Wildwing

by Emily Whitman

[ladygrey]

I had a cup of coffee as I reached the half way mark of this book, which naturally set my heart racing and got me all jittery. So there's a chance some of my enthusiasm for this story is a matter of all the intensity colliding with coffee.

But that doesn't change that this is a really well written book. At first I thought it was a little closer to middle-grade than YA because of Addy's simple point of view despite Emily Whitman's descriptive and interesting writing. But as Addy settled into her new life the story really came to life and contained a maturity and absolutely beautiful parallel with falconry. There was an immediacy to the story despite it being utterly predictable. In fact, that predictability almost created tension because I couldn't wait for Addy to figure it all out (and, admittedly, some of that anticipation may have been the coffee).

And I loved the choices Addy made. I mean most stories are full of the young, independent girl who refuses to marry for anything but love and defies convention. But they were honest choices and I loved what she learned from them and how they changed her. They were insightful and made it a really mature story.

The only complaint I had by the end was that I wanted more. The resolution was far too succinct. I needed at least another page of them being together and enjoying their freedom and each other and Addy taking Mr. Greenwood's estate. Just a little bit more to make it feel like a whole story that is fully resolved.