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What I Read: The Red Bird Sings by Aoife Fitzpatrick

“She was a red bird, and she sang. She sang with her whole heart, even when it was breaking.”

The Red Bird Sings is a historical fiction based on a factual account of a homicide trial in West Virginia in 1897.

The author, Aoife Fitzpatrick, expertly recreates the era and location of the incidents, as well as the personalities involved.

I liked how the author used different narrative techniques, such as multiple POVs, flashbacks, letters, and ghostly appearances, to reveal the secrets and mysteries of the story.

“Justice is not a thing you can hold in your hand, or put in your pocket. It’s not a thing you can see, or touch, or taste. It’s a feeling, a knowing, a rightness that settles in your soul.”

The writing is poetic and evocative, capturing the splendour and cruelty of the Appalachian scenery and culture.

The novel examines topics such as domestic abuse, gender disparity, superstition, and fidelity, while also keeping the reader fascinated with tension and enigma.

“The truth is a slippery thing, like a fish in a stream. You think you have it, but then it slips away.”

I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but what I enjoyed most was the way the author portrayed the three women characters and their relationships. I think the author did a great job of showing the complexity and depth of each woman, as well as the challenges and conflicts they faced in their society. I think this book is a beautifully written and engaging historical novel that explores themes of love, justice, and courage.

“He was a handsome devil, and he knew it. He had a way of looking at you that made you feel like you were the only woman in the world. But he also had a way of hurting you that made you wish you were dead.”

The Red Bird Sings is a captivating and powerful debut that will linger with you long after you close the book. I strongly recommend it to admirers of historical fiction, crime, and gothic novels. If you are looking for a book that will transport you to another time and place, and make you feel a range of emotions, then this is the book for you.

“Death is not the end of love. Love is stronger than death. It reaches beyond the grave and touches the living.”

With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book. 

@roelia_reads An “at-a-glance” review of “The Red Bird Sings” by Aoife Fitzpatrick – and a few favourite quotes! #roeliareads #TheRedBirdSings #AoifeFitzpatrick #review #booktok @Jonathan Ball Publishers ♬ The Journey – Sol Rising

About this book:

From Jonathan Ball Publishers
Category: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780349016658
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
On sale: May 2023
Format: Paperback

About the Author:

(information from Jonathan Ball Publishers) 
Aoife Fitzpatrick is a native of Dublin, Ireland. Her debut novel, The Red Bird Sings, won the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize in 2020. The winner of the inaugural Books Ireland short-story competition, her work has also been recognised by the Sean O’Faolain Prize, the Elizabeth Jolley Prize and by the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year award. Aoife received an MFA in Creative Writing at University College Dublin in 2019 and in 2020, she was the recipient of a literature bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland.