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Of Magpies and Men
Can any good come of longings that a person can never satisfy? If so, good for whom?
Two corpses wash ashore in a picturesque Italian village, the violence that put them there is bound to a long-held secret and two strangers living worlds apart with seemingly nothing in common.
Benedict Grant a wealthy Londoner, leading a lonely life.
Marie Boulanger a nurse and single mum, struggling to make ends meet in Marseille.
However, a mother’s illicit revelation will set in motion a chain of events that will reshape their identities, stir poignant family affairs and delve into the by-products of lawless decisions.
With this domestic thriller, discover a captivating and moving story of impossible yearnings, weaving mystery and drama peppered with humour. A tale that will stay with you long after its final page and a twist you won't see coming.
Two corpses wash ashore in a picturesque Italian village, the violence that put them there is bound to a long-held secret and two strangers living worlds apart with seemingly nothing in common.
Benedict Grant a wealthy Londoner, leading a lonely life.
Marie Boulanger a nurse and single mum, struggling to make ends meet in Marseille.
However, a mother’s illicit revelation will set in motion a chain of events that will reshape their identities, stir poignant family affairs and delve into the by-products of lawless decisions.
With this domestic thriller, discover a captivating and moving story of impossible yearnings, weaving mystery and drama peppered with humour. A tale that will stay with you long after its final page and a twist you won't see coming.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2021
7 people are currently reading
1798 people want to read
About the author
Ode Ray
1 book168 followersI'm a debut author. I was born just outside of Marseille, France. Since 2007, I've been based in leafy Oxfordshire, UK with my family.
After spending most of my working life as a Marketer, educating consumers about the wonders of anything from laundry detergents to honey, I finally decided to put pen to paper to write “stories” of a different kind. Between school pick-ups and whilst also looking after my adorable toddler (who has yet to find a bookshelf he wouldn’t climb), I eventually finished my first book, Of Magpies and Men.
If you'd like to connect with me, I would love to hear from you. Just drop me a line on:
https://linktr.ee/OdeRay
Or leave a book review on Goodreads or Amazon (I read all of them)
After spending most of my working life as a Marketer, educating consumers about the wonders of anything from laundry detergents to honey, I finally decided to put pen to paper to write “stories” of a different kind. Between school pick-ups and whilst also looking after my adorable toddler (who has yet to find a bookshelf he wouldn’t climb), I eventually finished my first book, Of Magpies and Men.
If you'd like to connect with me, I would love to hear from you. Just drop me a line on:
https://linktr.ee/OdeRay
Or leave a book review on Goodreads or Amazon (I read all of them)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
February 2, 2021
Of Magpies and Men by Ode Ray
Once you read this book, the cover really makes sense and I enjoy looking at it, trying to "piece" together everything.
Benedict Grant is a wealthy, workaholic, who uses people as playthings or a means to get what he wants and they are all disposable, hardly making a blip on his consciousness. Is it any wonder that he's lonely, with his loving but secretive mother being his best and only real friend? He will do anything to stay in his mother's good graces and he's known from an early age that she looks down on relationships that can't provide heirs. Benedict is in such denial that he's gay, that he thinks that he isn't, despite his frequent sex with one or two males at a time. Even once he has a steady gay boyfriend, he denies that he is gay. He tells himself he's not gay because he wants an heir of his own and that means he's going to get married and become a father, the old fashioned way.
Marie Boulanger could not be more different than Benedict. Her one love, the father of her child, was killed in a hit and run, before their son was born. The daughter of a cruel father and a mother who barely acknowledged her presence, Marie worked hard to become a nurse and now she and her son live in poverty, in the Gypsy trailer camp that was her lover's home. Marie's impossible dream is to save up enough money to someday buy a real house for her asthmatic son.
The story starts when the bodies of a Caucasian man and an Asian man are found on the shore of an Italian village. Then we go from various timelines and various points of views, until we come to the present day, where many plotlines come together to a very chaotic conclusion. Throughout the book I had difficulty understanding some of the jokes and humor and also many of the choices that the characters make. And then, the finally coming together of all the characters had so much going on, it felt like a bunch of dominoes falling but some getting back up and then knocking some more over again. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than the second half, where things started falling apart for me.
Publication: February 2, 2021
Thank you to the author for this ARC.
Once you read this book, the cover really makes sense and I enjoy looking at it, trying to "piece" together everything.
Benedict Grant is a wealthy, workaholic, who uses people as playthings or a means to get what he wants and they are all disposable, hardly making a blip on his consciousness. Is it any wonder that he's lonely, with his loving but secretive mother being his best and only real friend? He will do anything to stay in his mother's good graces and he's known from an early age that she looks down on relationships that can't provide heirs. Benedict is in such denial that he's gay, that he thinks that he isn't, despite his frequent sex with one or two males at a time. Even once he has a steady gay boyfriend, he denies that he is gay. He tells himself he's not gay because he wants an heir of his own and that means he's going to get married and become a father, the old fashioned way.
Marie Boulanger could not be more different than Benedict. Her one love, the father of her child, was killed in a hit and run, before their son was born. The daughter of a cruel father and a mother who barely acknowledged her presence, Marie worked hard to become a nurse and now she and her son live in poverty, in the Gypsy trailer camp that was her lover's home. Marie's impossible dream is to save up enough money to someday buy a real house for her asthmatic son.
The story starts when the bodies of a Caucasian man and an Asian man are found on the shore of an Italian village. Then we go from various timelines and various points of views, until we come to the present day, where many plotlines come together to a very chaotic conclusion. Throughout the book I had difficulty understanding some of the jokes and humor and also many of the choices that the characters make. And then, the finally coming together of all the characters had so much going on, it felt like a bunch of dominoes falling but some getting back up and then knocking some more over again. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than the second half, where things started falling apart for me.
Publication: February 2, 2021
Thank you to the author for this ARC.
November 24, 2020
2-3 stars
Two male bodies wash ashore in Italy with the subsequent investigation led by Detective Paoli. How do these as yet unidentified men connect to wealthy Benedict Grant in London and to Marie Boulanger, a nurse in Marseille? The mystery unfolds in varying timelines.
‘Good morning Mr Magpie, how’s your wife?’ Single magpie salute and a warning which some characters should have heeded. At the beginning of the book there are some good magpie images and references which seem to vanish as the book progresses which is a pity. When you begin this novel you have no idea where the storyline is going and it certainly takes you in unexpected directions and for the first half it’s interesting and pretty good. There’s a real mix of characters although I had trouble liking quite a number of them. This is especially true of Benedict who is a controlled cynic, he can be deeply unpleasant and hurtful particularly to his staff with some of the things he says being quite offensive on occasions. He’s struggling with his sexuality and strings one poor woman along as he desires a child. Marie is a nicer character and in her case it’s nature over something approximating nurture as her parents are awful especially her criminal father. At times his unpleasant character feels a bit stereotypically evil. The premise and plot are intriguing though it’s convoluted and hard to follow at times. My biggest issue with the book is the timelines are all over the place, zipping backwards and forwards in a dizzying fashion that leaves you reeling. By the second half the frustration grows at trying to follow something so needlessly complex. It prevaricates giving background information that adds little and becoming too wordy. In places it’s clearly meant to be funny and the only reason I knew that is because characters laugh or smile but I find it cheesy and cringe. There is one reference to ‘Scandinavia being the British trump card’. What? I’m British and I didn’t know that and I’m not even sure what it means! As it reaches a conclusion for me it just becomes a mess with the finale being overly dramatic and ludicrous. Sorry!
Overall, there are the makings of a good story here but in my opinion it needs more refining and editing before publication so that it flows better. I really like the cover!
Two male bodies wash ashore in Italy with the subsequent investigation led by Detective Paoli. How do these as yet unidentified men connect to wealthy Benedict Grant in London and to Marie Boulanger, a nurse in Marseille? The mystery unfolds in varying timelines.
‘Good morning Mr Magpie, how’s your wife?’ Single magpie salute and a warning which some characters should have heeded. At the beginning of the book there are some good magpie images and references which seem to vanish as the book progresses which is a pity. When you begin this novel you have no idea where the storyline is going and it certainly takes you in unexpected directions and for the first half it’s interesting and pretty good. There’s a real mix of characters although I had trouble liking quite a number of them. This is especially true of Benedict who is a controlled cynic, he can be deeply unpleasant and hurtful particularly to his staff with some of the things he says being quite offensive on occasions. He’s struggling with his sexuality and strings one poor woman along as he desires a child. Marie is a nicer character and in her case it’s nature over something approximating nurture as her parents are awful especially her criminal father. At times his unpleasant character feels a bit stereotypically evil. The premise and plot are intriguing though it’s convoluted and hard to follow at times. My biggest issue with the book is the timelines are all over the place, zipping backwards and forwards in a dizzying fashion that leaves you reeling. By the second half the frustration grows at trying to follow something so needlessly complex. It prevaricates giving background information that adds little and becoming too wordy. In places it’s clearly meant to be funny and the only reason I knew that is because characters laugh or smile but I find it cheesy and cringe. There is one reference to ‘Scandinavia being the British trump card’. What? I’m British and I didn’t know that and I’m not even sure what it means! As it reaches a conclusion for me it just becomes a mess with the finale being overly dramatic and ludicrous. Sorry!
Overall, there are the makings of a good story here but in my opinion it needs more refining and editing before publication so that it flows better. I really like the cover!
October 16, 2020
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
First and foremost, I am so grateful to the author Ode Ray for having given me a chance to read such a wonderful work. I have always known there are some outstanding gems hidden among all the millions of books being published that for multitude of reasons may not catch the public eye but they are undoubtedly the best out there. Of Magpies and Men is one of those ‘diamond of the first water’.
From the prologue, that opens with a middle-aged couple discussing about the tour brochure to the epilogue where the same couple rushes away before the detective catches their eye is filled with humor and engaging drama interwoven with twists and turns that one never sees coming. The subjects being discussed in the story are quite vast, motherhood, grief, infertility, parental neglect, guilt, acceptance of sexuality, bullying, and by end of it all, an encompassing love and hope. Benedicts road to discovery of his worth, Marie’s selfless act of courage and compassion, Romain’s valiant effort to be the man of the house, Yukinobu’s silent love and support, Detective Giandomenico Paoli’s surefooted approach to life, each segment of the story was magnificent in its description.
The story unfolds in a leisurely pace moving back and forth across different places to events that link the discovery of the 2 dead bodies and how Benedict in London and Marie in Italy discover each other. On the surface there’s nothing that links these 2 individuals but I loved how the author has used different layers in the story and unravels each thread and ties it up wonderfully in the end. The climax with a set of incidents that leads to a shocker was totally unexpected and left me teary-eyed.
A rare gem that deserves all the accolades!
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/; Amazon India, Goodreads, and Twitter.
First and foremost, I am so grateful to the author Ode Ray for having given me a chance to read such a wonderful work. I have always known there are some outstanding gems hidden among all the millions of books being published that for multitude of reasons may not catch the public eye but they are undoubtedly the best out there. Of Magpies and Men is one of those ‘diamond of the first water’.
From the prologue, that opens with a middle-aged couple discussing about the tour brochure to the epilogue where the same couple rushes away before the detective catches their eye is filled with humor and engaging drama interwoven with twists and turns that one never sees coming. The subjects being discussed in the story are quite vast, motherhood, grief, infertility, parental neglect, guilt, acceptance of sexuality, bullying, and by end of it all, an encompassing love and hope. Benedicts road to discovery of his worth, Marie’s selfless act of courage and compassion, Romain’s valiant effort to be the man of the house, Yukinobu’s silent love and support, Detective Giandomenico Paoli’s surefooted approach to life, each segment of the story was magnificent in its description.
The story unfolds in a leisurely pace moving back and forth across different places to events that link the discovery of the 2 dead bodies and how Benedict in London and Marie in Italy discover each other. On the surface there’s nothing that links these 2 individuals but I loved how the author has used different layers in the story and unravels each thread and ties it up wonderfully in the end. The climax with a set of incidents that leads to a shocker was totally unexpected and left me teary-eyed.
A rare gem that deserves all the accolades!
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/; Amazon India, Goodreads, and Twitter.
Read
March 31, 2021"I am putting this to one side for the time being. This is a book that requires a great deal of attention, and I am currently unable to give that. I plan to come back to it when I am not quite so tired. This is a reflection on me, not the quality of the book."
Read
November 9, 2020In light of a message I received from the author, I have come to the conclusion to amend and redact my initial review. Miss Ode has graciously adjusted/fixed many of the issues I presented within my review, and has crafted something worthy. I have removed my star rating, as I did not finish the book in its entirety, and should never have reviewed so harshly a debut ARC. That is my own opinion. I’m not usually such an a**hole, and presented an unfair disadvantage with a low score. I’m leaving parts of my review up for those interested to see what I meant, but assure future readers of Of Magpies and Men that this novel has been adjusted for the better, and deserves to be read. I know many who will enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing access to this ARC.
DNF
I immediately disliked Benedict—his über privilege—and all the people around him. Their affected dialogue, and Benedict’s somewhat arrogant introspections about perfection and women and fatherhood. It was really off-putting. Like, am I supposed to care that you want to have what you frequently refer to as a “trophy child”? No. As much as the book tries to hide it, Benedict is a closet INCEL. He’s immediately outshone at a bar by what can only be a CHAD, as Benedict’s “Beefcake” description implies.
Benedict heads to a club and spots a “...pretty, little thing... doe eyes, skinny, shy, young-looking... Exactly his type.”
Cue eye roll.
Oh, but then there’s this gem: “Benedict approached. He took a position near enough but not too close. He liked to work for his meal.”
Seriously?? Did a woman really write this drivel?
“His taut body was nothing impressive to look at when fully clothed and his features were pleasant but nondescript. Yet, once he locked onto his target, he never missed.”
How about we stop writing about people being “meals” or “targets” or “prey” or “prizes”?? Literally all words used to describe this one individual . This sort of objectification is gross and, frankly, sad. And just to throw it out there: really poor/lazy writing and technique.
Thankfully (yet, only slightly so) Marie’s chapters were more palatable. As I trudged along, however, I just lost interest; It didn’t help that Benedict remained intolerable, either. Again, the writing style continued to bug me. I don’t want to say it’s unintentionally bad, just misguided. The way certain characters are presented: the racial descriptors for POC characters in particular (??), left me scratching my head. Marie’s observation at a school and a particular child, too, was simply... wrong. And weird. I decided to set the book aside not much further in.
While I don’t enjoy giving a low rating to a debut ARC, I cannot in good conscience finish this and/or ignore my feelings towards this book.
This is not to say that many others wouldn’t enjoy it. The premise alone is something I think many readers (not as jaded and cynical as I) would find intriguing. Don’t take my review as gospel, for I barely made it a quarter of the way through. Read Of Magpies and Men and find out for yourself.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing access to this ARC.
DNF
Benedict heads to a club and spots a “...pretty, little thing... doe eyes, skinny, shy, young-looking... Exactly his type.”
Cue eye roll.
Oh, but then there’s this gem: “Benedict approached. He took a position near enough but not too close. He liked to work for his meal.”
Seriously?? Did a woman really write this drivel?
“His taut body was nothing impressive to look at when fully clothed and his features were pleasant but nondescript. Yet, once he locked onto his target, he never missed.”
How about we stop writing about people being “meals” or “targets” or “prey” or “prizes”?? Literally all words used to describe this one individual . This sort of objectification is gross and, frankly, sad. And just to throw it out there: really poor/lazy writing and technique.
Thankfully (yet, only slightly so) Marie’s chapters were more palatable. As I trudged along, however, I just lost interest; It didn’t help that Benedict remained intolerable, either. Again, the writing style continued to bug me. I don’t want to say it’s unintentionally bad, just misguided. The way certain characters are presented: the racial descriptors for POC characters in particular (??), left me scratching my head. Marie’s observation at a school and a particular child, too, was simply... wrong. And weird. I decided to set the book aside not much further in.
While I don’t enjoy giving a low rating to a debut ARC, I cannot in good conscience finish this and/or ignore my feelings towards this book.
This is not to say that many others wouldn’t enjoy it. The premise alone is something I think many readers (not as jaded and cynical as I) would find intriguing. Don’t take my review as gospel, for I barely made it a quarter of the way through. Read Of Magpies and Men and find out for yourself.
November 8, 2020
Many thanks to the author Ode Ray for an early copy of this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
A MIND-BLOWING OUTSTANDING READ!!!!
I finished this minutes ago. The best novel of the year!!! It's not only an absolute favourite, it makes my top 5 best book - OUTSTANDING!!!! I loved it sooooo much, I'm in a state of loss after finishing such a phenomenal book! I'll need to go steady starting another.
Ode Ray is such a powerful, well-written storyteller and my attachment to the characters is overwhelming. This novel has everything anyone could hope for in a mystery drama and more!!! Another reviewer described Of Magpies and Men as "A DIAMOND OF THE FIRST WATER" – nailed it! A real GEM of a GEM!
From the prologue filled with humour to the epilogue where everything comes to an emotional end and its roller-coaster of a penultimate chapter.
It is set in diagrammatically opposed backdrops, London at its most decadent and Marseille at its most tragic. Both parts are depicted with golden nuggets of societal comments and magnificent description. The story is never rushed, moving from one place to the other, using multiple POV and tying up an air-tight plot. Through it, the author really drives home for the reader all the background motivators behind its memorable characters; their struggles, hopes, dreams, aspirations... Benedict Grant, a one-percenter Londoner, is a particularly well-developed, multi-dimensional character which receives THE MOST INCREDIBLE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of all!!!
The subjects discussed are shocking - leaving the reader excited to see what's coming down the pipeline next! It goes through identity acceptance, the wear and tear of parental neglect, grief, parenthood or lack of, guilt, pernicious envy and bullying. But then, ultimately, there is all the LOVE, the selfless act of compassion, the multifaceted intimacy and the courage -- and HOPE!! An ultimate DISCUSSION BOOK!!! With family-related subjects rarely raised in novels which should be -- You'll be excited to talk about this book with other people! -- I might have already started bending my husband’s ear with it…
I've made tonnes of highlighting notes for this book, so many it took me a day to organize my thoughts about this phenomenal storyline! It will be so enjoyable to discover all the many treasures for yourself -- they make for a juicy, PAGE TURNING, emotionally riveting journey and incredible storytelling surprises entwined with drama that one never sees coming!!!!
Anyhoo -- I laughed, I cried, I sighed -- I was never bored!
I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it !!!
5 STRONG STARS
A MIND-BLOWING OUTSTANDING READ!!!!
I finished this minutes ago. The best novel of the year!!! It's not only an absolute favourite, it makes my top 5 best book - OUTSTANDING!!!! I loved it sooooo much, I'm in a state of loss after finishing such a phenomenal book! I'll need to go steady starting another.
Ode Ray is such a powerful, well-written storyteller and my attachment to the characters is overwhelming. This novel has everything anyone could hope for in a mystery drama and more!!! Another reviewer described Of Magpies and Men as "A DIAMOND OF THE FIRST WATER" – nailed it! A real GEM of a GEM!
From the prologue filled with humour to the epilogue where everything comes to an emotional end and its roller-coaster of a penultimate chapter.
It is set in diagrammatically opposed backdrops, London at its most decadent and Marseille at its most tragic. Both parts are depicted with golden nuggets of societal comments and magnificent description. The story is never rushed, moving from one place to the other, using multiple POV and tying up an air-tight plot. Through it, the author really drives home for the reader all the background motivators behind its memorable characters; their struggles, hopes, dreams, aspirations... Benedict Grant, a one-percenter Londoner, is a particularly well-developed, multi-dimensional character which receives THE MOST INCREDIBLE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of all!!!
The subjects discussed are shocking - leaving the reader excited to see what's coming down the pipeline next! It goes through identity acceptance, the wear and tear of parental neglect, grief, parenthood or lack of, guilt, pernicious envy and bullying. But then, ultimately, there is all the LOVE, the selfless act of compassion, the multifaceted intimacy and the courage -- and HOPE!! An ultimate DISCUSSION BOOK!!! With family-related subjects rarely raised in novels which should be -- You'll be excited to talk about this book with other people! -- I might have already started bending my husband’s ear with it…
I've made tonnes of highlighting notes for this book, so many it took me a day to organize my thoughts about this phenomenal storyline! It will be so enjoyable to discover all the many treasures for yourself -- they make for a juicy, PAGE TURNING, emotionally riveting journey and incredible storytelling surprises entwined with drama that one never sees coming!!!!
Anyhoo -- I laughed, I cried, I sighed -- I was never bored!
I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it !!!
5 STRONG STARS
Read
January 22, 2021I think this probably is the best debut novel I've written.
October 12, 2020
Initially, the book follows three independent stories at different places in the world and one thinks, "Seems interesting, but how is this all linked together?" However, the author answers your questions as you progress in the story and beautifully links the stories together.
The story is filled with amazing twists and turns. At any point, you think you know the story and where it is leading, but the author totally proves you wrong and does a great job at twisting the story.
I loved the way one of the protagonists, Benedict, was written in the book. His character development has been done justice. Initially he is shown as an extravagant banker trying to hide his sexual orientation but by the end he becomes more acceptable of not only his sexual orientation but also his situations and the people he loves the most.
All in all, it is a great story with some great characters and extreme suspense and drama that will not let you keep the book down.
The story is filled with amazing twists and turns. At any point, you think you know the story and where it is leading, but the author totally proves you wrong and does a great job at twisting the story.
I loved the way one of the protagonists, Benedict, was written in the book. His character development has been done justice. Initially he is shown as an extravagant banker trying to hide his sexual orientation but by the end he becomes more acceptable of not only his sexual orientation but also his situations and the people he loves the most.
All in all, it is a great story with some great characters and extreme suspense and drama that will not let you keep the book down.
October 28, 2020
This is an unusual and compelling story which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are so many different themes running through it and told with a wonderful dry humour which really appeals to me.
There’s intrigue. It opens in Italy where a boat containing two dead bodies has crashed into a harbour. A seemingly insignificant detective is investigating how they met their death.
It then moves back seven years and in alternating chapters we meet Benedict and Marie. Benedict an apparently rich 30 year old financial city type living in London with his mother. He seems a very edgy, unhappy person, despite his affluence. His mother has terminal cancer and so disappears from the book quite early on, but whilst his mother may have gone, the legacy she leaves behind has life changing consequences for Benedict.
