Book Review: Bluebird At My Window by H. Noah

🌱Overview:

Diane is a victim of her own nasty mind, a woman trapped in her childhood torments and ready to project it all on her teenaged daughter – to take the life of her daughter, to feel joy at ‘cleansing’ her daughter and purifying herself. Now, as her trial takes place, the DA’s office must rely on Arthur (a prosecutor struggling with his belief in the justice system), Marie (young, hopeful and in love with Maddie of the heavy past), and Richard, the DA that has been trying to retire for his family. 

As the trial is prolonged, as life keeps battering the hopes and expectations of these characters, the bad we hope will stay away comes knocking, like a Bluebird at their window, pecking away their peace, piece by piece. 

🌱The Excellent 

~ Spiraling mystery and descent into desperation and alienation

~ A beautiful set of relationships

~ Train wrecks you see coming but can’t stop

~ Such a poignant story

~ Reminder that love and support and save you from terrible mind demons

~ Multiple POV

🌱 Why it works:

The author does an excellent job setting the tone for the story, unfurling events masterfully until you are left facing much of what you’d hope never would happen. You come to care for these characters and to anticipate how their choices will chip away at them. Unlike some stories where knowing, or being able to guess what will happen next makes the book lackluster, here there is an anticipation in the results of those choices. You aren’t certain what will trigger whom and how it play out – although you know there will be a trigger. I love that feeling.

I was honestly afraid of reading the last 15 or so pages on my e-reader for fear of what might happen. Although, if I am to be honest, HAD it happened, I would have probably given the book a 5+/5 🤣. 

🌱 Connections:

~ Bone Deep: Unraveling the Betsy Faria trial – we read/listen to the mess that was the investigation, trial and sentencing of the suspects in the Betsy Faria trial. There was always a sense that things couldn’t POSSIBLY get worse, although you figured they did, since you had more pages to read/listen to. That anticipation of what else could possibly happen to these people, is similar to the one in this book.

While Bone Deep unfurls the story solely through the eyes of the defense attorney, we hardly get a glimpse of the defense and here focus on the DA office and the sweet personal lives of the three who work there. The author manages to pull in the politics of these offices, the failures of the system and the repercussions on lawyers very seamlessly. It is fictional work that rings with truth and possibility.

🌱 Themes:

~ Crime and Punishment

~ Assault

~ Suicidal thoughts

~ Families – made and biological

~ Failures of the justice system

~ Love, support and therapy

~ Effective support systems 

~ Effects of violence

🌱 Audience:

~ Adults

~ Mature audiences who have few triggers

🌝SPOILERS 🌝

🌱 The Meh:

~ Diane: This is a touchy one for me because I felt much like Art regarding this woman, and frankly, regarding those like her. Although it is an unpopular opinion, I can’t help but feel that people excuse certain behaviours because it wasn’t them, or their family members. I could understand Art’s frustration and I too feel that crazy or not, people DO know what they are doing, they just may not care.

There is also the idea that Art became what he hated, and again I have to disagree. Art hated the fact that excuses were made for people who were so obviously filled with evil. That their actions could be excused. Once that line was crossed, he believed they should be punished as others. He would have held himself to the same measuring stick.

🌱 Verdict:

READ IT – especially if you love sad, heavy and introspective books. Don’t expect to leave this one smiling and feeling happy, although you may leave hopeful. 

🌱 Quotes: 

~ “It’s not selfish to say you’re hurting too, because you are. People change, but your expectation of how someone treats you shouldn’t. Your pain is valid too.”

~ “We all need a mental health day once in a while.”

~ “I think you need help. What you’re going through is more than I can handle.”

~ “Nothing’s taken without something else being left in its place.’ I just have to figure out what it is.”

~ “But love isn’t conditional; you can’t revoke it even when you want to.”

🎁 Thank you @literaryboundtours and @thehnoah for the gift.