All the Birds in the Sky

by Charlie Jane Anders

[Quirky Cat]

All the Birds in the Sky is a standalone novel by Charlie Jane Anders. It’s a fantasy novel set in the modern world, and it puts two youths against each other.
Patricia Delfine is a witch, plain and simple. She always wanted to be a witch, and while her magic didn’t always work…or happen when she wanted it to, she still felt this was her identity. She grew up believing that she could talk to animals –because once upon a time, she had. She’s a wild child who loves spending time in the great outdoors, and she’s determined to protect the world from the growing threat.
Laurence Armstead is the complete opposite of Patricia. He’s more the mad scientist type, preferring math and his computers to anything outdoors. His strict parents made life exceedingly tough for him, and he let their fear control him.
These two once were friends, but forces strove to tear them apart. Now they must each either save the world. Or you know, do the complete opposite. Nobody is really certain about what’s going to happen. Least of all them.

“San Francisco never stopped astonishing Lawrence – wild raccoons and possums wondered the streets, especially at night, and their shiny fur and long tails looked just like stray cats, unless you look twice.”

Warnings: There are several instances of animal death, bullying, and other intense subjects to be found within All the Birds in the Sky.

All the Birds in the Sky was a brilliant and fascinating read. This was a tale that forced two polar opposites to interact with one another, first as friends, then as something entirely different. It made for a thrilling read, as well as an interesting study about human nature.
There were plenty of times when this novel dove into heavier subjects, such as bullying, prejudices and false beliefs about a person, and even some animal deaths (those were the toughest on me, personally). It all blended together to create a powerful and moving tale. But it is anything but a light and casual read.
Because of the heavier tone to this novel, I found myself reading it in spurts. I’d read a chapter here and a chapter there. It worked for me, but that also isn’t how I normally read novels. So it was a bit odd, and in a way that made this novel stick out more in my head.
On the whole, I really did enjoy All the Birds in the Sky. I’m late to read this book (once again) and thus it isn’t even remotely my first novel I’ve read by Charlie Jane Anders. But it was still a fascinating read.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks