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A Little Bird Told Me
Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…Twelve years later Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.And atone for the part she played in it. Advance ★★★★★ 'A beautifully written literary mystery with a gorgeously immersive sense of place and time.' Liz, NetGalley Reviewer★★★★★ ‘I cannot wait to read more from this author.’ Tara, NetGalley Reviewer★★★★★ 'This novel drew me in from start to finish... a fantastic debut! ' Inez, NetGalley Reviewer★★★★★ 'An excellent debut novel and a captivating read.’ Carol, NetGalley Reviewer★★★★★ ‘I was unable to put down this book.’ Manju, NetGalley Reviewer'An astonishing debut novel with beautiful writing, Holmes will shock you with the depth of her characters and their emotions.' Ashley, NetGalley Reviewer‘The writing is beautiful , and I found myself rereading paragraphs for the sheer joy of revisiting the images the words portrayed.’ Anna, NetGalley Reviewer
270 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2018
37 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Marianne Holmes
2 books19 followersMarianne Holmes was born in Cyprus to RAF parents but is now firmly based in London. After a sensible career in marketing, Marianne is now focusing on her love of language and writing.
A Little Bird Told Me is her first novel.
A Little Bird Told Me is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
December 14, 2018
Book Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
‘A Little Bird Told Me’ is the debut novel from British-based author, Marianne Holmes. The story is told in the first person, the present tense and seen exclusively from the perspective of Robyn, the ‘Little Bird’ of the title. The chapters are interspersed with segment breaks and alternate from the summer of 1976 when Robyn is nine and late-September 1988, when she is 21.
A stranger appears in town and gives nine-year-old Robyn a present. We discover an incident occurs which necessitates their move away from the area. Twelve years later, Robyn and her brother, Kit return to the home they had shared with their mother and her partner, Matthew.
Robyn has able foils in Kit and Neil, their childhood friend, as her emotional journey is played out and she pieces together the jigsaw of events that haunt her. The scene is set for Robyn to discover the truth – but the truth about what?
Marianne Holmes has used many literary devices to tell her tale. There are some powerful atmospheric backdrops with colourful passages rich in symbolism and imagery, as well as some clever misdirection. I confess to always getting confused between personification, anthropomorphism and pathetic fallacy but whichever categories these falls into, I liked the descriptions of the house suffocating her and the ribs and arteries of the town feeling familiar but sloughing off its old skin.
The author has definitely done her homework before stepping back into 1976, with references to the water shortage, Sindy and her horse, cassette players, relevant television programmes, pop bands and recipes. She gives her characters difficult themes with which to grapple, such as domestic violence and bullying and she also gets a strong handle on the attitudes and perceptions of society at the time.
There are many elements about this book that I admire; not least the author’s ability to transport herself into the mind-set of a nine-year-old and write from that viewpoint and then subtly change style as Robyn reaches adulthood.
I had a few tiny niggles but my only significant criticism is that I had read over half the book and still I didn’t know who Robyn was searching for or why. I needed to be let into her confidence a bit more so that my anticipation didn’t turn into annoyance. When the denouement was disclosed, I understood why I had been kept in the dark; it was a neat twist but ultimately, I was left feeling that the plot was a bit thin.
I found it difficult to allocate a star rating for this novel. I’m full of admiration for the author’s ability to paint vivid pictures but I found the pace pedestrian for the first two thirds of the book. A dramatic gear change then plunges the reader into the heart of the story and events unfold thick and fast. If you enjoy a story with sensitive attention to detail, then this tale will really draw you in. Objectively, I award four stars.
‘A Little Bird Told Me’ is the debut novel from British-based author, Marianne Holmes. The story is told in the first person, the present tense and seen exclusively from the perspective of Robyn, the ‘Little Bird’ of the title. The chapters are interspersed with segment breaks and alternate from the summer of 1976 when Robyn is nine and late-September 1988, when she is 21.
A stranger appears in town and gives nine-year-old Robyn a present. We discover an incident occurs which necessitates their move away from the area. Twelve years later, Robyn and her brother, Kit return to the home they had shared with their mother and her partner, Matthew.
Robyn has able foils in Kit and Neil, their childhood friend, as her emotional journey is played out and she pieces together the jigsaw of events that haunt her. The scene is set for Robyn to discover the truth – but the truth about what?
Marianne Holmes has used many literary devices to tell her tale. There are some powerful atmospheric backdrops with colourful passages rich in symbolism and imagery, as well as some clever misdirection. I confess to always getting confused between personification, anthropomorphism and pathetic fallacy but whichever categories these falls into, I liked the descriptions of the house suffocating her and the ribs and arteries of the town feeling familiar but sloughing off its old skin.
The author has definitely done her homework before stepping back into 1976, with references to the water shortage, Sindy and her horse, cassette players, relevant television programmes, pop bands and recipes. She gives her characters difficult themes with which to grapple, such as domestic violence and bullying and she also gets a strong handle on the attitudes and perceptions of society at the time.
There are many elements about this book that I admire; not least the author’s ability to transport herself into the mind-set of a nine-year-old and write from that viewpoint and then subtly change style as Robyn reaches adulthood.
I had a few tiny niggles but my only significant criticism is that I had read over half the book and still I didn’t know who Robyn was searching for or why. I needed to be let into her confidence a bit more so that my anticipation didn’t turn into annoyance. When the denouement was disclosed, I understood why I had been kept in the dark; it was a neat twist but ultimately, I was left feeling that the plot was a bit thin.
I found it difficult to allocate a star rating for this novel. I’m full of admiration for the author’s ability to paint vivid pictures but I found the pace pedestrian for the first two thirds of the book. A dramatic gear change then plunges the reader into the heart of the story and events unfold thick and fast. If you enjoy a story with sensitive attention to detail, then this tale will really draw you in. Objectively, I award four stars.
October 24, 2018
EXCERPT: What Kit knows and what I know is not the same. I have become my own secret curator of the facts. It's all in the suitcase I keep under my bed along with all the other monsters.
Matthew and Kit think they can protect me even now by keeping the past hidden. But they’re wrong. I already know more than they think.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn't you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.
MY THOUGHTS: This is one of those reads which is not going to fit neatly into any one category. The story is told over two timelines, 1976 and 1988. Historical fiction? Not to me, I lived those years, but I suppose to some they may qualify A Little Bird Told Me as historical. There is family drama, mystery and crime. But just what happened and to whom is not made clear until the final chapters of this intriguing book.
A Little Bird Told Me is beautifully written. The characters are 'real'. I could feel Robyn's fear and her anger, her confusion and determination. The author writes in a determinedly vague fashion, so that at times the reader is also confused. But remember, you are seeing parts of the book through the eyes of the child Robyn was at the time. And she doesn't understand a lot of what she sees and hears.
This is a slow burner of a book. It is a book that is, in places, eloquent and lyrical, in others, brutal and raw. It is a book that I enjoyed immensely, and I will be watching for more from this author.
And please don't skip the publisher's foreword. It is a delightful story about how they came by the book and published it. I'm glad they did.
THE AUTHOR: Marianne Holmes was born in Cyprus to RAF parents but is now firmly based in London. After a sensible career in marketing, Marianne is now focusing on her love of language and writing.
A Little Bird Told Me is her first novel.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Agora Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Little Bird Told Me by Marianne Holmes for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Matthew and Kit think they can protect me even now by keeping the past hidden. But they’re wrong. I already know more than they think.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn't you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.
MY THOUGHTS: This is one of those reads which is not going to fit neatly into any one category. The story is told over two timelines, 1976 and 1988. Historical fiction? Not to me, I lived those years, but I suppose to some they may qualify A Little Bird Told Me as historical. There is family drama, mystery and crime. But just what happened and to whom is not made clear until the final chapters of this intriguing book.
A Little Bird Told Me is beautifully written. The characters are 'real'. I could feel Robyn's fear and her anger, her confusion and determination. The author writes in a determinedly vague fashion, so that at times the reader is also confused. But remember, you are seeing parts of the book through the eyes of the child Robyn was at the time. And she doesn't understand a lot of what she sees and hears.
This is a slow burner of a book. It is a book that is, in places, eloquent and lyrical, in others, brutal and raw. It is a book that I enjoyed immensely, and I will be watching for more from this author.
And please don't skip the publisher's foreword. It is a delightful story about how they came by the book and published it. I'm glad they did.
THE AUTHOR: Marianne Holmes was born in Cyprus to RAF parents but is now firmly based in London. After a sensible career in marketing, Marianne is now focusing on her love of language and writing.
A Little Bird Told Me is her first novel.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Agora Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Little Bird Told Me by Marianne Holmes for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
July 15, 2018
Read the entirety of this book this morning – a beautifully written literary mystery with a gorgeously immersive sense of place and time – anyone who ran wild through the Summers of the 70’s and 80’s will relate strongly to this story, although hopefully none of them had a Summer exactly like these…
This is also a multi layered family drama, we watch through the eyes of young main protagonist Robyn as she tries to understand and interpret adult behaviour, her own secretive nature and sense of self playing a divisive part as events unfold.
One of the huge strengths of this novel comes in the relationship between Robyn and her Brother Kit – older than her, with stronger memories of where they came from, their yin and yang is beautifully told and absolutely riveting. As is the mystery playing out on the page in front of the readers eyes…I won’t spoil it at all, this is a journey of a novel and as such best read cold.
I loved it. Clever, a little haunting, often unexpected, author Marianne Holmes is a talent to watch – her use of language brings the lives of her characters and the paths they wander to vivid, wonderful life.
Highly recommended.
This is also a multi layered family drama, we watch through the eyes of young main protagonist Robyn as she tries to understand and interpret adult behaviour, her own secretive nature and sense of self playing a divisive part as events unfold.
One of the huge strengths of this novel comes in the relationship between Robyn and her Brother Kit – older than her, with stronger memories of where they came from, their yin and yang is beautifully told and absolutely riveting. As is the mystery playing out on the page in front of the readers eyes…I won’t spoil it at all, this is a journey of a novel and as such best read cold.
I loved it. Clever, a little haunting, often unexpected, author Marianne Holmes is a talent to watch – her use of language brings the lives of her characters and the paths they wander to vivid, wonderful life.
Highly recommended.
November 24, 2018
A little bird told me that this was a very special book to read and I totally agree!!!
Beautifully written I was transfixed from the start to the finish.
Told in 2 timelines, the summer of 1976 and 1988.
In 1976 Robyn lives with her mother, step father Mathew and brother Christopher ( Kit). A strange man in a cowboy hat is hanging around the lido, he hands Robyn 2 wooden babies but when her mother sees them she panics and says they will have to leave but does not explain why.
This was a very intriguing story, the 2 timelines are joined together effortlessly and the mystery is kept going until the end. The story of friendships, relationships and secrets made me reluctant to put this book down.
A must read!! Marianne Holmes is an author to look out for. She writes in such a beautiful way that you can’t help but be swept away in her story. Looking out for her next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Beautifully written I was transfixed from the start to the finish.
Told in 2 timelines, the summer of 1976 and 1988.
In 1976 Robyn lives with her mother, step father Mathew and brother Christopher ( Kit). A strange man in a cowboy hat is hanging around the lido, he hands Robyn 2 wooden babies but when her mother sees them she panics and says they will have to leave but does not explain why.
This was a very intriguing story, the 2 timelines are joined together effortlessly and the mystery is kept going until the end. The story of friendships, relationships and secrets made me reluctant to put this book down.
A must read!! Marianne Holmes is an author to look out for. She writes in such a beautiful way that you can’t help but be swept away in her story. Looking out for her next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
August 2, 2018
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Lyrical, engrossing - with a clever twist at the end.
I do love it when I receive a book from a new author; the chance to dive into a fresh perspective and a different voice. Marianne Holmes certainly has that; with a lovely style of writing and a story that's intriguing, with a 'didn't see it coming' twist at the end.
Without giving too much away, the story is set in two different times -1988 (the present) and the 1970s. It becomes clear fairly early on that something dramatic happened to Robyn and her brother Kit, and through the perspective of a child, we gradually piece together what actually occurred.
It's a story about childhood and relationships, but also about the details that a child so often misses, due to their lack of understanding about adults. I particularly loved Robyn (the 'little bird' in question) and Kit's relationship; I think the author totally captured that sibling thing to a tee.
My only criticism would be that there were certain points where I was a little confused. However, it really doesn't take much to bamboozle me, I'm one of those readers who needs things spelled out to them - ha! Overall, definitely a good book to take to the beach for a relaxing, engaging read.
Lyrical, engrossing - with a clever twist at the end.
I do love it when I receive a book from a new author; the chance to dive into a fresh perspective and a different voice. Marianne Holmes certainly has that; with a lovely style of writing and a story that's intriguing, with a 'didn't see it coming' twist at the end.
