maddibw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, War, Cursing, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Chronic illness, Vomit, Sexual content, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent
lanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
sarahandmatilda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Bullying, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Murder, Stalking, Alcohol, Medical content, Animal death, Grief, Gore, Confinement, Drug use, Body horror, and War
Minor: Vomit, Rape, and Self harm
taram's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death of parent
f18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
sulinde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, and Sexual content
aimsro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Child abuse
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
TL;DR REVIEW:
All the Birds in the Sky is a whimsical, super creative novel with some really lovable characters. I loved how it blended fantasy and sci-fi. A new favorite!
For you if: You love a great storyteller voice.
FULL REVIEW:
“A society that has to burn witches to hold itself together is a society that has already failed, and just doesn't know it yet.”
I read All the Birds in the Sky because I got it in my Page 1 Books subscription — their booksellers chose it just for me, based on my reading history. I’d also previously read The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders and wanted to read more of her novels. So voila, here was the answer. And y’all — it was literally so good.
I love a whimsical, creative book, and this had just the right touch of both. It combines low fantasy and soft sci-fi in a recognizable world, coming together as a funny, moving, engaging, and just plain fun book to read. It’s about two main characters: Patricia, who is apparently a witch (or so a giant tree told her one time), and Laurence (never Larry), who is a boy computer genius. They’re bullied throughout middle school, but have each other — until they don’t. Then they reconnect later, as adults, when the world seems to be ending. But their respective groups of people have competing ideas about what to do in response.
The pacing was a little slow in the middle (honestly, that’s true for most books), but I loved Patricia and Laurence so much that I was more than willing to spend the time with them. Neither of them is perfect, but I loved them together and their beautiful, tested, gritty friendship. Can we please have more magic + science books??
All in all, I really just loved it. I definitely want to read it again someday. And Charlie Jane Anders has become an auto-read author for me.
Graphic: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Confinement and Child abuse
dokushoka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Cursing
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture