arriving in Nairobi, Iris discovers that Jeremy Lawrence, her new husband, is not exactly the man of her dreams – more the man of her worst nightmare. But Iris does not give in to despondency. Determined to make the most of her new home she makes friends and falls in love with the country, its flora and fauna. Iris discovers her talent as a teacher – and more. The chemistry she finds with Kamau, a local teacher, is instant and mutual. Kamau is everything Jeremy is not: kind, compassionate, open-minded, sensitive. As their love grows so too does the knowledge that there is no hope for them to be ever together.
What comes next is utterly heart-breaking, and I won’t spoil it for you by giving more details. All I can say is that if like me you are an armchair traveller – for surely a good novel set in a country you’ve never been to is the next best thing to going there yourself – you will become immersed in the story through the gorgeous writing and the sense that these are real people, victims of the unrelenting taboos and privileges of their time. A must read
Arriving in Nairobi, Iris discovers that Jeremy Lawrence, her new husband, is not exactly the man of her dreams – more the man of her worst nightmare. But Iris does not give in to despondency. Determined to make the most of her new home she makes friends and falls in love with the country, its flora and fauna. Iris discovers her talent as a teacher – and more. The chemistry she finds with Kamau, a local teacher, is instant and mutual. Kamau is everything Jeremy is not: kind, compassionate, open-minded, sensitive. As their love grows so too does the knowledge that there is no hope for them to be ever together.
What comes next is utterly heart-breaking, and I won’t spoil it for you by giving more details. All I can say is that if like me you are an armchair traveller – for surely a good novel set in a country you’ve never been to is the next best thing to going there yourself – you will become immersed in the story through the gorgeous writing and the sense that these are real people, victims of the unrelenting taboos and privileges of their time. A must read
August 24, 2016
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I should have listened when a good friend of mine warned me off Rebecca Stonehill’s The Girl and the Sunbird: A Beautiful, Epic Story of Love, Loss and Hope, but I’m a stubborn mule and forged ahead anyway. Unfortunately for me, my friend was entirely correct in her assessment. The book didn’t suit my tastes and proved rather disappointing in my eyes.
The trouble started early when I noted the author’s tendency to tell more than she showed. It grated my nerves and I was frustrated that Stonehill seemed to expect me to simply accept Iris as she was described by her fellows. To be perfectly blunt, I found little to no evidence to substantiate the claims on Iris’ character. She didn’t seem real and I found it impossible to generate genuine empathy or interest in her or her experiences as the story moved on.
The same concept applies to the romantic and marital relationships Iris engages in. Emotions and feelings she was meant to harbor are firmly stated, but poorly illustrated and I think that went a long way in undermining the authenticity of each affair. I wanted to believe her sentiments sincere, but here again I felt force fed material that was largely unsupported.
I liked the general themes of the story, but the duration of the narrative and large gaps in the timeline made the underlying messages difficult to appreciate. Key plot points were wholly predictable and I couldn’t understand the multitude of narrators. Iris was the central figure of the story and I felt the rotating voices distracting and often irrelevant.
I can’t say The Girl and the Sunbird was a complete wash, there were moments I liked and East Africa proved an interesting setting, but the story wasn’t my cup of tea and I’m not sure I’ll be reading this author again.
I should have listened when a good friend of mine warned me off Rebecca Stonehill’s The Girl and the Sunbird: A Beautiful, Epic Story of Love, Loss and Hope, but I’m a stubborn mule and forged ahead anyway. Unfortunately for me, my friend was entirely correct in her assessment. The book didn’t suit my tastes and proved rather disappointing in my eyes.
The trouble started early when I noted the author’s tendency to tell more than she showed. It grated my nerves and I was frustrated that Stonehill seemed to expect me to simply accept Iris as she was described by her fellows. To be perfectly blunt, I found little to no evidence to substantiate the claims on Iris’ character. She didn’t seem real and I found it impossible to generate genuine empathy or interest in her or her experiences as the story moved on.
The same concept applies to the romantic and marital relationships Iris engages in. Emotions and feelings she was meant to harbor are firmly stated, but poorly illustrated and I think that went a long way in undermining the authenticity of each affair. I wanted to believe her sentiments sincere, but here again I felt force fed material that was largely unsupported.
I liked the general themes of the story, but the duration of the narrative and large gaps in the timeline made the underlying messages difficult to appreciate. Key plot points were wholly predictable and I couldn’t understand the multitude of narrators. Iris was the central figure of the story and I felt the rotating voices distracting and often irrelevant.
I can’t say The Girl and the Sunbird was a complete wash, there were moments I liked and East Africa proved an interesting setting, but the story wasn’t my cup of tea and I’m not sure I’ll be reading this author again.
June 2, 2016
Wow! What an amazing book! I read and loved this author's debut and I was eagerly awaiting this one. And did it deliver! This book is stunningly written and the historical detail is expertly weaved into the story, making it authentic and compelling and unputdownable. I LOVED Iris. What a woman! Strong and sensitive, resilient and confident, loving and generous, Iris is someone who burrowed her way into my heart, someone who felt so real and someone I will remember for a very long time. A brilliant book, an epic story, this book deserves to be read by everyone. Cannot wait for more from this extremely talented author who is now one of my favourite storytellers.
February 7, 2017
Fantastic book I really loved it . Its the first book I read from Rebecca Stonehill and I wasn't disappointed. A real page turner. I couldn't put it down.
June 7, 2016
3.5 Stars
Any tale of forbidden romance will always draw me in; this one was no different. The author creates a great relationship and historical story behind it. Yet, she falls a bit short when it comes to some mannerisms and motives of her characters. I felt they were off balance with the times or just off altogether.
The history really blew me away on this one. Of course, history on any region of the world with which I’m unfamiliar will make me squirm in happiness. From a rigid British colony in 1910s to the rumblings of the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s, the reader watches as Kenya develops into the modern nation we know today. Told from the point of view of four individuals (a white British girl, an Indian tailor, an African man, and a mixed race man), the author gives a well-rounded analysis of Kenya’s growth from many perspectives.