Without giving too much away, the story is set in two different times -1988 (the present) and the 1970s. It becomes clear fairly early on that something dramatic happened to Robyn and her brother Kit, and through the perspective of a child, we gradually piece together what actually occurred.
It's a story about childhood and relationships, but also about the details that a child so often misses, due to their lack of understanding about adults. I particularly loved Robyn (the 'little bird' in question) and Kit's relationship; I think the author totally captured that sibling thing to a tee.
My only criticism would be that there were certain points where I was a little confused. However, it really doesn't take much to bamboozle me, I'm one of those readers who needs things spelled out to them - ha! Overall, definitely a good book to take to the beach for a relaxing, engaging read.
September 13, 2018
'A Little Bird Told Me' is a heartfelt and wonderful debut from a strong new voice in the fiction genre, Marianne Holmes. With a truly beautiful cover, an evocative narrative and dark, twisty and unpredictable story. This book is deceptively dark, and significantly moreso than the synopsis indicates. I was immersed in the story and characters from the word go, but I did find that I had many unanswered questions by the time I reached and read the conclusion, which also left me feeling deflated. I didn't really feel it was a strong way to finish the novel.
I know that more than a few people felt that the perspective had the potential to confuse the reader. It is told from the POV of Robyn, both as a young woman and as an adult. It moves between past and present each alternate chapter, so I didn't find it confusing or that the story was convoluted in any way. It was a little disjointed, and I can understand some of the issues other readers had with the book. However, I found that these minor problems didn't take away from my overall appreciation of the novel. There were also a whole cast of characters, a routine mistake debut authors tend to make, and I hope in future books Holmes holds back a little more.
Holmes does approach important topical issues sensitively throughout the story, but I felt the narrative flow couldn've been better leading to a more engaged reader. There is definitely an opening for a sequel as the tale certainly does not appear finished to me. Should there be a follow-up, I would definitely seek it out in the hope that it will answer my questions. By the end not only did I have many questions, but I felt that the whole book comes across as rushed and purposefully vague. I feel many of the twisty surprises fell a little short of the mark, although there were a few I didn't predict. At its heart, this is a story fundamentally surrounding family secrets and the utterly devastating consequences of such secrets.
Many thanks to Agora Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I know that more than a few people felt that the perspective had the potential to confuse the reader. It is told from the POV of Robyn, both as a young woman and as an adult. It moves between past and present each alternate chapter, so I didn't find it confusing or that the story was convoluted in any way. It was a little disjointed, and I can understand some of the issues other readers had with the book. However, I found that these minor problems didn't take away from my overall appreciation of the novel. There were also a whole cast of characters, a routine mistake debut authors tend to make, and I hope in future books Holmes holds back a little more.
Holmes does approach important topical issues sensitively throughout the story, but I felt the narrative flow couldn've been better leading to a more engaged reader. There is definitely an opening for a sequel as the tale certainly does not appear finished to me. Should there be a follow-up, I would definitely seek it out in the hope that it will answer my questions. By the end not only did I have many questions, but I felt that the whole book comes across as rushed and purposefully vague. I feel many of the twisty surprises fell a little short of the mark, although there were a few I didn't predict. At its heart, this is a story fundamentally surrounding family secrets and the utterly devastating consequences of such secrets.
Many thanks to Agora Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 16, 2018
I don't know why I was so bot into this book from the very first page. I tried so hard to like it but the story progressing made me bore and dizzy. Moreover the suspense took a lot of time to be built and there were some plot confusion . Why a woman didn't keep herself low rather than made her and her family a centre of attention where she flew away from something is very unusual . Though the character development of kit and robyn is praisable.
★★★ from me!
★★★ from me!
Read
November 12, 2018thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a free copy in return for a honest review
interesting debut novel split between 2 different period. felt however the book did get bogged down a bit though but interesting plot though
interesting debut novel split between 2 different period. felt however the book did get bogged down a bit though but interesting plot though
August 8, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'Don’t cry, I think, watching as she swallows hard. Crying is for bigger things than this.'
Growing up with secrets doesn’t make for any easy life, it is 1976 and Robin likes to go swimming, trail after her brother Kit, and dodge encounters with the bully Debbie and her ‘gonks’. At home, the atmosphere is heavy with the weeping of women whom her mother often tries to save from themselves, or abusive spouses. Then there is the mysterious cowboy, who like a shadow is hanging around her, offering her little presents that he says really belong to her to begin with. They are magic things, for protection. What does she need protection from, though? Her nights are spent restless with bad dreams, could they be memories?
To settle her fears, her mother always tells Robin her favorite story, about how they made their home here, ‘blown into town on a storm.’ That storm isn’t the baddest they’ll encounter. Her mother is meddling in a marriage, and the townspeople are saying terrible things about her. She is far too young to really know which way is up, angry that her mother is taking Robyn’s pitiful savings to help a grown woman, Sharon Mace and her little boy, Danny. No one is as irate though as Sharon’s husband. There isn’t much the police can do, this is the 70’s, and a wife belongs at home with her man!
What would Robin know of fathers caring enough to hunt down their wife and children, her own doesn’t even have a role in her life, is nothing but a wisp of smoke, not even a memory. Even if it’s in violence, Danny is lucky his dad cares at all. All of her inquiries into who her own might be are met with outlandish stories, ‘he is a Russian spy’, or a ‘great explorer’. Even his name is fluid, Roger today, Roberto tomorrow. She, her mother and Kit have Mathew though, the only true father they’ve ever known after ‘crashing into his life with the storm’.
Robin keeps the cowboy a secret, until her mother sees the ‘gifts’ and acts funny about it.
Jump to the future, 12 years later Robin and Kit are back in town, their old house a standing reminder of their haunting past. In retracing the steps of their old life, will she uncover the truths her mother could never divulge? The locals aren’t happy about their return, but she can’t run forever. The not knowing is killing Robyn, and she doesn’t want Kit to know the risks she has taken to find out what really happened. Maybe Eve knows something, their mother’s friend? So much has changed in their absence, and so little. Young Robyn is blinded by her naiveté, as all children are, in the early years taking what they are told for fact, no reason to doubt the parent who loves them. Robyn in the 80’s is lost, damaged and depserate for closure. The back and forth between then and now worked for the most part, but Robyn was more solid in her youth to me, more of a ghost of her former self (maybe that’s done on purpose) in the later years.
Where is their mother? Why was she so passionate about helping others, at the risk of her own little family? The one person who may know the truth is the one man they need to stay away from, the one who promised to hunt them down with the ominous threat ‘Family is blood and pain’ swearing he will teach Robyn and Kit his meaning. Does she really want the truth?
