A review by hlparis
We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

4.0

The topic of immigration is addressed in this novel. Diffenbaugh writes well about people who are disadvantaged and without privilege, just as she did in her first book, "The Language of Flowers". The characters are flawed, yet draw out compassion. There were some plot points that I felt were a bit too convenient, but I suspended belief in order to find out what happened to the characters. Diffenbaugh's writing is lovely and I enjoy reading her work. While in her first book, she wrote about flowers, this time it is feathers. The metaphor, of course, is obvious, but the description of the grandfather's work supplied me with a rich image.

I would actually rate this 3.75 or 3.80. I wasn't crazy about the ending, but things wren't wrapped up in a pretty happy ending like a more conventional book might end. The last 1/4 of the book felt a little rushed, but overall, I would read another of her books, hands down.