In the next chapter we meet Marie and her 7 year old son Romain. They live in Marseille in a trailer on a travellers site, which from what I could garner from the story is made up of Albanian immigrants. Marie works as a nurse and struggles financially bringing up her son as a single parent after her partner and Romain’s father died in a crash before Romain was born. Marie desperately wants to save up enough money to buy herself a proper house away from the pollution of the area as her son is asthmatic.
As a result of Benedict’s mothers after death revelations, Benedict and Marie become connected in the story and it alternates between London and Marseille. As the plot advances it becomes ever more gripping. There is just so much going on in this book. There’s Benedicts conflicting feelings over his sexuality, outwardly he has always tried to keep the fact that he is gay to himself, partly because of his upbringing and the unspoken messages he’s received within his family but also because he so desperately wants a child and to be part of a family.
Marie has her own set of problems, she has her mother living with her, her father is in prison and she also wants a better life for her son. In the meantime the book will now and then flit forward in time again to the investigation going on in Italy with the two men in the boat. Who are they?
It’s difficult to say more. The main issue within the story I can’t reveal because that would spoil it for the reader. You just have to read it. It’s emotional, it’s funny in places, it’s heartfelt, there’s mystery and intrigue and there’s tension all culminating in a thrilling ending.
This really is a fantastic debut, I would highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what this author might write next. Definitely worthy of five stars.
There’s intrigue. It opens in Italy where a boat containing two dead bodies has crashed into a harbour. A seemingly insignificant detective is investigating how they met their death.
It then moves back seven years and in alternating chapters we meet Benedict and Marie. Benedict an apparently rich 30 year old financial city type living in London with his mother. He seems a very edgy, unhappy person, despite his affluence. His mother has terminal cancer and so disappears from the book quite early on, but whilst his mother may have gone, the legacy she leaves behind has life changing consequences for Benedict.
In the next chapter we meet Marie and her 7 year old son Romain. They live in Marseille in a trailer on a travellers site, which from what I could garner from the story is made up of Albanian immigrants. Marie works as a nurse and struggles financially bringing up her son as a single parent after her partner and Romain’s father died in a crash before Romain was born. Marie desperately wants to save up enough money to buy herself a proper house away from the pollution of the area as her son is asthmatic.
As a result of Benedict’s mothers after death revelations, Benedict and Marie become connected in the story and it alternates between London and Marseille. As the plot advances it becomes ever more gripping. There is just so much going on in this book. There’s Benedicts conflicting feelings over his sexuality, outwardly he has always tried to keep the fact that he is gay to himself, partly because of his upbringing and the unspoken messages he’s received within his family but also because he so desperately wants a child and to be part of a family.
Marie has her own set of problems, she has her mother living with her, her father is in prison and she also wants a better life for her son. In the meantime the book will now and then flit forward in time again to the investigation going on in Italy with the two men in the boat. Who are they?
It’s difficult to say more. The main issue within the story I can’t reveal because that would spoil it for the reader. You just have to read it. It’s emotional, it’s funny in places, it’s heartfelt, there’s mystery and intrigue and there’s tension all culminating in a thrilling ending.
This really is a fantastic debut, I would highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what this author might write next. Definitely worthy of five stars.
March 3, 2021
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ode!
I had to give myself a full 24 hours before writing my review because I wouldn’t be able to write a coherent sentence. This book is fantastic! The twist and turns this book took me through was exhilarating and I almost wish I could go back and read it again for the first time to experience that rush!
The characters are so well rounded and you form such a bond with them. There are times where I felt myself either tear up, squeal with happiness or physically feeling myself get angry at a particular scene.
I can’t say much more without giving anything away. All I can say is: 2nd February, do yourself a favour and get a copy! You will not regret it!
I had to give myself a full 24 hours before writing my review because I wouldn’t be able to write a coherent sentence. This book is fantastic! The twist and turns this book took me through was exhilarating and I almost wish I could go back and read it again for the first time to experience that rush!
The characters are so well rounded and you form such a bond with them. There are times where I felt myself either tear up, squeal with happiness or physically feeling myself get angry at a particular scene.
I can’t say much more without giving anything away. All I can say is: 2nd February, do yourself a favour and get a copy! You will not regret it!
October 22, 2020
First of all, a mighty big thank you to the author Ode Ray for providing me with the ARC of this wonderful novel. Of Magpies And Men releases on 02/02/2021 and I strongly recommend you to go get a copy!
Review:
Benedict Grant is a frontrunner who lives a posh life in London.
Marie Boulanger is a nurse who is raising a son while struggling financially.
With absolutely nothing in common with each other, fate pulls Benedict and Marie together. Tough decisions, family problems and complicated events create the perfect recipe for disaster. The only question is, will Marie and Benedict be able to untangle these issues before the issues tangle them?
This book has rendered me speechless. Filled with humor, drama, grief, love and hope, Of Magpies And Men is a beautifully woven story that has the power to dazzle you to the very core. Not to mention, the numerous amounts of twists and turns which leave you wanting for more. The pages will fly by but the longing to read more will forever remain. Kudos to the author for writing such a marvelous novel. (Standing Ovation)
Review:
Benedict Grant is a frontrunner who lives a posh life in London.
Marie Boulanger is a nurse who is raising a son while struggling financially.
With absolutely nothing in common with each other, fate pulls Benedict and Marie together. Tough decisions, family problems and complicated events create the perfect recipe for disaster. The only question is, will Marie and Benedict be able to untangle these issues before the issues tangle them?
This book has rendered me speechless. Filled with humor, drama, grief, love and hope, Of Magpies And Men is a beautifully woven story that has the power to dazzle you to the very core. Not to mention, the numerous amounts of twists and turns which leave you wanting for more. The pages will fly by but the longing to read more will forever remain. Kudos to the author for writing such a marvelous novel. (Standing Ovation)
October 21, 2020
‘Two bodies wash ashore in a picturesque Italian village, the violence that put them there is bound to a long held secret.....’ Oh my goodness this book was so good! I read it in day. Firstly, a huge thank you to the author for sending me an ARC to read. It did not disappoint.
The story follows the lives of three strangers living a world apart, seemingly with nothing in common. The story jumps between their individual stories and also back and forth in time. How are they all connected to the murdered men? It is so beautifully written however that you never feel confused by the transitions. For so long you wonder how these three stories are connected or interlinked in anyway.
I obviously don’t want to give anything away but I will say this is a story of struggle, grief, tragedy and ultimately love. So much love. I honestly felt like I held my breath for the last few chapters. There are so many emotional layers to this book, so many issues covered and yet it does not feel overwhelming. It is a fantastic read.
The way the author intertwines the three stories eventually bringing it all together is seamless. Nothing feels rushed and you learn to grow with the characters as their stories progress. You know that feeling of emptiness you get when you first finish a book that you are completely and utterly emotionally vested in? This was that book for me.
This is the author’s first published work and talk about stating with a bang. A really brilliant read and I highly recommend this book. It is published on 2 February 2021 and I urge you to add it to your TBR pile.
The story follows the lives of three strangers living a world apart, seemingly with nothing in common. The story jumps between their individual stories and also back and forth in time. How are they all connected to the murdered men? It is so beautifully written however that you never feel confused by the transitions. For so long you wonder how these three stories are connected or interlinked in anyway.
I obviously don’t want to give anything away but I will say this is a story of struggle, grief, tragedy and ultimately love. So much love. I honestly felt like I held my breath for the last few chapters. There are so many emotional layers to this book, so many issues covered and yet it does not feel overwhelming. It is a fantastic read.
The way the author intertwines the three stories eventually bringing it all together is seamless. Nothing feels rushed and you learn to grow with the characters as their stories progress. You know that feeling of emptiness you get when you first finish a book that you are completely and utterly emotionally vested in? This was that book for me.