My issue is, with all the secrecy of the past, shouldn’t their mother lay low rather than bring attention to herself in such a small town? Ok, nature will out- it’s her way to save others, still one must ask, ‘why at great risk to herself and her children?’ Maybe I would have cared more about Kit and Robyn in their later years if we had a bit more filler about what they were up to after tragedy struck. Luckily I cared about Robyn as a little girl, if not as much when she was grown up because she wasn’t as real to me, so I wanted to keep reading for little Robyn’s sake. The ending was solid, one I didn’t quite predict. I admit it’s hard to be kept in the dark as a reader about some things, so I can see how it could frustrate others.When we meet Robyn in the 80’s the pace slows a bit, and I found myself looking forward to the past more. It takes a bit of a dark turn at the end. With that said, it is a good debut novel, and I look forward to Holmes future stories.
Publication Date: September 13, 2018
Agora Books
'Don’t cry, I think, watching as she swallows hard. Crying is for bigger things than this.'
Growing up with secrets doesn’t make for any easy life, it is 1976 and Robin likes to go swimming, trail after her brother Kit, and dodge encounters with the bully Debbie and her ‘gonks’. At home, the atmosphere is heavy with the weeping of women whom her mother often tries to save from themselves, or abusive spouses. Then there is the mysterious cowboy, who like a shadow is hanging around her, offering her little presents that he says really belong to her to begin with. They are magic things, for protection. What does she need protection from, though? Her nights are spent restless with bad dreams, could they be memories?
To settle her fears, her mother always tells Robin her favorite story, about how they made their home here, ‘blown into town on a storm.’ That storm isn’t the baddest they’ll encounter. Her mother is meddling in a marriage, and the townspeople are saying terrible things about her. She is far too young to really know which way is up, angry that her mother is taking Robyn’s pitiful savings to help a grown woman, Sharon Mace and her little boy, Danny. No one is as irate though as Sharon’s husband. There isn’t much the police can do, this is the 70’s, and a wife belongs at home with her man!
What would Robin know of fathers caring enough to hunt down their wife and children, her own doesn’t even have a role in her life, is nothing but a wisp of smoke, not even a memory. Even if it’s in violence, Danny is lucky his dad cares at all. All of her inquiries into who her own might be are met with outlandish stories, ‘he is a Russian spy’, or a ‘great explorer’. Even his name is fluid, Roger today, Roberto tomorrow. She, her mother and Kit have Mathew though, the only true father they’ve ever known after ‘crashing into his life with the storm’.
Robin keeps the cowboy a secret, until her mother sees the ‘gifts’ and acts funny about it.
Jump to the future, 12 years later Robin and Kit are back in town, their old house a standing reminder of their haunting past. In retracing the steps of their old life, will she uncover the truths her mother could never divulge? The locals aren’t happy about their return, but she can’t run forever. The not knowing is killing Robyn, and she doesn’t want Kit to know the risks she has taken to find out what really happened. Maybe Eve knows something, their mother’s friend? So much has changed in their absence, and so little. Young Robyn is blinded by her naiveté, as all children are, in the early years taking what they are told for fact, no reason to doubt the parent who loves them. Robyn in the 80’s is lost, damaged and depserate for closure. The back and forth between then and now worked for the most part, but Robyn was more solid in her youth to me, more of a ghost of her former self (maybe that’s done on purpose) in the later years.
Where is their mother? Why was she so passionate about helping others, at the risk of her own little family? The one person who may know the truth is the one man they need to stay away from, the one who promised to hunt them down with the ominous threat ‘Family is blood and pain’ swearing he will teach Robyn and Kit his meaning. Does she really want the truth?
My issue is, with all the secrecy of the past, shouldn’t their mother lay low rather than bring attention to herself in such a small town? Ok, nature will out- it’s her way to save others, still one must ask, ‘why at great risk to herself and her children?’ Maybe I would have cared more about Kit and Robyn in their later years if we had a bit more filler about what they were up to after tragedy struck. Luckily I cared about Robyn as a little girl, if not as much when she was grown up because she wasn’t as real to me, so I wanted to keep reading for little Robyn’s sake. The ending was solid, one I didn’t quite predict. I admit it’s hard to be kept in the dark as a reader about some things, so I can see how it could frustrate others.When we meet Robyn in the 80’s the pace slows a bit, and I found myself looking forward to the past more. It takes a bit of a dark turn at the end. With that said, it is a good debut novel, and I look forward to Holmes future stories.
Publication Date: September 13, 2018
Agora Books
September 12, 2018
When a story constantly makes reference to a family with the same surname as you, you find yourself a little more invested in a book and that is exactly how I felt whilst reading this! It was quite a shock to see the surname 'Mace' when it first popped up in this gripping drama, and I just kept hoping that terrible things weren't about to befall this family!! It became personal haha!!
But the tension throughout this book was the hook that kept me transfixed! It follows 2 siblings - Robyn and Kit - as we see the in childhood and then as adults as they try and make sense of the goings on that Summer, and why they feel compelled to go back 'home' to try and get some answers.
Setting the book in 1976 made for some great retro mentions that really brought back the era to me! And knowing how hot and sunny it was that Summer really made the contrast to some of the darker goings on around the family work so well. Robyn and Kit never really knew why their mum would take in these crying women to their home, and then when a man in a cowboy hat would start hanging around trying to talk to them, things started to turn a little sinister and the panic set in for their mother who kept things very close to her chest.
When they go back home after years away, they are still viewed with suspicion by many of their friends and neighbours and you become intrigued as to what really happened to make so many people feel so strongly about their return. The more they discover, the more the importance of telling the truth becomes Telling lies is a dangerous game for all those involved.
There is an awful lot to explore with this book and I loved how effortlessly the story flowed from then to now - Robyn was clearly damaged by events in 1976 and it was fascinating to see how such a carefree childhood could quickly become so tarnished.
A gripping debut and I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
But the tension throughout this book was the hook that kept me transfixed! It follows 2 siblings - Robyn and Kit - as we see the in childhood and then as adults as they try and make sense of the goings on that Summer, and why they feel compelled to go back 'home' to try and get some answers.
Setting the book in 1976 made for some great retro mentions that really brought back the era to me! And knowing how hot and sunny it was that Summer really made the contrast to some of the darker goings on around the family work so well. Robyn and Kit never really knew why their mum would take in these crying women to their home, and then when a man in a cowboy hat would start hanging around trying to talk to them, things started to turn a little sinister and the panic set in for their mother who kept things very close to her chest.