Of course, it’s the forbidden romance that initially drew me. A relationship between an African man and white woman during this time, in this locale, definitely is going to raise some eyebrows. As the story proves, it also has dire consequences for the parties involved. Yet, the chemistry and draw between Kamau and Iris makes you root for the couple even knowing that it can’t end well. Their romance is gentle, sweet, and caring; it proves that relationships can develop across cultural barriers given the right personalities.
Now those mannerisms and motives I mentioned… I felt that the author could be a bit skewed or judgmental when it came to her characters. The biggest offender was Jonathan’s and Iris’ arrangement. I can’t see that going as smoothly as it did; Jonathan would have put up more of a fight or demanded more information on why Iris asked it of him if we were going for realism here. I also felt that Mr. Lawrence might have gotten a bit of a harsh rep. Yes, he’s a crude, self-centered, heavy-handed boor who views the world through British colonial glasses. Yes, he was a horrible husband for Iris and her personality. But would I classify him as cruel?? Eh… I wouldn’t. He acted and reacted realistically, if unemphatically, in my eyes.
Kamau and Irish are somewhat of a toss-up. Kamau sometimes came off as a paragon, unrealistically. He’s gentle, passionate, sweet, intelligent, and all Iris could ask for. Iris came off as immature (maybe it was her young age of 18). Given the harsh circumstances she experienced and endured, she grew up a bit. Yet, I found her hard to connect with in the beginning until about the last half of the book. For all that, though, I liked them well enough to get behind their stories and romance. I could empathize with them and their struggles.
For a story that had shadowy character motives and personalities that could read too unrealistic, I still enjoyed this look at a country finding itself, forming into the nation we know today. The main romance kept me engaged with their sweet emotions. So, all in all, this is a pleasant read; I wouldn’t say no to another work by this author.
Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Any tale of forbidden romance will always draw me in; this one was no different. The author creates a great relationship and historical story behind it. Yet, she falls a bit short when it comes to some mannerisms and motives of her characters. I felt they were off balance with the times or just off altogether.
The history really blew me away on this one. Of course, history on any region of the world with which I’m unfamiliar will make me squirm in happiness. From a rigid British colony in 1910s to the rumblings of the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s, the reader watches as Kenya develops into the modern nation we know today. Told from the point of view of four individuals (a white British girl, an Indian tailor, an African man, and a mixed race man), the author gives a well-rounded analysis of Kenya’s growth from many perspectives.
Of course, it’s the forbidden romance that initially drew me. A relationship between an African man and white woman during this time, in this locale, definitely is going to raise some eyebrows. As the story proves, it also has dire consequences for the parties involved. Yet, the chemistry and draw between Kamau and Iris makes you root for the couple even knowing that it can’t end well. Their romance is gentle, sweet, and caring; it proves that relationships can develop across cultural barriers given the right personalities.
Now those mannerisms and motives I mentioned… I felt that the author could be a bit skewed or judgmental when it came to her characters. The biggest offender was Jonathan’s and Iris’ arrangement. I can’t see that going as smoothly as it did; Jonathan would have put up more of a fight or demanded more information on why Iris asked it of him if we were going for realism here. I also felt that Mr. Lawrence might have gotten a bit of a harsh rep. Yes, he’s a crude, self-centered, heavy-handed boor who views the world through British colonial glasses. Yes, he was a horrible husband for Iris and her personality. But would I classify him as cruel?? Eh… I wouldn’t. He acted and reacted realistically, if unemphatically, in my eyes.
Kamau and Irish are somewhat of a toss-up. Kamau sometimes came off as a paragon, unrealistically. He’s gentle, passionate, sweet, intelligent, and all Iris could ask for. Iris came off as immature (maybe it was her young age of 18). Given the harsh circumstances she experienced and endured, she grew up a bit. Yet, I found her hard to connect with in the beginning until about the last half of the book. For all that, though, I liked them well enough to get behind their stories and romance. I could empathize with them and their struggles.
For a story that had shadowy character motives and personalities that could read too unrealistic, I still enjoyed this look at a country finding itself, forming into the nation we know today. The main romance kept me engaged with their sweet emotions. So, all in all, this is a pleasant read; I wouldn’t say no to another work by this author.
Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2016
The story if Iris, Kamau and Fazal Ahmed, 3 people from different countries in a story divided in 3 parts. As different as their skin colours, origin and culture is they find love and friendship in each other.
Iris is the brave English young woman, literally a teenager sent off to East Africa, to get married to a Man, definitely much, much older than her. While she escapes an equally dreadful match in England, the future in Africa isn't that hopeful or bright for that matter. By the time Iris lands and begins to settle with her crude husband, she sees a ray of sunshine and hope in the local, native teacher Kamau. She meets Kamau through her first acquaintance Fazal Ahmed who also happens to be her Tailor and becomes a much needed reprieve and friend amongst strangers.
In Kamau, Iris finds love, heartbreak, happiness, loss and a son whom she leaves behind along with Kamau to face the consequences of their Union. When Iris returns to Kenya almost 50 years later everything has changed. She lucks out and finds her old friend Fazal Ahmed, now an established business and family man.
Together with Fazal, she relives the horrors of the aftermath she left when she was forcibly sent back to England and embarks on a journey to find her lost son. What happens next can only make you thank the Gods for little mercies. How she rescues her son literally from death door while dodging and making sure she stays alive in the turbulent, disturbing internal war going on in Kenya.
What I loved about the story is how Iris despite her grim personal life finds & appreciates the golden beauty of the wild East Africa. The beautiful Benedict Kamau and gentle, true blue Fazal Ahmed. These 3 characters are the centre of the story and make for a wonderful, atmospheric yet emotionally wrenching story. It's hard to imagine the state of progress only a little more than 100 years back then a mere 55 years back when the story ends in not much better circumstances. This story will stay with you and keep coming back to you in bits every time you hear Africa, friendship, colonial times and internal disturbance in modern day African countries.
Iris is the brave English young woman, literally a teenager sent off to East Africa, to get married to a Man, definitely much, much older than her. While she escapes an equally dreadful match in England, the future in Africa isn't that hopeful or bright for that matter. By the time Iris lands and begins to settle with her crude husband, she sees a ray of sunshine and hope in the local, native teacher Kamau. She meets Kamau through her first acquaintance Fazal Ahmed who also happens to be her Tailor and becomes a much needed reprieve and friend amongst strangers.
In Kamau, Iris finds love, heartbreak, happiness, loss and a son whom she leaves behind along with Kamau to face the consequences of their Union. When Iris returns to Kenya almost 50 years later everything has changed. She lucks out and finds her old friend Fazal Ahmed, now an established business and family man.
Together with Fazal, she relives the horrors of the aftermath she left when she was forcibly sent back to England and embarks on a journey to find her lost son. What happens next can only make you thank the Gods for little mercies. How she rescues her son literally from death door while dodging and making sure she stays alive in the turbulent, disturbing internal war going on in Kenya.
What I loved about the story is how Iris despite her grim personal life finds & appreciates the golden beauty of the wild East Africa. The beautiful Benedict Kamau and gentle, true blue Fazal Ahmed. These 3 characters are the centre of the story and make for a wonderful, atmospheric yet emotionally wrenching story. It's hard to imagine the state of progress only a little more than 100 years back then a mere 55 years back when the story ends in not much better circumstances. This story will stay with you and keep coming back to you in bits every time you hear Africa, friendship, colonial times and internal disturbance in modern day African countries.
July 1, 2016
This book is so very good! Beautifully written and characters described wonderfully! I did not want the book to end!
February 25, 2018
Very good book. Beautifully written.
May 25, 2016
This is a poignant, heart-wrenching, impactful story that I won’t soon forget.
It is the story of Iris, a young, naive woman who is sent to British East Africa to marry an arrogant, brutish widower, only to find true love in the arms of a native.
The story is predominantly set in Kenya during the early 1900s, and then again during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s, and is told by differing perspectives that sweep you along through the highs and lows of Iris’s life effortlessly.
This is, ultimately, a story about loneliness, loss, injustice, determination, strength, solace, happiness, and love.
The prose is poetic, precise, and exquisitely descriptive. And the characters are multi-layered, engaging, and empathetic.
This is a truly powerful story. It will make you smile. It will make you cry. And it will resonate with you long after the last page is finished.
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bookouture, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found at www.whatsbetterthanbooks.com
It is the story of Iris, a young, naive woman who is sent to British East Africa to marry an arrogant, brutish widower, only to find true love in the arms of a native.
The story is predominantly set in Kenya during the early 1900s, and then again during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s, and is told by differing perspectives that sweep you along through the highs and lows of Iris’s life effortlessly.
This is, ultimately, a story about loneliness, loss, injustice, determination, strength, solace, happiness, and love.
The prose is poetic, precise, and exquisitely descriptive. And the characters are multi-layered, engaging, and empathetic.
This is a truly powerful story. It will make you smile. It will make you cry. And it will resonate with you long after the last page is finished.
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bookouture, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found at www.whatsbetterthanbooks.com
June 13, 2016
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and super excited when I got approved to read the ARC but once I started reading the book my excitement lessened. The book started off with great tempo but once it got to the "developing love story" it just happened. There was very little development of the relationship other then one minute it's an infatuation and the next it's a full blown love affair. This kind of put me off because I would have really loved to see more of Iris and Kamaus relationship.
I also did not care for the ending. Without giving too much away I felt the ending moved very fast and there were quite a few loose ends left. I get that we're suppose to come to certain conclusions on our own but the ending felt very rushed and like the author just wanted everything to be happy and give readers the ending we wanted.
I was really looking forward to reading this book and super excited when I got approved to read the ARC but once I started reading the book my excitement lessened. The book started off with great tempo but once it got to the "developing love story" it just happened. There was very little development of the relationship other then one minute it's an infatuation and the next it's a full blown love affair. This kind of put me off because I would have really loved to see more of Iris and Kamaus relationship.
I also did not care for the ending. Without giving too much away I felt the ending moved very fast and there were quite a few loose ends left. I get that we're suppose to come to certain conclusions on our own but the ending felt very rushed and like the author just wanted everything to be happy and give readers the ending we wanted.
February 22, 2017
The latest novel from talented author Rebecca Stonehill transports the reader to Nairobi in the first half of the twentieth century. It is a multi-generational tale of an upper middle class young English woman sent out to Africa to marry a man she had never met. Rebecca explores her central character’s situation with enormous sensitivity and insight. This book had what I always look for in a well-written historical novel – the opportunity to learn something about a place and time I knew nothing about, whilst also being spellbound by the story at its heart. It was written with passion, tenderness and love. I look forward to the next journey this writer takes me on.
October 2, 2016
I really enjoyed the beautiful way this book is written. The way Nairobi is described, it almost made me feel like I had been there. Half way through the book I was really pulled into the story and had a hard time putting it down. It's a beautiful heartbreaking story. The one thing that bothered me was the sudden ending of the book. At least it seemed sudden to me. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the story yet.
December 10, 2016
Thanks Bookouture and netgalley for this ARC.
Iris will make you smile, laugh, and wish she were born into modern times. Misunderstood by her family and given a dreadful choice, she takes a chance on going to Africa. So much pain but a lot of joy also. This story is unique among stories of overcoming the past.
Iris will make you smile, laugh, and wish she were born into modern times. Misunderstood by her family and given a dreadful choice, she takes a chance on going to Africa. So much pain but a lot of joy also. This story is unique among stories of overcoming the past.
November 14, 2016
A sad, haunting of one woman's struggles to overcome the station in life she has been born into. First Iris is controlled by her mother. When she refuses to marry the man her mother has chosen, she is sent to Africa to marry a widower she knows nothing about. Mr Lawrence turns out to be a mean, sadistic bully, who believes he owns Iris.