This is the author’s first published work and talk about stating with a bang. A really brilliant read and I highly recommend this book. It is published on 2 February 2021 and I urge you to add it to your TBR pile.
October 18, 2020
Firstly, thank you so much to the author, Ode Ray, for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read, I loved it.
This book was gripping from the outset and full of humour between witnesses and the police and gives a great insight into what will happen in the book, as it gets right into it by discovering the bodies.
It goes on to jump between locations, perspective and time of where the characters are, and slowly draws each of them together, in other books jumping from different places can become quite confusing but Ray writes it perfectly so it’s clear and really easy to follow.
Each person’s story has so many emotional ties and the whole book deals with lots of difficult challenges, such a loss, grief, betrayal and identity, and this is so eye-opening for the reading. The twists and revelations throughout the book were beautifully written and also shocking for the reader. The motif of the magpie is a beautiful idea and helps to draw the end to a perfect ending for the characters. I would definitely recommend.
This book was gripping from the outset and full of humour between witnesses and the police and gives a great insight into what will happen in the book, as it gets right into it by discovering the bodies.
It goes on to jump between locations, perspective and time of where the characters are, and slowly draws each of them together, in other books jumping from different places can become quite confusing but Ray writes it perfectly so it’s clear and really easy to follow.
Each person’s story has so many emotional ties and the whole book deals with lots of difficult challenges, such a loss, grief, betrayal and identity, and this is so eye-opening for the reading. The twists and revelations throughout the book were beautifully written and also shocking for the reader. The motif of the magpie is a beautiful idea and helps to draw the end to a perfect ending for the characters. I would definitely recommend.
October 13, 2020
I loved reading this book, especially taking me through the areas and environments of the characters and giving the opportunity to get to know the characters before you're blasted into their lives and how the twists and turns lead them in many directions. There are twists that I didn't see coming but for me the overriding positive was the authenticity of the characters. I like the fact it covers topics that need exploring and I loved the fact that the characters were true to life - warts and all ! A fabulous read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
March 13, 2021
This story starts with two dead bodies found off the coast of Italy investigated by Detective Giandomenico. This beginning was kind of inauspicious then became more pronounced as the story unfolds and you wonder if you know them the more details come out. There are a few characters that we meet and follow their journeys until they meet eachother. I love these kind of stories that weave through eachother.
Benedict Grant is a posh Englishman navigating his life fighting his sexuality because of his upbringing.
Marie Boulanger has had a rough life in Marseille with parents that love eachother more than her. Her father, wow he is an example of the saying "you cannot reason with unreasonable people." She is raising her son Romain alone.
As this story weaves through these lives you get to see how they connect. I thought Ode did such a seamless job of connecting these stories together. I was on the edge of my seat and there was so much humanity that I felt for all the vulnerabilities, mistakes and pain felt by all of them. But not Fatos he is horrible and does not deserve pity. I love Yukinobu, the private investigator. In the end all these people that felt outcast and unloved had become a family.
The cover means so much more once you have met all the characters and timelines in this story. It's very unique.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Thank you @authoroderay for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review. This was an amazing debut novel. (Sorry for reading and posting so late) release date Feb 2, 2021
Benedict Grant is a posh Englishman navigating his life fighting his sexuality because of his upbringing.
Marie Boulanger has had a rough life in Marseille with parents that love eachother more than her. Her father, wow he is an example of the saying "you cannot reason with unreasonable people." She is raising her son Romain alone.
As this story weaves through these lives you get to see how they connect. I thought Ode did such a seamless job of connecting these stories together. I was on the edge of my seat and there was so much humanity that I felt for all the vulnerabilities, mistakes and pain felt by all of them. But not Fatos he is horrible and does not deserve pity. I love Yukinobu, the private investigator. In the end all these people that felt outcast and unloved had become a family.
The cover means so much more once you have met all the characters and timelines in this story. It's very unique.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Thank you @authoroderay for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review. This was an amazing debut novel. (Sorry for reading and posting so late) release date Feb 2, 2021
October 6, 2020
I am so grateful to have been given this ARC to review from the author. The plot was mind blowing, one moment you are confident you know what's going to happen, the next you sit back down in your place to read the actual outcome which was nothing like what you thought xD. The twists and the characters are so well thought out that they are almost there with you acting out the story as tou read it and the emotions are so evident within the pages. This was a fantastic read although that ending... I did not see that happening. Many different stories coming together as one can sometimes runaway and become confusing but that was not the case here, it all tied together perfectly and left you needing more. I do hope the author writes a second to continue the lives of these characters. A fantastic read.
September 29, 2020
There were many things that drew me into this book, starting from page 1. What begins as a mystery evolves into a fascinating story of love, loss, ambition, and fighting to rise above - no matter what. The characters are well developed, relatable, fun, and sometimes very humorous. There were several points when I was reading that I paused and thought to myself "Oh yes, I know someone *just* like that!". It's very cleverly written so that it was generally not possible to predict what would come next, and some of my assumptions were dispelled with several twists and fascinating reveals throughout. Additionally, the story is set amongst some of the most beautiful places in Europe (some of which are close to my heart - there are scenes spanning from the UK to Provence and even the Italian coast!). Come to think of it, I would be eager to read any follow-up or sequel to learn even more about this family's story.
N.b. An advance copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review. Thanks for sharing it with me!
N.b. An advance copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review. Thanks for sharing it with me!
February 2, 2021
Exceptionally well written, clever and well thought story line ! Interesting characters and great details make it a very real and exciting story. Would highly recommend for any one looking for some quality reading.
December 8, 2020
I would like to thank the author for giving me an ARC of this book 📖.
Two strangers living worlds apart are brought together by a secret that leads to two corpses washing up on the shore of an Italian village.
This is not a book I would normally find myself picking up, however from the first page I was simply hooked! The twists and turns that carried through the whole story had me wanting more. We see our MC’s, Marie and Benedict grappling with their internal struggles and the underlying themes of grief, hope, family and love at the crux of the magic that is woven through the pages. I was surprised at how easily I connected with characters and often felt like I was caught amongst the action playing out. Kudos to Ode for her writing which left me breathless! This is her debut novel and I wish her the very best and here’s to many more! If you’re looking for a book that is the perfect balance of intrigue ad emotion then I highly recommend Of Magpies and Men which releases on February 2, 2021.
Two strangers living worlds apart are brought together by a secret that leads to two corpses washing up on the shore of an Italian village.
This is not a book I would normally find myself picking up, however from the first page I was simply hooked! The twists and turns that carried through the whole story had me wanting more. We see our MC’s, Marie and Benedict grappling with their internal struggles and the underlying themes of grief, hope, family and love at the crux of the magic that is woven through the pages. I was surprised at how easily I connected with characters and often felt like I was caught amongst the action playing out. Kudos to Ode for her writing which left me breathless! This is her debut novel and I wish her the very best and here’s to many more! If you’re looking for a book that is the perfect balance of intrigue ad emotion then I highly recommend Of Magpies and Men which releases on February 2, 2021.
Read
November 10, 2020 UPDATED review posted on 10/11/2020:
Since posting my original review of the ARC, the author had reached out to me and we had a couple of exchanges about the points I made in my review. The author graciously took my review as constructive criticism and edited the book accordingly, then shared some specific edits with me.
I can't speak for the entire book, but I can't in good conscience leave my original review un-edited as the issues I raised in it seem to be fixed now. I have told the author that I would have went on with the book if it weren't for the issues I originally had, and I'm repeating this here. Now that these are resolved, I urge readers to keep this in mind if they read my original review.