When they go back home after years away, they are still viewed with suspicion by many of their friends and neighbours and you become intrigued as to what really happened to make so many people feel so strongly about their return. The more they discover, the more the importance of telling the truth becomes Telling lies is a dangerous game for all those involved.
There is an awful lot to explore with this book and I loved how effortlessly the story flowed from then to now - Robyn was clearly damaged by events in 1976 and it was fascinating to see how such a carefree childhood could quickly become so tarnished.
A gripping debut and I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
September 30, 2018
It's the summer of 1976 and nine-year-old Robyn and her older brother Kit are spending most of their time at the Lido and the park with their friends.
The two children live with their mother Jemima and stepfather Matthew but it's Robyn, also known as 'Little Bird', who witnesses an incident at their home involving their mother, an upset neighbour with her young son and an irate husband. Add to this, a tall stranger wearing a cowboy hat seemingly always in the background and it's not only the weather that's making the atmosphere uncomfortable. Everyone in the town feels that Jemima is meddling in things that don't concern her and life becomes more than a little awkward.
Fast forward to 1988 and Robyn has persuaded Kit to return to their old neighbourhood and house as she needs answers to the questions that have been spinning around in her head for the last 12 years. Kit knows that digging about in the past is bound to rekindle all the bad feelings from the past but he won't let her deal with whatever awaits her alone.
Initially I found this a little difficult to get into.It took me a while to warm to the characters and at times I found it confusing to follow. Looking back at it now as I'm writing my review, I don't actually think that it was me that was confused, I think it was because I was seeing things through Robyn's eyes, as was the author's intention. The adult world is confusing enough for a child to try and understand but when the adults are blatantly hiding and lying about things it's no wonder the poor girl was confused.
A Little Bird Told Me is a beautifully written tale of mystery that's packed with nostalgia. Marianne Holmes is definitely an author to watch and her descriptive style is one of the best I've come across in a debut novel for a while. An intriguing tale of family secrets and the long-lasting impact of keeping them hidden.
The two children live with their mother Jemima and stepfather Matthew but it's Robyn, also known as 'Little Bird', who witnesses an incident at their home involving their mother, an upset neighbour with her young son and an irate husband. Add to this, a tall stranger wearing a cowboy hat seemingly always in the background and it's not only the weather that's making the atmosphere uncomfortable. Everyone in the town feels that Jemima is meddling in things that don't concern her and life becomes more than a little awkward.
Fast forward to 1988 and Robyn has persuaded Kit to return to their old neighbourhood and house as she needs answers to the questions that have been spinning around in her head for the last 12 years. Kit knows that digging about in the past is bound to rekindle all the bad feelings from the past but he won't let her deal with whatever awaits her alone.
Initially I found this a little difficult to get into.It took me a while to warm to the characters and at times I found it confusing to follow. Looking back at it now as I'm writing my review, I don't actually think that it was me that was confused, I think it was because I was seeing things through Robyn's eyes, as was the author's intention. The adult world is confusing enough for a child to try and understand but when the adults are blatantly hiding and lying about things it's no wonder the poor girl was confused.
A Little Bird Told Me is a beautifully written tale of mystery that's packed with nostalgia. Marianne Holmes is definitely an author to watch and her descriptive style is one of the best I've come across in a debut novel for a while. An intriguing tale of family secrets and the long-lasting impact of keeping them hidden.
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October 25, 2018Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Based on its description, I thought I would love this book--a child narrator, an evocative sense of place, an unsolved mystery. In reality I found myself questioning the main character's decisions and wishing the storyline moved faster. Still--a good read.
Based on its description, I thought I would love this book--a child narrator, an evocative sense of place, an unsolved mystery. In reality I found myself questioning the main character's decisions and wishing the storyline moved faster. Still--a good read.
September 11, 2018
This is a literary mystery story told in two timeframes, the long hot summer of 1976 and 12 years later in 1988. In 1976, Robyn lives with her mum, stepdad and brother Kit and is enjoying the school holidays that are seemingly going on forever, hanging out with her friend and brother and swimming at the Lido. Robyn’s mum gets involved in a domestic abuse incident when a mother and son come to stay with them. After the wife goes back home and ends up in hospital, the son is taken away, and father is out for revenge.
One day, a man with a cowboy hat approaches Robyn and hands her two wooden babies. When her mum sees them, she is panicked and talks about them leaving but no one explains to Robyn why. As a reader we are easily able to understand Robyn’s frustration. We soon discover that something terrible happened that summer…the family left the village, something appears to have happened to Robyn’s mum and Robyn was badly injured. The story is cleverly interwoven between the two timelines, the threads of the story gradually coming together until we find out what happened in the summer of 1976.
I loved this debut – every time I put it down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it! The writing is just so good – the summer of 1976 was evocative and reminded me of my own childhood and the freedom I had. The dual timelines worked well – the Robyn of 1976 who doesn’t really know what is going on (much like the reader) and the grown-up Robyn who is trying to put together what happened to help lay it to rest and uncover the truth. The mystery aspect is pitched perfectly…the story was paced impeccably, there is tension throughout. At no point did I feel the story dragged, the strands of the story came together seamlessly
I look forward to seeing what Marianne Holmes does next! A terrific debut!
Many thanks to Agora Books for sending me a copy for a blog tour.
One day, a man with a cowboy hat approaches Robyn and hands her two wooden babies. When her mum sees them, she is panicked and talks about them leaving but no one explains to Robyn why. As a reader we are easily able to understand Robyn’s frustration. We soon discover that something terrible happened that summer…the family left the village, something appears to have happened to Robyn’s mum and Robyn was badly injured. The story is cleverly interwoven between the two timelines, the threads of the story gradually coming together until we find out what happened in the summer of 1976.
I loved this debut – every time I put it down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it! The writing is just so good – the summer of 1976 was evocative and reminded me of my own childhood and the freedom I had. The dual timelines worked well – the Robyn of 1976 who doesn’t really know what is going on (much like the reader) and the grown-up Robyn who is trying to put together what happened to help lay it to rest and uncover the truth. The mystery aspect is pitched perfectly…the story was paced impeccably, there is tension throughout. At no point did I feel the story dragged, the strands of the story came together seamlessly
I look forward to seeing what Marianne Holmes does next! A terrific debut!
Many thanks to Agora Books for sending me a copy for a blog tour.