August 20, 2016
Well Mrs Stonehill...you've blown me away once again! What a magnificent tale covering every possible emotion imaginable! You brought a bit of Kenyan history to life amidst a searing tale of love, loss and hope at the same time as keeping me gripped to the very last word! Brilliant!!
December 14, 2020
My kind of book! A beautifully written love story and set in Africa. Magical! More books please Rebecca!
June 21, 2016
It has been almost two years since the incredible debut novel from Rebecca Stonehill that was The Poet's Wife. It's been such a long wait for me but finally Rebecca returns with The Girl and the Sunbird set mostly in East Africa in the 1930's - a time of great change for the country and for the people who resided there. Having read the author's first book I compared it to the work of Victoria Hislop and I still stand by that comparison. I've also read that Rebecca's writing is similar to that of Dinah Jefferies and Lucinda Riley, both of whom are two of my favourite authors, so I was keen to discover would I experience once again the same enthralling, absorbing feelings I have every time I read a book by the above mentioned authors? I was simply blown away by The Poets Wife and it stuck in my mind for a long time after I had finished reading it. It was an epic story of love that really struck a chord with me and it would be interesting to see would the author achieve the same effect with book two considering the gap between this second release and the first.
The Girl and the Sunbird is a haunting, utterly heartbreaking story of an unforgettable woman who is transported from the life she has always known in England to the hot, dusty, vastly different country that is Kenya many years ago as it is attempting to establish itself. Well rather the British are attempting to exert their control over another foreign country to expand their power and influence. Our main female character Iris Johnson is a woman about to be married to an older man who she soon comes to realise she can never love the way a woman should love her husband the man she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with. Stuck in a country totally alien to her she is lonely and lost so who can she turn to?
The book opens with an extremely brief prologue at only a page long yet it certainly packs a punch as it is intriguing yet disturbing. 'Five days eight hours I will die.' Just who is this Maitho that is speaking? What has happened that has led this person to this situation? Iris Johnson is living in Cambridgeshire with her family but her mother is putting pressure on her to find a lord to marry and live in contentment with many children. But things do not work out as planned and soon Iris finds herself on her first voyage across the seas all the way to Mombasa accompanied by Penelope Logan, a woman of great learning and knowledge who in time will grow to be a confident and a source of support and strength for Iris. Just why is Iris transplanted from her country of birth to a country radically different from everything she has ever known? Marriage is the answer, women can't be left on the shelf they need to go somewhere. Answering the call of a Mr. Jeremy Lawrence who placed an ad in a newspaper seeking a second wife (following the death of his first) Iris finds herself in a country full of new sights, sounds, smells, foods, aromas and all manner of exotic things. It's a feast for the senses as Iris has to acclimatise and also learn how to be a married woman to a much older man who is cold and aloof. To me it seemed Iris was like a slave as in her family more or less sold her off they knew she couldn't stay at home forever and had to do something with her. Her mother showed a complete lack of empathy but you could sense her father's softer side and he was distraught at what was befalling his daughter.
Immediately when the book moves to Africa Rebecca Stonehill absolutely nailed every aspect, I felt I was right there beside Iris as in one way she puts on a brave face that she is happy with her new life and marriage but deep down she is angry with her family. On the other hand she wants to experience all this exotic country has to offer especially as it is a time of expansion and growth with the British building railways and roads linking barren desert and countryside to large towns in the hopes of building up the country to a powerhouse like the Indian Empire was. Iris basically was like a fish out of water but deep inside her there was a strength of character waiting to emerge, someone who knew what she wanted in life and wouldn't sit back and let others walk all over her. If she wasn't happy she would make it her aim to find that elusive happiness and although what unfolds may go against what many people believe in, you do really have to step back and look at each person's individual circumstances and I believe in this case Iris had no other option as her marriage was loveless and all for show.
There are huge cultural differences between England and the town of Nairobi and for any young woman uprooted from the family home and finding themselves in a hot, desolate part of the world it would be a shock to the system and faced with a boor of a husband Iris obviously had to make her own entertainment. Jeremy struck me as a person who gets his kicks from putting others down, being in control and treating those less fortunate than him as servants and of the lower classes. He is a man who like to exert his power over those in command. Iris is a mere plaything to him, the trophy wife necessary for social outings and to assume a good position in Nairobi society amongst the English. If there are children even better but as for Iris' own thoughts, feelings and opinions or what she she is to do everyday in this new country that is not crucial or worthy of much thought or consideration. Iris must occupy herself. Jeremy was just a bully a man who you would do best to avoid at all costs.
As I have mentioned Rebecca Stonehill brings Nairobi and the surrounding countryside to life, the writing just takes your breath away as it is so beautiful, profound and poetic. It's clear there has been impeccable research into the writing of this book and Iris' story proves to be compelling and heartbreaking in equal measure. I felt her loneliness as she spent hours along at the house while Lawrence was away working or hunting with only the maid for companionship. But underneath it all Iris was woman of strength and she understood she had to make the best of the situation she found herself in. Her marriage may be loveless and more or less a front but she herself could find contentment through interaction with others. 'Rather like Alice in her wonderland, the longer I am here in this strange place built upon dusty plains and papyrus swamps, the less hostile it feels.' Iris soon begins to wander from the house and discovers a nearby school where Kamu is a teacher. They strike up a friendship and Alice teaches the children some English. It proves a delightful distraction from the life she now finds herself living, in fact the friendship soon develops into something more and Iris can't control the passion she feels. I didn't in the least bit blame Iris for what she did, she was young and had her whole life ahead of her and stuck with a man much older than herself was obviously not much fun. The relationship that materialises between Iris and Kamu felt real and all consuming, there was a rawness, a passion and a deep connection that just radiated from the pages. Even though their love was forbidden and it discovered would have devastating consequences for all involved some times you have to give into what your heart is saying. Iris is soon faced with a choice which took the book in a completely different direction, one which I had not expected but which gave the story a slightly different edge and feel different to other books I have read in this genre and which made this book all the more special and intriguing.
