A review by declaired
Dirty Wings by Sarah McCarry
5.0
well, this is one of the meaner things I've done to myself recently.
this book is perfect. at least 80% of that statement is because of how well-written the book is, how real the characters are, and how well it bounced off of the first book in terms of telling a prequel story while still being its own journey.
and 30% is how much I cried and overly related to Cass, who has a lot of feelings I am perfectly in tune with, and it means a lot for me to see that. I want to make everyone read this book because I want to talk about it, and at the same time I want no one to read this book because some of it feels like you could be reading my diary (only much better written)
this was not, perhaps, my greatest move on a "cheer up and take a mental health alone-time evening, ellen" but goddamn it was good.
--
2018 reread
I've tried to reread this book a couple of times since 2015, because it's perfect, but I'm usually stopped a bit because there is only so much self-examination that is healthy in the wake of two girls running away to California to find themselves/each other/other terrible things. I love Cass and Maia so much; I love how unashamedly complicated they are in what they mean to each other. I love the writing, the focus of the novel, which just echoes so true.
"I thought running away would fix it," Maia whispers.
"Running away doesn't fix anything," Cass says. "But it makes you harder to find."
and
"It's a release, but it's not the solution to any riddle. If she knew what she wanted, if she could put a name to it, would that set her free?"
this book is perfect. at least 80% of that statement is because of how well-written the book is, how real the characters are, and how well it bounced off of the first book in terms of telling a prequel story while still being its own journey.
and 30% is how much I cried and overly related to Cass, who has a lot of feelings I am perfectly in tune with, and it means a lot for me to see that. I want to make everyone read this book because I want to talk about it, and at the same time I want no one to read this book because some of it feels like you could be reading my diary (only much better written)
this was not, perhaps, my greatest move on a "cheer up and take a mental health alone-time evening, ellen" but goddamn it was good.
--
2018 reread
I've tried to reread this book a couple of times since 2015, because it's perfect, but I'm usually stopped a bit because there is only so much self-examination that is healthy in the wake of two girls running away to California to find themselves/each other/other terrible things. I love Cass and Maia so much; I love how unashamedly complicated they are in what they mean to each other. I love the writing, the focus of the novel, which just echoes so true.
"I thought running away would fix it," Maia whispers.
"Running away doesn't fix anything," Cass says. "But it makes you harder to find."
and
"It's a release, but it's not the solution to any riddle. If she knew what she wanted, if she could put a name to it, would that set her free?"