December 14, 2018
A Little Bird Told Me is a well-written book that catches your attention from start to finish. This suspenseful page-turner is told in the span of two different timelines and displays an intriguing story is about truth, lies, mysterious circumstances and who should pay for them. You’ll love the twists and turns. I’d love to read a sequel to this debut read especially since there were a few characters I wanted to know what was next for them.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.
September 16, 2018
In this book we follow Robyn and her brother Christopher. We have 2 POV's Robyn as a young girl and Robyn in present day (1988) We have the build up to what happened and the aftermath. You could see a young child that things were being kept from Robyn and people were doing it to protect her. The story is set in a small town were no one forgets that past and everyone is in your business. Which isn't always a good thing. You would of thought that Robyn and Christopher's Mom would of kept a low profile with what had happened.
I'm really unsure on my thoughts for this book.
There were times when I loved it and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen but then there were times when it didn't keep my interest going and I was hoping for the chapter to finish so I could get onto the next.
But saying that the story was good, it did take me a while to get into but once I did it was good.
I found I liked Robyn's POV as a young girl better then when she was older. When we had her younger POV you had the mystery around her, as she wasn't being told what was going on. We could tell everyone around her knew and I think if she was told then things would of turned out a lot different then they did. As older Robyn the chapters were slow as they were trying to piece everything together and what the mystery man was up to.
I did find parts of the story confusing at times and I thought that maybe I had missed something but I did manage to piece together what happened.
I don't think the story was wrapped up properly. I didn't fell stasified with the ending of it all. The ending was a shocker, one I couldn't predict.
All in all this was a good debut novel fromMarianne Holmes and I would definatley read more of her books.
I'm really unsure on my thoughts for this book.
There were times when I loved it and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen but then there were times when it didn't keep my interest going and I was hoping for the chapter to finish so I could get onto the next.
But saying that the story was good, it did take me a while to get into but once I did it was good.
I found I liked Robyn's POV as a young girl better then when she was older. When we had her younger POV you had the mystery around her, as she wasn't being told what was going on. We could tell everyone around her knew and I think if she was told then things would of turned out a lot different then they did. As older Robyn the chapters were slow as they were trying to piece everything together and what the mystery man was up to.
I did find parts of the story confusing at times and I thought that maybe I had missed something but I did manage to piece together what happened.
I don't think the story was wrapped up properly. I didn't fell stasified with the ending of it all. The ending was a shocker, one I couldn't predict.
All in all this was a good debut novel fromMarianne Holmes and I would definatley read more of her books.
January 2, 2019
It seems that everyone in Britain, who was around at the time and at all old enough to remember, has some recollection of that long, hot summer of 1976. The water shortages, the standpipes in the street. (I was eight; I mainly remember it as the summer my granddad died. Though I do remember the standpipes in the street.) Robyn in this book is around the same age in 1976 - I think she’s nine - and sees the events and mystifying behaviour of the adults around her - centring around her mother Jemima - through child’s eyes . Things ultimately come to a dramatic head and twelve years later, Robyn and her brother Kit return to the small town in search of some answers.
For much of the book, what was going on was equally mystifying to me as a reader; it was a bit like a jigsaw where the pieces were jumbled up and I couldn’t work out how they all fit together. This made it an intriguing but sometimes confusing read for me. Finishing and finally seeing the whole picture, I wanted to go back and read it again to see how those pieces fit together.
A Little Bird Told Me is beautifully written by Marianne Holmes, with the sometimes toxic small-town atmosphere clearly portrayed. Robyn was a very engaging character; indeed all the characters (good and bad) emerged clearly, albeit filtered through Robyn’s narrative.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it in return for an honest review!
August 18, 2018
3.5🌟
‘Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.’
This was a book of two halves for me. The first half felt frustratingly slow at times, I’m glad I persevered though as I enjoyed the second half more and was satisfied with the ending. I would read more from Marianne Holmes as she has a pleasant lyrical style of writing. She portrays the frustration a child feels when they aren’t told what’s going on in their life – that not knowing the truth can cause dangerous speculation and placing blame where it doesn’t belong. It is a good debut.
Thanks to Agora books and NetGalley for this ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
‘Besides, if you were one half evil, wouldn’t you want to know about the other half?
In the scorching summer of 1976, Robyn spends her days swimming at the Lido and tagging after her brother. It’s the perfect holiday – except for the crying women her mum keeps bringing home.
As the heatwave boils on, tensions in the town begin to simmer. Everyone is gossiping about her mum, a strange man is following her around, and worst of all, no one will tell Robyn the truth. But this town isn’t good at keeping secrets…
Twelve years later, Robyn returns home, to a house that has stood empty for years and a town that hasn’t moved on, forced to confront the mystery that haunted her that summer.
And atone for the part she played in it.’
This was a book of two halves for me. The first half felt frustratingly slow at times, I’m glad I persevered though as I enjoyed the second half more and was satisfied with the ending. I would read more from Marianne Holmes as she has a pleasant lyrical style of writing. She portrays the frustration a child feels when they aren’t told what’s going on in their life – that not knowing the truth can cause dangerous speculation and placing blame where it doesn’t belong. It is a good debut.
Thanks to Agora books and NetGalley for this ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2018
This book is about a past that nobody wants to unravel including the town residents. It's a slow, suspenseful read. There's touching affection and intimacy between Robyn and her brother Christopher (aka Kit) after the trauma of their half-forgotten childhood. I love the way Kit, and some other characters refer to Robyn as "Litlle Bird," What the book portrays so well is the anguish youngsters feel trying to evaluate the words and actions of adults. I recall from my childhood overhearing fragmented conversations or seeing things I didn't understand. Children are super-sensitive to atmospheres. Throughout the book, there are mysterious one-liners and actions to interpret. What went on all those years ago when Kit and Robyn were young? Twelve years later Robyn is determined to discover the truth. Kit is less motivated, and Robyn is convinced he knows more than he says. The build-up of suspense is high and taken to a new level; the imagery is superb with its fascinating attention to detail. The trustworthiness of the town's characters is dubious, but Robyn is a feisty girl and determined to solve matters. Who is the man in the cowboy hat? What does he want? Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books.
August 21, 2018
The story was a very good one. A long time ago when she was a child bad things happened. The effect on her brother and herself was not a good one. It has effected her todate. Her brother has tried and is trying to move on, but it seems as if Robyn will not let go of the past until it has told her all its secrets.
From the beginning you realise that her sibling knew more than he let on. He was protecting his rather vulnerable sister, whether it was a good thing or not in hindsight maybe not but at the time he and his mother thought this was best.
