The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jan 26, 2021 Rosaline (Rosaline's Rolls & Scrolls) rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, third-person-narrative, coming-of-age, reviewed, first-person-narrative, 4-stars, omg-that-ending, that-s-my-heart-you-moron, authors-i-need-to-read-more-from, wtf-was-that-ending

I borrowed this book from my friend and decided to go into it blind. It was the best decision I made this year!

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender was absolutely mesmerizing, I finished it in one sitting, without a bathroom break. And now I don't know how to review it properly.
I don't know if it's because this was the first book I finished in months so I have gone soft or it's because of the book's actual magic, but I am in a trance.

Leslye Walton paints a beautiful story of love ...more

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May 05, 2021 Keli rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: enjoyed-quite-a-bit, fun-and-engaging-main-character, now-i-know-what-the-hype-was-about, 3-5-rounded-to-4

Synopsis- Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga.

Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and Synopsis- Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga.

Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.

That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.

First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human.

Review- This book is beautiful in the way Paris is beautiful. It's not perfect and parts of it need to be fixed, but overall the feel of the book is magical and overwhelmingly alluring. I mention Paris because this is reminiscent of Chocolat or Amelie.
The prose is lovely. It has a delicate quirkiness that allows for the fantastical to not strain credulity. The stories of Ava's lineage are perfect little vignettes. And the story of Ava herself is endearing.
I've withheld half a star because I didn't like how the brother's autism was used as a plot device. It felt out of place. This story was full of surrealist wonder; a girl who turns into a bird, another who smells the future and of course, and the winged wonder that is Ava. The fact that Henry was psychic but unable to clearly express it was clunky and awkward. I don't want to explain too much but it was out of step to the magic of the rest of the story.
Overall it's well worth the read. It's not as good as Chocolat but it's a solid 3.5 stars. I would also recommend listening to Natalie Merchant's "Wonder" before, after and throughout your reading. Just put it on repeat, it's perfect.

Rating - Three and a half magical stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Devoured the book, couldn't put it down.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Really liked it, consumed within days
⭐⭐⭐ - Enjoyed a fair bit, better than average
⭐⭐ - Meh
⭐ - Absolute drivel ...more

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