I will not delete the original review, as that seems unnecessary, but I really appreciate and respect that my comments were taken as constructive criticism and used for edits. I might yet go back to the book and give it another go in the future, but until then please keep in mind that my original review concerned only 25% of the book and that the issues mentioned in it have now been resolved and edited by Ms. Ray. The original review does not reflect the finished product.
I have also in good conscience cleared my rating for the book, as I technically haven't read the finished version of it, besides the edits Ms. Ray sent me.
As always, give this book a chance and decide for yourself how to feel about the story!
Original 1 star review posted on 28/10/2020:
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
DNF at 25%
I went into this book with such high expectations that it pains me to write a bad review for it, but this book and I did not click at all.
The positive is that the premises of the book is pretty cool. A mystery that takes place across different countries, with multiple characters, and some time jumps sounds like a pretty fun thing to read. And I liked that the events were taking place at three separate locations. However, I think I knew from the prologue that this would be a difficult read for me due to the writing style, which I found a bit tedious and hard to follow with unnecessary descriptions that distract the reader from the flow of the story. However, writing styles are more of an acquired taste that can work with varying degrees of success depending on the reader -so I thought I would ignore my initial assessment and trudge on.
This brought me to the first chapter, and I honestly think that had I not hated Benedict's pov so much; I might have been able to maybe finish the book. I don't know if it was an intentional choice on the author's part, but Benedict's chapters were extremely uncomfortable and unsettling to read (and not in a good way). The book tried to sell Benedict off as an aloof, wealthy banker but what I got was a character that was deeply unlikeable, and borderline disturbing in how he described his surroundings and perceived other characters. Again, not in the good, intentional this-character-is-deliciously-messed-up way, but in a this guy is insufferable kind of way. This came from the way Benedict talks about the female characters, to him wanting a "trophy child", to the very upsetting few paragraphs where he uses the words "prey", "his prize", and "his target" to describe someone he wants to pick up at a bar. Someone who the book hints at being far -far- younger than the 30 year old main character. And this is all in the first two chapters. I don't mind reading about closeted queer characters with internalized homophobia -although god knows it's a trope I'm sick of- but to write Benedict to sound this predatory and unsettling, then have the catch be surprise, he's a closeted self-hating gay! rubbed me the wrong way. The only time I had any kind feelings towards Benedict at all was, very briefly, during the scene at the hospital with his mother. And even that didn't last long.
Marie is more tolerable on her own and the chapters do get somewhat easier to read once she appears, but there are some things throughout her chapters (and Benedict's) that made me stop reading to take a break. There was a very unfortunate paragraph where Marie insinuates that a ten year old child is looking at her in an appraising/sexual manner while she picked up her son at school.. this theme of minors and adults pops up on three separate occasions within the first 7 chapters. Again, a scenario that I might read (in a crime novel or a story dealing with trauma and abuse) if done differently and if it didn't set such an uncomfortable tone for the rest of the narrative because it's left unacknowledged as something deeply wrong. The incident at the school in particular made me recoil. I would venture to say that if you're an adult reading a child's look that way, then the problem is you. Not the child. So, yeah, Marie made me feel iffy too.
What else? As a queer woman of color, mishandling of characters of color jumps at me each time. It's almost always expected, but completely unwelcome. I'm not saying that this book is racist, but it describes its characters of color weirdly. Benedict describing a character as "The Asian guy" repeatedly wasn't great. Surely he could have said "Laure's friend" or "The secretary's friend" or any number of things after the initial acknowledgment of the character's race?! Another strange instant of this was the following, said by a doctor to Benedict: "She slipped into a coma." A slight Indian inflexion ringed her final sentence. . I had to stop at this line, frown, and try to figure out how this line belonged in a scene that should have been emotional and meant to inspire sympathy to the main character. Instead of getting emotionally invested, I had to stop and marvel at how out of place and weird the line felt. Might be an issue of the writing style again, but it was unpleasant to read all the same.
This is all to say that I really tried reading this book and to keep going with it, but there were just too many things about it that did not sit right with me. I want people to keep in mind that I only read about 25% of it, so maybe some of it is intentionally setting events up for later but I personally couldn't get far enough to find out. The amount I read was more than enough for me as I tend to focus a lot on characterization and writing style, and sadly neither one worked for me here.
I still appreciate getting an opportunity to review this book, and as always I urge people to pick up books for themselves and make up their own minds on whether or not they find a book enjoyable.
Since posting my original review of the ARC, the author had reached out to me and we had a couple of exchanges about the points I made in my review. The author graciously took my review as constructive criticism and edited the book accordingly, then shared some specific edits with me.
I can't speak for the entire book, but I can't in good conscience leave my original review un-edited as the issues I raised in it seem to be fixed now. I have told the author that I would have went on with the book if it weren't for the issues I originally had, and I'm repeating this here. Now that these are resolved, I urge readers to keep this in mind if they read my original review.
I will not delete the original review, as that seems unnecessary, but I really appreciate and respect that my comments were taken as constructive criticism and used for edits. I might yet go back to the book and give it another go in the future, but until then please keep in mind that my original review concerned only 25% of the book and that the issues mentioned in it have now been resolved and edited by Ms. Ray. The original review does not reflect the finished product.
I have also in good conscience cleared my rating for the book, as I technically haven't read the finished version of it, besides the edits Ms. Ray sent me.
As always, give this book a chance and decide for yourself how to feel about the story!
Original 1 star review posted on 28/10/2020:
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
DNF at 25%
I went into this book with such high expectations that it pains me to write a bad review for it, but this book and I did not click at all.
The positive is that the premises of the book is pretty cool. A mystery that takes place across different countries, with multiple characters, and some time jumps sounds like a pretty fun thing to read. And I liked that the events were taking place at three separate locations. However, I think I knew from the prologue that this would be a difficult read for me due to the writing style, which I found a bit tedious and hard to follow with unnecessary descriptions that distract the reader from the flow of the story. However, writing styles are more of an acquired taste that can work with varying degrees of success depending on the reader -so I thought I would ignore my initial assessment and trudge on.
This brought me to the first chapter, and I honestly think that had I not hated Benedict's pov so much; I might have been able to maybe finish the book. I don't know if it was an intentional choice on the author's part, but Benedict's chapters were extremely uncomfortable and unsettling to read (and not in a good way). The book tried to sell Benedict off as an aloof, wealthy banker but what I got was a character that was deeply unlikeable, and borderline disturbing in how he described his surroundings and perceived other characters. Again, not in the good, intentional this-character-is-deliciously-messed-up way, but in a this guy is insufferable kind of way. This came from the way Benedict talks about the female characters, to him wanting a "trophy child", to the very upsetting few paragraphs where he uses the words "prey", "his prize", and "his target" to describe someone he wants to pick up at a bar. Someone who the book hints at being far -far- younger than the 30 year old main character. And this is all in the first two chapters. I don't mind reading about closeted queer characters with internalized homophobia -although god knows it's a trope I'm sick of- but to write Benedict to sound this predatory and unsettling, then have the catch be surprise, he's a closeted self-hating gay! rubbed me the wrong way. The only time I had any kind feelings towards Benedict at all was, very briefly, during the scene at the hospital with his mother. And even that didn't last long.
Marie is more tolerable on her own and the chapters do get somewhat easier to read once she appears, but there are some things throughout her chapters (and Benedict's) that made me stop reading to take a break. There was a very unfortunate paragraph where Marie insinuates that a ten year old child is looking at her in an appraising/sexual manner while she picked up her son at school.. this theme of minors and adults pops up on three separate occasions within the first 7 chapters. Again, a scenario that I might read (in a crime novel or a story dealing with trauma and abuse) if done differently and if it didn't set such an uncomfortable tone for the rest of the narrative because it's left unacknowledged as something deeply wrong. The incident at the school in particular made me recoil. I would venture to say that if you're an adult reading a child's look that way, then the problem is you. Not the child. So, yeah, Marie made me feel iffy too.