For me The Girl and the Sunbird was a simply stunning piece of writing that will have many readers captivated from the outset. It seemed to have three distinct stages/sections or even movements to the story with a great flow and rhythm. Yes there was a tale of romance against all the odds and the consequences if found out but the later half of the book took on a different tone and feel which wasn't necessarily bad just unexpected but in a good way. The story could have followed convention and it would have all panned out so simply but that would have been a cop out instead the history of the country in later years came to the fore and twists and turns abounded. The later chapters were both haunting and mesmerising and you never knew what the exact outcome would be.The author kept you on your toes guessing and in my opinion the ending was fitting and very apt for all that had gone beforehand and I thoroughly enjoyed how she went against the rules to create a wonderfully, atmospheric read that really gets under your skin and into your heart.
Despite enjoying this fantastic story The Poet's Wife ever so slightly edges this one out, and maybe that's because it had such a profound impact on me at the time, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this brilliant story of love, loss and hope of a young woman who followed her heart. Make sure this is on your reading list this summer you won't be disappointed and hopefully Rebecca won't keep us waiting too long for book number three.
The Girl and the Sunbird is a haunting, utterly heartbreaking story of an unforgettable woman who is transported from the life she has always known in England to the hot, dusty, vastly different country that is Kenya many years ago as it is attempting to establish itself. Well rather the British are attempting to exert their control over another foreign country to expand their power and influence. Our main female character Iris Johnson is a woman about to be married to an older man who she soon comes to realise she can never love the way a woman should love her husband the man she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with. Stuck in a country totally alien to her she is lonely and lost so who can she turn to?
The book opens with an extremely brief prologue at only a page long yet it certainly packs a punch as it is intriguing yet disturbing. 'Five days eight hours I will die.' Just who is this Maitho that is speaking? What has happened that has led this person to this situation? Iris Johnson is living in Cambridgeshire with her family but her mother is putting pressure on her to find a lord to marry and live in contentment with many children. But things do not work out as planned and soon Iris finds herself on her first voyage across the seas all the way to Mombasa accompanied by Penelope Logan, a woman of great learning and knowledge who in time will grow to be a confident and a source of support and strength for Iris. Just why is Iris transplanted from her country of birth to a country radically different from everything she has ever known? Marriage is the answer, women can't be left on the shelf they need to go somewhere. Answering the call of a Mr. Jeremy Lawrence who placed an ad in a newspaper seeking a second wife (following the death of his first) Iris finds herself in a country full of new sights, sounds, smells, foods, aromas and all manner of exotic things. It's a feast for the senses as Iris has to acclimatise and also learn how to be a married woman to a much older man who is cold and aloof. To me it seemed Iris was like a slave as in her family more or less sold her off they knew she couldn't stay at home forever and had to do something with her. Her mother showed a complete lack of empathy but you could sense her father's softer side and he was distraught at what was befalling his daughter.
Immediately when the book moves to Africa Rebecca Stonehill absolutely nailed every aspect, I felt I was right there beside Iris as in one way she puts on a brave face that she is happy with her new life and marriage but deep down she is angry with her family. On the other hand she wants to experience all this exotic country has to offer especially as it is a time of expansion and growth with the British building railways and roads linking barren desert and countryside to large towns in the hopes of building up the country to a powerhouse like the Indian Empire was. Iris basically was like a fish out of water but deep inside her there was a strength of character waiting to emerge, someone who knew what she wanted in life and wouldn't sit back and let others walk all over her. If she wasn't happy she would make it her aim to find that elusive happiness and although what unfolds may go against what many people believe in, you do really have to step back and look at each person's individual circumstances and I believe in this case Iris had no other option as her marriage was loveless and all for show.
There are huge cultural differences between England and the town of Nairobi and for any young woman uprooted from the family home and finding themselves in a hot, desolate part of the world it would be a shock to the system and faced with a boor of a husband Iris obviously had to make her own entertainment. Jeremy struck me as a person who gets his kicks from putting others down, being in control and treating those less fortunate than him as servants and of the lower classes. He is a man who like to exert his power over those in command. Iris is a mere plaything to him, the trophy wife necessary for social outings and to assume a good position in Nairobi society amongst the English. If there are children even better but as for Iris' own thoughts, feelings and opinions or what she she is to do everyday in this new country that is not crucial or worthy of much thought or consideration. Iris must occupy herself. Jeremy was just a bully a man who you would do best to avoid at all costs.
As I have mentioned Rebecca Stonehill brings Nairobi and the surrounding countryside to life, the writing just takes your breath away as it is so beautiful, profound and poetic. It's clear there has been impeccable research into the writing of this book and Iris' story proves to be compelling and heartbreaking in equal measure. I felt her loneliness as she spent hours along at the house while Lawrence was away working or hunting with only the maid for companionship. But underneath it all Iris was woman of strength and she understood she had to make the best of the situation she found herself in. Her marriage may be loveless and more or less a front but she herself could find contentment through interaction with others. 'Rather like Alice in her wonderland, the longer I am here in this strange place built upon dusty plains and papyrus swamps, the less hostile it feels.' Iris soon begins to wander from the house and discovers a nearby school where Kamu is a teacher. They strike up a friendship and Alice teaches the children some English. It proves a delightful distraction from the life she now finds herself living, in fact the friendship soon develops into something more and Iris can't control the passion she feels. I didn't in the least bit blame Iris for what she did, she was young and had her whole life ahead of her and stuck with a man much older than herself was obviously not much fun. The relationship that materialises between Iris and Kamu felt real and all consuming, there was a rawness, a passion and a deep connection that just radiated from the pages. Even though their love was forbidden and it discovered would have devastating consequences for all involved some times you have to give into what your heart is saying. Iris is soon faced with a choice which took the book in a completely different direction, one which I had not expected but which gave the story a slightly different edge and feel different to other books I have read in this genre and which made this book all the more special and intriguing.