The story was set in a small town where memories remained forever. Gosh it reminded me of villages in my country where what someone's grandmother did was spoken as if it happened yesterday.
Despite all this, the story did not come alive for me very much though it had such a lot of potential to be really good. The main thing was that the story felt disjointed and did not flow very well.
From the beginning you realise that her sibling knew more than he let on. He was protecting his rather vulnerable sister, whether it was a good thing or not in hindsight maybe not but at the time he and his mother thought this was best.
The story was set in a small town where memories remained forever. Gosh it reminded me of villages in my country where what someone's grandmother did was spoken as if it happened yesterday.
Despite all this, the story did not come alive for me very much though it had such a lot of potential to be really good. The main thing was that the story felt disjointed and did not flow very well.
August 17, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this book.
I loved the book. Will recommend this to anyone.
I was unable to put down this book. I loved all the characters (except 2).
After reading I was bit confused on the ending. At times I feel it's incomplete. But in fact, it was a beautiful way to end the book.
Sometimes, its better not to know what had happened in the past and its better to let go. I would have preferred not to know what happened. Its so terrible. But Robyn was so brave to face it and find a solution.
I enjoyed reading this book. I might modify the feedback later once my mind is settled with all the thoughts about Jemima, Robyn and Ray.
I loved the book. Will recommend this to anyone.
I was unable to put down this book. I loved all the characters (except 2).
After reading I was bit confused on the ending. At times I feel it's incomplete. But in fact, it was a beautiful way to end the book.
Sometimes, its better not to know what had happened in the past and its better to let go. I would have preferred not to know what happened. Its so terrible. But Robyn was so brave to face it and find a solution.
I enjoyed reading this book. I might modify the feedback later once my mind is settled with all the thoughts about Jemima, Robyn and Ray.
September 13, 2018
Mixed feelings about this one, mostly due to the narrator. Enjoyable but melodramatic. Review here: https://theselittlewords.com/2018/09/...
June 30, 2019
great storyline
July 25, 2018
An interesting mystery that will keep you turning the pages to put the pieces together, A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME is the tale of a family doing just the same thing - putting the pieces together years after a tragedy, trying to solve their own mysteries. An astonishing debut novel with beautiful writing, Holmes will shock you with the depth of her characters and their emotions.
Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for honest feedback. This was a very drawing read for me, as everything was a mystery. Even the mystery itself was a mystery...meaning that the protagonist, Robyn, and all of the other characters know what happened on the "tragic day" in question...However, there is a lot of mysterious facts surrounding why it happened.. or at least that is what you are trying to figure out the entire time. The story alternates between 1988 (present) and 1976/1977 (Robyn's childhood). Robyn and her brother Kit, have returned to their childhood home, where they haven't been in roughly 10 years, determined to find answers. Between the two time lines, with Robyn's detective work and memories, information slowly begins to eerily reveal more and more information leading to quite the dynamic apex.
The reason I am giving this book only 3 stars instead of 4, is that I found myself growing tired of being SO in the dark about so many things. At first I was so intrigued that I knew nothing, I had my detective hat on, I was ready to figure it all out...until I realized I was just confused and getting bored. I think if I would have had a little bit more information or hints of what actually happened that was so bad in Robyn's childhood I would have been all in. Maybe the "2 mysteries" were just a little too much for me, personally?
That being said, I think the writing was impeccable. In fact, I'm changing my official rating to 3.5 stars because the writing was so great. The characters were real and relatable and the emotions ran deep. When the characters were meant to be feeling certain things, I was feeling it with them...including scared and creeped out. I think fans of mysteries will enjoy this book and really look forward to reading more from Marianne Holmes in the future!
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME is available now for pre order on amazon and will be released on September 13, 2018
Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for honest feedback. This was a very drawing read for me, as everything was a mystery. Even the mystery itself was a mystery...meaning that the protagonist, Robyn, and all of the other characters know what happened on the "tragic day" in question...However, there is a lot of mysterious facts surrounding why it happened.. or at least that is what you are trying to figure out the entire time. The story alternates between 1988 (present) and 1976/1977 (Robyn's childhood). Robyn and her brother Kit, have returned to their childhood home, where they haven't been in roughly 10 years, determined to find answers. Between the two time lines, with Robyn's detective work and memories, information slowly begins to eerily reveal more and more information leading to quite the dynamic apex.
The reason I am giving this book only 3 stars instead of 4, is that I found myself growing tired of being SO in the dark about so many things. At first I was so intrigued that I knew nothing, I had my detective hat on, I was ready to figure it all out...until I realized I was just confused and getting bored. I think if I would have had a little bit more information or hints of what actually happened that was so bad in Robyn's childhood I would have been all in. Maybe the "2 mysteries" were just a little too much for me, personally?
That being said, I think the writing was impeccable. In fact, I'm changing my official rating to 3.5 stars because the writing was so great. The characters were real and relatable and the emotions ran deep. When the characters were meant to be feeling certain things, I was feeling it with them...including scared and creeped out. I think fans of mysteries will enjoy this book and really look forward to reading more from Marianne Holmes in the future!
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME is available now for pre order on amazon and will be released on September 13, 2018
August 13, 2018
What a terrific debut novel, I take my hat off to the author who has recreated the long hot summer of 1976 and turned it into a simmering heat haze of suspicion, misunderstandings and mystery.
A Little Bird Told Me is the story of siblings Robyn (nicknamed Little Bird) and her older brother Chistopher also known as Kit.
The book sweeps effortlessly back and forth in time from 1976 when the pair were children and 1988 when as young adults, they return to the small town of their childhood so that Robyn can try and make amends for an injustice she blames herself for.
In 1976 as the youngsters swelter in the heat, make dams by the river, play with friends and put up with bullying as well as a fractured family life. As they watch their Mum, keeping things hidden and constantly trying to evade someone or something it's clear that there is more going on than meets the eye.
Events which occurred in the past have left their mark on both these young people and its testament to Robyns lack of understanding as to what exactly was going on at the time has carried over to the present day and I read the whole book knowing that something dreadful happened but unsure what. Robyn blames herself for much if it and someone is missing and she is going to leave no stone unturned trying to solve the mystery despite Kit's reluctance to let her. But as her thoughts and actions are impaired by missing facts, so is the story a fractured version of events which will keep you wondering and guessing what dark secret is at the heart of Little Birds story.
This is a quality piece of literary fiction with psychological twists and something very nasty at the bottom of the woodpile writhing around showing glimpses of itself as some pretty nasty characters do some contemptible deeds.