What else? As a queer woman of color, mishandling of characters of color jumps at me each time. It's almost always expected, but completely unwelcome. I'm not saying that this book is racist, but it describes its characters of color weirdly. Benedict describing a character as "The Asian guy" repeatedly wasn't great. Surely he could have said "Laure's friend" or "The secretary's friend" or any number of things after the initial acknowledgment of the character's race?! Another strange instant of this was the following, said by a doctor to Benedict: "She slipped into a coma." A slight Indian inflexion ringed her final sentence. . I had to stop at this line, frown, and try to figure out how this line belonged in a scene that should have been emotional and meant to inspire sympathy to the main character. Instead of getting emotionally invested, I had to stop and marvel at how out of place and weird the line felt. Might be an issue of the writing style again, but it was unpleasant to read all the same.
This is all to say that I really tried reading this book and to keep going with it, but there were just too many things about it that did not sit right with me. I want people to keep in mind that I only read about 25% of it, so maybe some of it is intentionally setting events up for later but I personally couldn't get far enough to find out. The amount I read was more than enough for me as I tend to focus a lot on characterization and writing style, and sadly neither one worked for me here.
I still appreciate getting an opportunity to review this book, and as always I urge people to pick up books for themselves and make up their own minds on whether or not they find a book enjoyable.
November 2, 2020
I loved this book! I was hooked from page 1. Its story really talked to me at a personal level. I was particularly drawn to Yukinobu's character which as a Japanese lesbian I found appealing and rarely portrayed in novels which was refreshing. I also found his back story moving and deftly weaved into the storyline. I'd like to think that he was like an older male version of myself and I really hope that someday I will find my Benedict(a). Even if Benedict was a bit of unlikeable at the beginning of the story, it was lovely to see his character evolve into a better version of himself through the book. And isn't that what love is supposed to help you acheive?
As for Marie, what a strong, selfless and driven female character. She was likable from the get go, had very touching facets of personality and well-rounded values. An amazingly inspiring character all round.
As for the main plot, well, I loved it. It was gripping and brought up some difficult subject matters but in a non voyeurist way, toned down with dry humour which was novel and stimulating...
I really hope to read more from this author.
Thanks to netgalley and the author for an early copy.
As for Marie, what a strong, selfless and driven female character. She was likable from the get go, had very touching facets of personality and well-rounded values. An amazingly inspiring character all round.
As for the main plot, well, I loved it. It was gripping and brought up some difficult subject matters but in a non voyeurist way, toned down with dry humour which was novel and stimulating...
I really hope to read more from this author.
Thanks to netgalley and the author for an early copy.
January 3, 2021
I really loved Of Magpies and Men. Admittedly, it took me a while to get into it. I didn't love Benedict's character and a few elements of the writing weren't my preferred style. This is why I think it took me a while to get into it. However, once I got into it, it completely took me over. I fell in love with Marie and her entire story. I was genuinely surprised at the ending (a rare occurrence for me). It was an intricate and convoluted crime that came together in the end without being too out there, a truly tough feat to pull off.
Ode Ray has raw storytelling talent that I hope leads to more projects in the future. I look forward to purchasing my copy after publication and reading more of her work in the future.
I would like to thank the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ode Ray has raw storytelling talent that I hope leads to more projects in the future. I look forward to purchasing my copy after publication and reading more of her work in the future.
I would like to thank the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 28, 2021
Lovely book which draws you into the lives of a woman and her child, two men and a detective. How it all fits together was a surprise. The end left me with a fuzzy warm feeling and a bit sad. You will not regret reading this book and may feel that your outlook has been widened.
October 18, 2020
Many thanks to the author for the advanced copy. Really enjoyed this book. The skipping between different places and timelines was smoothly done. I loved the characters, specially Benedict. All the stories connected easily and they all made sense in the end. Oh yeah, the end was my favorite after all the heartache and loss that the characters experienced.
October 11, 2020
“When it came to his family, his wants would always come after their needs.”
The book starts off with a couple on vacation in Italy being questioned on two dead bodies found close to where they were staying.
The story then runs to Benedict, a rich extravagante banker who is eager to hide his sexual orientation. On the other hand, there’s Marie Boulanger, a nurse trying to tie her life together while struggling financially and bringing up a son.
Although the events and characters initially seem unconnected, as the story progresses, in an unexpected turn of events, all these characters and events become connected.
The book started off with a lot of humor and I really like how some unconnected events are made to connect as the book progresses while maintaining a high element of mystery. There’s one plot twist after the other you can never really guess where the book is heading. Overall, really liked this book.
The book starts off with a couple on vacation in Italy being questioned on two dead bodies found close to where they were staying.
The story then runs to Benedict, a rich extravagante banker who is eager to hide his sexual orientation. On the other hand, there’s Marie Boulanger, a nurse trying to tie her life together while struggling financially and bringing up a son.
Although the events and characters initially seem unconnected, as the story progresses, in an unexpected turn of events, all these characters and events become connected.
The book started off with a lot of humor and I really like how some unconnected events are made to connect as the book progresses while maintaining a high element of mystery. There’s one plot twist after the other you can never really guess where the book is heading. Overall, really liked this book.
October 23, 2020
I genuinely loved reading this book . From page one the characterisation pulls you in and you can't help but care about and wish well for each of the individuals.
The plot has twist upon twist which I guarantee will keep you hooked right until the very end .
A wonderful book and highly recommended.
Thank you Ode Ray for allowing me a preview .
The plot has twist upon twist which I guarantee will keep you hooked right until the very end .
A wonderful book and highly recommended.
Thank you Ode Ray for allowing me a preview .
September 17, 2020
After a long spell of ‘Sahara desert’ crossing of dull stories, this book was an oasis of escapism. At first, I thought I would not like the interlocking timelines but it was so well done that I didn't mind it at all. It all came together in the end, each piece fitting into this puzzle of a story. Great read. It took me two weeks but I was never bored and never wanted to give up. In fact, I spent so much time with the characters I missed them when it finished.
Nb. I was sent a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nb. I was sent a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2020
Of Magpies and Men was a very enjoyable read. The author Ode Ray did a great job of making this novel humorous and introducing likeable characters. Benedict was my favourite point of view to read, his discovery to figure out himself was very well written.
I really liked that this novel switched points of views, I think to build to the plot twist the switching of POVs was a great touch. The written was excellent and was easy to follow even with the jumping POV's.
The different layers in this story ravel together to result with everything tying together in the end which makes for a beautiful ending! One I didn't see coming until the very end!
I loved the characters and overall pace of this novel, the writing was very well done and everything tied together nicely! The only downside was it took a little bit to get into it, but overall was a great read!
I gave this novel a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review! Really enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend!
Thank you Ode Ray for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜
This novel is available on February 2, 2021!
I really liked that this novel switched points of views, I think to build to the plot twist the switching of POVs was a great touch. The written was excellent and was easy to follow even with the jumping POV's.
The different layers in this story ravel together to result with everything tying together in the end which makes for a beautiful ending! One I didn't see coming until the very end!
I loved the characters and overall pace of this novel, the writing was very well done and everything tied together nicely! The only downside was it took a little bit to get into it, but overall was a great read!
I gave this novel a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review! Really enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend!
Thank you Ode Ray for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜
This novel is available on February 2, 2021!
February 8, 2021
xFirstly, huge thank you to Ode Ray for sending me a copy of her novel in exchange for an honest review.
