The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Top Choice
A 2015 William C. Morris YA Debut Award FinalistMagical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga. Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava — in all other ways a normal girl — is born with the wings of a bird. In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naive to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the summer solstice celebration. That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo. First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Fantasy
  • Fiction

Age Level: 

  • Mature Young Adult
Profile Picture

A story that beatifuly mixes love, tragedy, magical realism, and coming of age. The book starts with a history of the family (told by Ava, the main character). Ava is a normal girl except for one little thing: she is born with wings. When she is 16 she goes on a quest to discover who she is and why she was born this way. She is not prepared for the real world and goes through many trials and tribulations. It is a beautiful book with many themes like self discovery, the American dream, and what it means to be human. 

 

To add your comments, login above or request a LitPick membership.