For me The Girl and the Sunbird was a simply stunning piece of writing that will have many readers captivated from the outset. It seemed to have three distinct stages/sections or even movements to the story with a great flow and rhythm. Yes there was a tale of romance against all the odds and the consequences if found out but the later half of the book took on a different tone and feel which wasn't necessarily bad just unexpected but in a good way. The story could have followed convention and it would have all panned out so simply but that would have been a cop out instead the history of the country in later years came to the fore and twists and turns abounded. The later chapters were both haunting and mesmerising and you never knew what the exact outcome would be.The author kept you on your toes guessing and in my opinion the ending was fitting and very apt for all that had gone beforehand and I thoroughly enjoyed how she went against the rules to create a wonderfully, atmospheric read that really gets under your skin and into your heart.
Despite enjoying this fantastic story The Poet's Wife ever so slightly edges this one out, and maybe that's because it had such a profound impact on me at the time, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this brilliant story of love, loss and hope of a young woman who followed her heart. Make sure this is on your reading list this summer you won't be disappointed and hopefully Rebecca won't keep us waiting too long for book number three.
May 25, 2017
I became unexpectedly and thoroughly involved in this book. I cannot tell you why in too much detail due to spoiler etiquette, but I really found it utterly gripping. I live in Kenya and am always excited about new works of fiction that are set here, but most often they are riddled with hackneyed ideas and character stereotypes.
Yes, this tells the story of a European woman falling in love with an African man (come on, you must have picked that up from the blurb), but Stonehill’s characters are penned so exquisitely as to escape the kind of cliché we have come to expect from literature set in this part of the world.
The Kenyan hero of the story is more gentle intellectual than dangerous, muscular tribesman and Stonehill’s heroine is strong, resourceful and passionate – just who we need her to be, to stand up to the horrendous colonial mores of the time.
I found the portrayal of the lovers’ relationship to be touchingly tender and sexy and was delighted by the way that the writer dedicated whole chapters to each character’s perspective, so that the reader could get a 360 degree perspective on key events.
The only thing I wanted that wasn’t there, and this is so personal, was for the writer to get inside the head of the extremely unpleasant white colonial, so that we could have seen things from his perspective as well. But then I think it might have been a different book and who knows whether I would have liked it as much.
The last thing that I want to mention is that this writer is no shrinking violet and I admired the way that she tackled the Mao Mao uprising, something which can still engender a firey response from all camps. She set the scene for it, proving it to be an inevitable consequence of oppression, but did not shy away from the horrific brutality of it either.
All in all, I think Rebecca Stonehill is a brave writer with a fresh voice, untainted by mawkishness or cliché. Well done her! I’m off to read her other work The Poet’s Wife now.
Yes, this tells the story of a European woman falling in love with an African man (come on, you must have picked that up from the blurb), but Stonehill’s characters are penned so exquisitely as to escape the kind of cliché we have come to expect from literature set in this part of the world.
The Kenyan hero of the story is more gentle intellectual than dangerous, muscular tribesman and Stonehill’s heroine is strong, resourceful and passionate – just who we need her to be, to stand up to the horrendous colonial mores of the time.
I found the portrayal of the lovers’ relationship to be touchingly tender and sexy and was delighted by the way that the writer dedicated whole chapters to each character’s perspective, so that the reader could get a 360 degree perspective on key events.
The only thing I wanted that wasn’t there, and this is so personal, was for the writer to get inside the head of the extremely unpleasant white colonial, so that we could have seen things from his perspective as well. But then I think it might have been a different book and who knows whether I would have liked it as much.
The last thing that I want to mention is that this writer is no shrinking violet and I admired the way that she tackled the Mao Mao uprising, something which can still engender a firey response from all camps. She set the scene for it, proving it to be an inevitable consequence of oppression, but did not shy away from the horrific brutality of it either.
All in all, I think Rebecca Stonehill is a brave writer with a fresh voice, untainted by mawkishness or cliché. Well done her! I’m off to read her other work The Poet’s Wife now.
May 8, 2017
What a fabulous story about forbidden love! It's mostly set in East Africa (Kenya as it is now) and spans approximately 60 years, beginning in 1903 when 18 year old Iris Johnson travels to Nairobi to marry a man she has never met in order to avoid an arranged marriage in England. This man turns out to be not the nicest of people. An 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' situation!
I loved the voices of the various narrators, especially that of Iris. It's beautifully written and vividly told. I loved the descriptions of early 20thC Africa, I almost felt I was there I was so immersed in the tale. It was something of a page turner for me. It's quite a tragic and poignant story - it did bring some tears to my eyes. I have to admit to looking up what a sunbird looked like. Such an amazing and colourful creature!
A captivating, engaging and absorbing book which I can highly recommend.
I loved the voices of the various narrators, especially that of Iris. It's beautifully written and vividly told. I loved the descriptions of early 20thC Africa, I almost felt I was there I was so immersed in the tale. It was something of a page turner for me. It's quite a tragic and poignant story - it did bring some tears to my eyes. I have to admit to looking up what a sunbird looked like. Such an amazing and colourful creature!
A captivating, engaging and absorbing book which I can highly recommend.
August 6, 2018
Enthralling, epic and beautifully written
Rebecca Stonehill deserves high praise for so moving and memorable a story as The Girl and the Sunbird!
I felt every emotion her characters felt. The place and times the story takes place are also main characters.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys historical stories of love, struggle and hope for mankind.
Congratulations, Ms. Stonehill
Rebecca Stonehill deserves high praise for so moving and memorable a story as The Girl and the Sunbird!
I felt every emotion her characters felt. The place and times the story takes place are also main characters.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys historical stories of love, struggle and hope for mankind.
Congratulations, Ms. Stonehill
August 2, 2018
Loved this
June 30, 2016
Originally posted on: http://www.albainbookland.com/2016/06...
The Girl and the Sunbird tells the heart-breaking story of Iris Johnson, a girl who is sent to Africa to marry an older man. When we meet her, she is still living in Cambridge with her parents, who give her two options: stay and marry an awful Lord or travel to Africa and marry an unknown man (her mother finds an advert in a magazine). So Iris decides to leave her family and everything she knows behind hoping to find a fair man at the end of her journey.
