Songbirds: A Novel

I received a free electronic ARC of this wonderful novel as a Publisher gift (thru Netgalley) from author Christy Lefteri and RandomHouse - Ballantine Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I follow Christy Lefteri since I read her novel 'The Beekeeper of Allepo'. She writes a fine tale with personable protagonists and her stories are all heart. 'Songbirds' is a novel that will keep you tense and tied to this book until there is no more to read. It is a novel I am pleased to recommend to friends and family, especially in this world we live in today, with pandemic limitations and massive numbers of families worldwide who are living the life of the nomad, with no place to call home and no pillow on which to lay their heads. We are not done until no child goes to bed hungry, no family has to huddle in tents or caves simply to exist. Our world is in the control of short-sighted, non-caring tenders for the most part, and they grow stronger every day. Only we who care can save it. And no one can do full justice to the description of 'Songbirds' better than the author herself. In her author's note following the end of this work, she tells us, "Songbirds is a story about migration and crossing borders. It is about searching for freedom, for a better life, only to find oneself trapped. It is a story about the way in which systemic racism exists, often unquestioned, relying upon prejudice and nationalistic ideals to survive. It is a story about learning to see each and every human being in the same way as we see ourselves." Christy Lefteri

Set in the author's native Cyprus, this book tells the story of Nisha - a migrant from Sri Lanka who works as a child minder in order to provide for her daughter back home - from the points of view of (her employer) Petra and (her lover) Yiannis as they try to solve the mystery of her sudden disappearance. As well as enduring love, some of the overriding themes include grief - both Petra and Nisha are widows - plus the relationship between mothers and their children and sacrificing everything you have in order to try and live a better life. Although this is a topical story with the migration of people across the Mediterranean, traditional literary devices such as the strong opening paragraph, characterisation and scene setting to hook readers in are also present. The switching points of view between Petra and Yiannis are clearly signposted by the author and help to make the story more accessible.