Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Summer Bird Blue

by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying. What to eat, where to go, who to love. But one thing she is sure of she wants to spend her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.

Then Lea dies in a car accident, and Rumi is sent to live with her aunt in Hawaii. Now, miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, feeling abandoned by her mother, and the aching absence of music.

With the help of the "boys next door" teenage surfer Kai, who doesn't take anything too seriously, and old George Watanabe, who succumbed to grief years ago Rumi seeks her way back to music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.

With unflinching honesty, Summer Bird Blue explores big truths about insurmountable grief, unconditional love, and how to forgive even when it feels impossible.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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Rumi and her sister, Lea, dreamed of a life on the road, making music together. This dream was shattered in a heartbeat, when Lea's life was lost in a car accident. Though Rumi and her mother both survived, they had stopped living. Summer Bird Blue told the story of Rumi's summer of "goodbyes", and her trying to find a way to live without Lea.

• Pro: The emotional impact of this book was unreal. I am sort of crying a little right now as I write this review, because Rumi's loss hit me really hard. Bowman expertly depicted her pain, suffering, and guilt, and my heart ached for Rumi.

• Pro: Bowman shared Rumi's memories of Lea with us in each chapter, and the love between them was obvious. The dynamic between Rumi and Lea was wonderful, but complicated and real. I thought the memories were also well placed in the story, and helped me understand Rumi's pain better.

• Pro: I was so touched by the relationship Rumi shared with Mr. Watanabe. He was a special source of support for Rumi, because he related to her pain and loss. I looked forward to the time they shared together, and was grateful he was able to open himself up to her.

• Pro: Can we talk about Kai! Even with all his own problems weighing him down, he was able to be a great friend to Rumi. He was charming and fun and a really important part of Rumi's healing and self discovery.

• Pro: This is the first book I have read with a questioning asexual character. I knew early on, that Rumi was leaning that way, but really found the exploration of her sexuality informative.

• Pro: I got to go to Hawaii, and Bowman really showed us the sights, the smells, the tastes, and the little of the culture too.

Overall: A beautifully written and extremely moving book about love, loss, grief, forgiveness, and saying goodbye.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 August, 2018: Finished reading
  • 23 August, 2018: Reviewed