I really felt for Robyn, her childhood has left her damaged goods, not only in the painful scar she carries around her waist but she tries so hard and frequently gets things wrong, she has a temper, she can be a very poor judge of character and yet she is very likeable.
This is a deceptively dark and twisty read, which starts out as a summer saunter down memory lane but becomes a morass of lies and puzzles you dread uncovering.
For anyone who likes their Domestic Noir to have a kick in the tail and really make you think.
A Little Bird Told Me is the story of siblings Robyn (nicknamed Little Bird) and her older brother Chistopher also known as Kit.
The book sweeps effortlessly back and forth in time from 1976 when the pair were children and 1988 when as young adults, they return to the small town of their childhood so that Robyn can try and make amends for an injustice she blames herself for.
In 1976 as the youngsters swelter in the heat, make dams by the river, play with friends and put up with bullying as well as a fractured family life. As they watch their Mum, keeping things hidden and constantly trying to evade someone or something it's clear that there is more going on than meets the eye.
Events which occurred in the past have left their mark on both these young people and its testament to Robyns lack of understanding as to what exactly was going on at the time has carried over to the present day and I read the whole book knowing that something dreadful happened but unsure what. Robyn blames herself for much if it and someone is missing and she is going to leave no stone unturned trying to solve the mystery despite Kit's reluctance to let her. But as her thoughts and actions are impaired by missing facts, so is the story a fractured version of events which will keep you wondering and guessing what dark secret is at the heart of Little Birds story.
This is a quality piece of literary fiction with psychological twists and something very nasty at the bottom of the woodpile writhing around showing glimpses of itself as some pretty nasty characters do some contemptible deeds.
I really felt for Robyn, her childhood has left her damaged goods, not only in the painful scar she carries around her waist but she tries so hard and frequently gets things wrong, she has a temper, she can be a very poor judge of character and yet she is very likeable.
This is a deceptively dark and twisty read, which starts out as a summer saunter down memory lane but becomes a morass of lies and puzzles you dread uncovering.
For anyone who likes their Domestic Noir to have a kick in the tail and really make you think.
July 14, 2020
Narrated by Robyn, this novel transports the reader between the long, hot summer of 1976 and twelve years later, when Robyn and her brother Kit return to their home town. Both are trying to come to terms with the events of that long ago summer.
This is a clever book, well-written and intriguing. The author builds a real sense of time and place, and it’s easy to picture those summer days, and then the dreary grey of a rainy autumn. Robyn is interesting and her relationship with Kit is warm and honest, one that anyone with an older brother will recognise.
There’s a very well-executed twist at the end too.
Robyn’s confusion and fear are sensitively but realistically portrayed, as are her feelings of powerlessness – feelings that lead to consequences neither she nor the reader expect.
But the first two thirds of the novel did feel very slow and it also felt at times as though the narrator was being deliberately obtuse in order to fool the reader, rather than for the purposes of the story itself. This did spoil things for me and I was quite frustrated at times, and a little confused.
The last third of the book makes up for that though, with that satisfying twist.
An interesting read, with lots to recommend it and I will read more from this author.
This is a clever book, well-written and intriguing. The author builds a real sense of time and place, and it’s easy to picture those summer days, and then the dreary grey of a rainy autumn. Robyn is interesting and her relationship with Kit is warm and honest, one that anyone with an older brother will recognise.
There’s a very well-executed twist at the end too.
Robyn’s confusion and fear are sensitively but realistically portrayed, as are her feelings of powerlessness – feelings that lead to consequences neither she nor the reader expect.
But the first two thirds of the novel did feel very slow and it also felt at times as though the narrator was being deliberately obtuse in order to fool the reader, rather than for the purposes of the story itself. This did spoil things for me and I was quite frustrated at times, and a little confused.
The last third of the book makes up for that though, with that satisfying twist.
An interesting read, with lots to recommend it and I will read more from this author.
September 17, 2018
In the heat of the 1976 summer, Robyn and her brother Kit spend a lot of time as the Lido. Their mother knows where they are and can get on with her own busy life bring another woman back to their house.
Throughout the hottest of weather, there is a man following their mother and the town is gossiping.
Fast forward 12 years and Robyn is back at the family home. |Now it is deserted.
This is a great debut novel and intricate layers of a family drama told so well by the protagonist Robyn. There is a twist at the end but it is well worth reading that far to find out what this is.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.
Throughout the hottest of weather, there is a man following their mother and the town is gossiping.
Fast forward 12 years and Robyn is back at the family home. |Now it is deserted.
This is a great debut novel and intricate layers of a family drama told so well by the protagonist Robyn. There is a twist at the end but it is well worth reading that far to find out what this is.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.
November 24, 2018
At the heart of this well-written book is a very chilling secret. And while the central plot is captivating enough and the main protagonists are sometimes quite likable, relatable and inspire empathy, unfortunately the story is narrated in a disturbingly convoluted manner. The central characters and their inner turmoils are intractable, which seems to be a result of the way these figures are described. I find it hard to put my finger on it, but I think the reason is this: In order for readers to understand and fully appreciate their motives, they would need to know the full story as guiding context - but alas, that is only revealed at the end. Due to these aspects, this novel did not work for me.
October 20, 2018
This title started out strong, but sort of lost me toward the end - told in alternating perspectives between the summers of 1976 and 1988, the book lays out the workings of a particularly dysfunctional family. The writing itself is lovely and compelling, but as the book went on I found myself getting more and more frustrated at how drawn-out the suspense was and how unrealistically the characters behaved toward the end. It was enjoyable as I read it, but I found myself disappointed by the ending and ultimately unsatisfied.
August 10, 2018
Loved this so much. It’s beautifully written and definitely deserves your time. It’s a slow burner that’s worth staying with as Holmes turns up the tension gradually and expertly, to the point where you can’t help but read on to find out what’s going to happen to Robin. Some gorgeous images that stay with you, this is the perfect summer / lazy weekend read.
Thank you to Agora for the advance copy.
Thank you to Agora for the advance copy.
November 16, 2020
A Litle Bird Told Me was a decent family suspense drama. The complexities the author used throughout the novel were okay.
The book was basically about a brave girl and her brother, who quickly learned how to deal with their family secrets.
Though I finished the novel relatively quickly, there wasn't a strong connection to any of the characters, and the story fell a bit short for me early on.
The book was basically about a brave girl and her brother, who quickly learned how to deal with their family secrets.
Though I finished the novel relatively quickly, there wasn't a strong connection to any of the characters, and the story fell a bit short for me early on.
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