CW: References to homophobia, domestic violence
In the present day, two bodies have been found washed ashore in Italy however in order to identify who they are we are taken to London and Marseille seven years ago… In London we meet Benedict, a successful but lonely man and just outside of Marseille we meet Marie, a single mum who works as a nurse to do the best she can for her little boy. However, a devastating revelation following a loved one’s death throws everything these people know into question…
I really liked the protagonists of the book. Marie and Benedict both lead very different lives which was a great contrast and added extra depth to this mystery. Marie is a stray single mum living on ‘gypsy campsite’ just outside of Marseille, France whilst Benedict has an important job in finance based in London and although his lifestyle is more luxurious it is also more lonely especially after his only remaining family member dies. They balanced each other very well and it was great seeing how they developed over the course of the novel. I also liked how similar their senses of humor and personalities are. They felt like genuine people and had very real struggles which was interesting to read and I’m sure many people could relate to.
As well as the strong protagonists, there were also some great additional characters too. I particularly loved Romain and Yukinobu, they balanced Marie and Benedict wonderfully. I really tried Romain’s childish enthusiasm, as well as how protective he was over his mother, and it was lovely seeing him grow up over the course of the novel. Yukinobu, on the other hand, always seemed calm and composed, he was the level head that Benedict needed when dealing with the emotional trauma of Benedict losing his last loved one in more ways than one. I enjoyed seeing how all of the different characters interacted with each other too.
This novel regularly goes back and forth between character perspectives and time periods. With so much thrown at you straight away, it took a few chapters to get my head around it however, soon everything became clearer and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative style. It even made me feel like a detective myself trying to piece together how everything related. Even when I thought I had worked out the full story, Ray did an excellent job at throwing curveballs. These weren’t twists for the sake of being twists either, whilst I was shocked by some of them, they all made perfect sense and you could see how much thought Ray had put into this novel and how these characters’ lives intertwined right from the very start.
Where the narrative shifts every chapter this was, not only a very effective way of slowly revealing crucial details, but it also really helped you understand the characters further. The fact that we spent most of the novel in the past did a great job of building the characters up. Not just with the major players but with some of the additional characters too. This was a nice touch as it truly emphasised how important each character was to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book from Ray. The mystery and writing kept me gripped and I found it very easy to become absorbed in the lives of these characters. I highly recommend this book and that you should pick up when it’s released tomorrow!
CW: References to homophobia, domestic violence
In the present day, two bodies have been found washed ashore in Italy however in order to identify who they are we are taken to London and Marseille seven years ago… In London we meet Benedict, a successful but lonely man and just outside of Marseille we meet Marie, a single mum who works as a nurse to do the best she can for her little boy. However, a devastating revelation following a loved one’s death throws everything these people know into question…
I really liked the protagonists of the book. Marie and Benedict both lead very different lives which was a great contrast and added extra depth to this mystery. Marie is a stray single mum living on ‘gypsy campsite’ just outside of Marseille, France whilst Benedict has an important job in finance based in London and although his lifestyle is more luxurious it is also more lonely especially after his only remaining family member dies. They balanced each other very well and it was great seeing how they developed over the course of the novel. I also liked how similar their senses of humor and personalities are. They felt like genuine people and had very real struggles which was interesting to read and I’m sure many people could relate to.
As well as the strong protagonists, there were also some great additional characters too. I particularly loved Romain and Yukinobu, they balanced Marie and Benedict wonderfully. I really tried Romain’s childish enthusiasm, as well as how protective he was over his mother, and it was lovely seeing him grow up over the course of the novel. Yukinobu, on the other hand, always seemed calm and composed, he was the level head that Benedict needed when dealing with the emotional trauma of Benedict losing his last loved one in more ways than one. I enjoyed seeing how all of the different characters interacted with each other too.
This novel regularly goes back and forth between character perspectives and time periods. With so much thrown at you straight away, it took a few chapters to get my head around it however, soon everything became clearer and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative style. It even made me feel like a detective myself trying to piece together how everything related. Even when I thought I had worked out the full story, Ray did an excellent job at throwing curveballs. These weren’t twists for the sake of being twists either, whilst I was shocked by some of them, they all made perfect sense and you could see how much thought Ray had put into this novel and how these characters’ lives intertwined right from the very start.
Where the narrative shifts every chapter this was, not only a very effective way of slowly revealing crucial details, but it also really helped you understand the characters further. The fact that we spent most of the novel in the past did a great job of building the characters up. Not just with the major players but with some of the additional characters too. This was a nice touch as it truly emphasised how important each character was to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book from Ray. The mystery and writing kept me gripped and I found it very easy to become absorbed in the lives of these characters. I highly recommend this book and that you should pick up when it’s released tomorrow!
February 5, 2021
I would first like to thank Ode Ray for contacting me to review her debut book.
This book covers many different genres, we have crime, romance and the storytelling has an element of historical fiction to it. I loved how the story was told, weaving between past and present events, it kept the interest throughout and kept me wanting that little bit more each time. It was very helpful having the time stamps at the top of each chapter to remind us what year we were in.
To being with I didn’t like Benedict. I thought he was rude, obnoxious and quite cold. I found his early chapters difficult to read and wanted to skip ahead to Marie’s story. Poor Marie had it pretty rough as a child, her parents were horrendous and had she not found Baul and his family I dread to think where she would of ended up! I thought she was a fantastic mother and was so pleased to see how strong she was in her determination to have a good life even if the world seemed against her at times. Once Benedict met Marie I felt her kind nature was rubbing off on him, suddenly I saw this softer more amiable side that made me warm to him more. There relationship was written sweetly and I loved seeing his relationship with Romaine develop.
The chapters where the story was interrupted with the police investigation added the perfect amount of curiosity. I was desperate to know what happened and who the bodies were. The only part I thought was unnecessary was the discussion with the couple at the beginning. It seemed a little odd and even thought they appeared at the end of the story I don’t think I would of missed them had they been excluded.
This then leaves us with the ending and what an ending it was! The whole book was building up to this big twist and I thought the author did a great job delivering the shock factor. Was it a little unrealistic? Maybe, but this is a work of fiction and who doesn’t love a bit of drama!
Overall I thought this was a well written story with great characters and plenty of drama.
This book covers many different genres, we have crime, romance and the storytelling has an element of historical fiction to it. I loved how the story was told, weaving between past and present events, it kept the interest throughout and kept me wanting that little bit more each time. It was very helpful having the time stamps at the top of each chapter to remind us what year we were in.
To being with I didn’t like Benedict. I thought he was rude, obnoxious and quite cold. I found his early chapters difficult to read and wanted to skip ahead to Marie’s story. Poor Marie had it pretty rough as a child, her parents were horrendous and had she not found Baul and his family I dread to think where she would of ended up! I thought she was a fantastic mother and was so pleased to see how strong she was in her determination to have a good life even if the world seemed against her at times. Once Benedict met Marie I felt her kind nature was rubbing off on him, suddenly I saw this softer more amiable side that made me warm to him more. There relationship was written sweetly and I loved seeing his relationship with Romaine develop.
The chapters where the story was interrupted with the police investigation added the perfect amount of curiosity. I was desperate to know what happened and who the bodies were. The only part I thought was unnecessary was the discussion with the couple at the beginning. It seemed a little odd and even thought they appeared at the end of the story I don’t think I would of missed them had they been excluded.
This then leaves us with the ending and what an ending it was! The whole book was building up to this big twist and I thought the author did a great job delivering the shock factor. Was it a little unrealistic? Maybe, but this is a work of fiction and who doesn’t love a bit of drama!
Overall I thought this was a well written story with great characters and plenty of drama.
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