As she travels to Kenya, she is accompanied by a chaperone, Miss Logan. A beautiful and deep friendship grows between the two women and I was happy to discover that she remains a true friend to Iris for the whole story. But as soon as she arrives at Nairobi, Iris realises that Jeremy Lawrence, her new husband, is not a kind nor a fair man. Faced with this reality, Iris decides nevertheless to enjoy and discover her new country as much as she can and starts exploring around her new home.
I really enjoyed following Iris around Nairobi. The descriptions of this new and exotic place were generous and detailed and I could easily picture how it all must have look back then. Iris soon finds friendship in her tailor who introduces her to a local teacher, Kamau. That's when the story gets really interesting as you can feel the chemistry between them but know, at the same time, that nothing can happen between them and their future is doomed. However, I really liked the character of Kamau, he was kind and passionate and I was rooting for them since the beginning.
After this first part of the story, there are two more parts set later in time. I was a bit lost at the beginning of the second part as the jump in time is quite big and we don't really know what happened at the end of the first part. This annoyed me a bit as I just wanted to know more about Iris and Kamau. But as this part progressed and finally jumped into the third part, everything was discovered and I just couldn't stop reading to know it all.
I was really shocked and touched with Iris' story. At the end of the novel, I felt like she was a close friend of mine and I couldn't help feeling both happy and sad by her story. Hers was not an easy life and she had to take too many tough decisions. She had many flaws and made some decisions I didn't completely agree with but all her flaws just made her all the more real to me. I'm sure this story will leave no one indifferent. A highly interesting and haunting historical novel.
(review copy)
The Girl and the Sunbird tells the heart-breaking story of Iris Johnson, a girl who is sent to Africa to marry an older man. When we meet her, she is still living in Cambridge with her parents, who give her two options: stay and marry an awful Lord or travel to Africa and marry an unknown man (her mother finds an advert in a magazine). So Iris decides to leave her family and everything she knows behind hoping to find a fair man at the end of her journey.
As she travels to Kenya, she is accompanied by a chaperone, Miss Logan. A beautiful and deep friendship grows between the two women and I was happy to discover that she remains a true friend to Iris for the whole story. But as soon as she arrives at Nairobi, Iris realises that Jeremy Lawrence, her new husband, is not a kind nor a fair man. Faced with this reality, Iris decides nevertheless to enjoy and discover her new country as much as she can and starts exploring around her new home.
I really enjoyed following Iris around Nairobi. The descriptions of this new and exotic place were generous and detailed and I could easily picture how it all must have look back then. Iris soon finds friendship in her tailor who introduces her to a local teacher, Kamau. That's when the story gets really interesting as you can feel the chemistry between them but know, at the same time, that nothing can happen between them and their future is doomed. However, I really liked the character of Kamau, he was kind and passionate and I was rooting for them since the beginning.
After this first part of the story, there are two more parts set later in time. I was a bit lost at the beginning of the second part as the jump in time is quite big and we don't really know what happened at the end of the first part. This annoyed me a bit as I just wanted to know more about Iris and Kamau. But as this part progressed and finally jumped into the third part, everything was discovered and I just couldn't stop reading to know it all.
I was really shocked and touched with Iris' story. At the end of the novel, I felt like she was a close friend of mine and I couldn't help feeling both happy and sad by her story. Hers was not an easy life and she had to take too many tough decisions. She had many flaws and made some decisions I didn't completely agree with but all her flaws just made her all the more real to me. I'm sure this story will leave no one indifferent. A highly interesting and haunting historical novel.
(review copy)
August 25, 2016
Visit the locations in the novel here: Travel to Africa via the novel
I think I may have stood and simply stared at this cover before even opening it. What a gorgeous book and an even more sumptuous read!
Rebecca writing is just quite literally like a paintbrush which brushes the scenes of an African wilderness as she writes. The sights, sounds and smells just build up in layers, the colours of the sky vivid and evocative and the sounds just jump from the page. Such a visual read and even more poignant when I thought of how this must have seemed to a woman who knew her destiny was here, with a cold-hearted man.
I'm a bit of a nervous wreck now to be honest. I invest so much into these characters but to be fair Rebecca makes it hard not to. I really feel as if I can picture and dream of Kenya much more clearly now and I feel that I have too been on such a journey with Iris. She is such an amazing character and she made me wonder what I would have done in her circumstances but that was impossible as how would you know? Iris must have been just one woman who was forced to marry to be ‘useful’ and not only that, being forced to live in a strange country. That really made me think.
Rebecca Stonehill this book just read like a song. A beautiful heartbreaking song. And Kamu! I was in bits by this point!! The rest of the book was just unexpected and a deep and meaningful reading experience. No spoilers here – you have to experience the song of the sunbird yourself.
I think I may have stood and simply stared at this cover before even opening it. What a gorgeous book and an even more sumptuous read!
Rebecca writing is just quite literally like a paintbrush which brushes the scenes of an African wilderness as she writes. The sights, sounds and smells just build up in layers, the colours of the sky vivid and evocative and the sounds just jump from the page. Such a visual read and even more poignant when I thought of how this must have seemed to a woman who knew her destiny was here, with a cold-hearted man.
I'm a bit of a nervous wreck now to be honest. I invest so much into these characters but to be fair Rebecca makes it hard not to. I really feel as if I can picture and dream of Kenya much more clearly now and I feel that I have too been on such a journey with Iris. She is such an amazing character and she made me wonder what I would have done in her circumstances but that was impossible as how would you know? Iris must have been just one woman who was forced to marry to be ‘useful’ and not only that, being forced to live in a strange country. That really made me think.
Rebecca Stonehill this book just read like a song. A beautiful heartbreaking song. And Kamu! I was in bits by this point!! The rest of the book was just unexpected and a deep and meaningful reading experience. No spoilers here – you have to experience the song of the sunbird yourself.
June 30, 2016
This was such a beautifully written book, I have never been to Africa (and never likely to get there) but through Rebecca's words, I felt like I was there. I felt the harsh sun on my skin, I was watching the birds with Iris and I was seeing the smiles and joy from the students that Iris interacted with.
In many ways, this was quite a tough book to read. Iris is given two choices by her mother: marry a stranger in England (who sounded quite revolting) or marry a stranger in Kenya. She choose Kenya and she was very lucky that she had such a lovely chaperone in the form of Miss Logan. Her new husband was a shock to the system and living in Kenya was completely different to everything she was used to, but her spirit of adventure came through loud and clear in the book and I really enjoyed seeing Kenya through Iris' eyes. Things go pretty disastrously wrong for Iris but she also has moments of great joy. I love that this book started at the beginning of the last century - we have come such a long way since then, thank goodness.
The only reason this review isn't getting 5 stars from me today is because there are a few loose ends that weren't tied up and it left me finishing the book and wanting to know what happened. The writing, however, was wonderful, as is the storyline. I give it 4.5 stars :)
Highly recommended read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
In many ways, this was quite a tough book to read. Iris is given two choices by her mother: marry a stranger in England (who sounded quite revolting) or marry a stranger in Kenya. She choose Kenya and she was very lucky that she had such a lovely chaperone in the form of Miss Logan. Her new husband was a shock to the system and living in Kenya was completely different to everything she was used to, but her spirit of adventure came through loud and clear in the book and I really enjoyed seeing Kenya through Iris' eyes. Things go pretty disastrously wrong for Iris but she also has moments of great joy. I love that this book started at the beginning of the last century - we have come such a long way since then, thank goodness.
The only reason this review isn't getting 5 stars from me today is because there are a few loose ends that weren't tied up and it left me finishing the book and wanting to know what happened. The writing, however, was wonderful, as is the storyline. I give it 4.5 stars :)
Highly recommended read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
June 17, 2016
This book is a good holiday read. It's a sweeping historical drama, although a lot of it plays out in the 1900s, and I enjoyed reading about the time and setting of Nairobi in East Africa (now Kenya). I read it in the sun on holiday and it's certainly a page-turner if you enjoy historical fiction.
The reasons I gave it three stars rather than four are because there were a few too many eye-roll moments for me. Some bits were rather predictable while other bits were flat out unconvincing I also had less and less sympathy with the main character as the decades passed, and found her motivations difficult to understand.
That said, I did enjoy it. It had me turning the pages and I definitely wanted to know what happened in the end. So not many grumbles, just a couple of irks.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*
The reasons I gave it three stars rather than four are because there were a few too many eye-roll moments for me. Some bits were rather predictable while other bits were flat out unconvincing I also had less and less sympathy with the main character as the decades passed, and found her motivations difficult to understand.
That said, I did enjoy it. It had me turning the pages and I definitely wanted to know what happened in the end. So not many grumbles, just a couple of irks.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*
August 27, 2018
The girl and the sunbird by Rebecca Stonehill.
When eighteen year old Iris Johnson is forced to choose between marrying the frightful Lord Sidcup or a faceless stranger, Jeremy Lawrence, in a far-off land, she bravely decides on the latter.
Accompanied by her chaperone, Miss Logan, Iris soon discovers a kindred spirit who shares her thirst for knowledge. As they journey from Cambridgeshire to East Africa, Iris’s eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed beyond the comforts of her family home.
But when Iris meets Jeremy, she realizes in a heartbeat that they will never be compatible. He is cold and cruel, spending long periods of time on hunting expeditions and leaving Iris alone.
Determined to make the best of her new life, Iris begins to adjust to her surroundings; the windswept plains of Nairobi, and the delightful sunbirds that visit her window every day. And when she meets Kamau, a local school teacher, Iris finds her calling, assisting him to teach the local children English.
Kamau is everything Jeremy is not. He is passionate, kind and he occupies Iris’s every thought. She must make a choice, but if she follows her heart, the price she must pay will be devastating.
This was a slow but ok read. 3*.
When eighteen year old Iris Johnson is forced to choose between marrying the frightful Lord Sidcup or a faceless stranger, Jeremy Lawrence, in a far-off land, she bravely decides on the latter.
Accompanied by her chaperone, Miss Logan, Iris soon discovers a kindred spirit who shares her thirst for knowledge. As they journey from Cambridgeshire to East Africa, Iris’s eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed beyond the comforts of her family home.
But when Iris meets Jeremy, she realizes in a heartbeat that they will never be compatible. He is cold and cruel, spending long periods of time on hunting expeditions and leaving Iris alone.
Determined to make the best of her new life, Iris begins to adjust to her surroundings; the windswept plains of Nairobi, and the delightful sunbirds that visit her window every day. And when she meets Kamau, a local school teacher, Iris finds her calling, assisting him to teach the local children English.
Kamau is everything Jeremy is not. He is passionate, kind and he occupies Iris’s every thought. She must make a choice, but if she follows her heart, the price she must pay will be devastating.
This was a slow but ok read. 3*.
September 22, 2020
I picked up the book a while back and had to stop it midway through because it was a very slow read. It has since been in my DNF pile. I finally finished the book during the quarantine lockdown when I picked up reviewing books again.
The story is interesting and the setting has been done well for the era. The characters are relatable to the period and the main character Iris is likable. There were scenes in the book that made me feel for her. However, the pacing of the book works almost negatively against the plot and the brilliant characters. The drastic difference between Jeremy and Kamau was portrayed well. The climax was predictable but well written.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and do not mind slow reads, you will definitely enjoy this book. Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 stars.
The story is interesting and the setting has been done well for the era. The characters are relatable to the period and the main character Iris is likable. There were scenes in the book that made me feel for her. However, the pacing of the book works almost negatively against the plot and the brilliant characters. The drastic difference between Jeremy and Kamau was portrayed well. The climax was predictable but well written.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and do not mind slow reads, you will definitely enjoy this book. Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 stars.
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