This is a mesmerizing, lyrical tale of the bright and dark sides of love and desire. Foolish love appears to be a Roux family birthright. And for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is an ominous thing to inherit. In her quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to join her peers, sixteen-year-old Ava ventures into the wider world. But it is a dangerous world for a naive girl - a world which may view her as girl or angel.
On the night of the summer solstice celebration, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava's journey and her family's saga reaches 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. It is a stunning literary young adult novel, won at auction, which marks the debut of Leslye Walton.
The magical realism weaves through this generational saga which is reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It is a sensuous tale of a girl born with wings, with a taste of Chocolate and the shadow play of a Tim Burton film. It is a book about human love: its ability to destroy, corrode, and mutilate, its ability to ennoble, heal, and transform. It is a beautiful jacketed hardback edition.
About the Author
Leslye Walton says that The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender began as a short story that came to her while listening to a song. She has an MA in Writing, and this is her first novel. Leslye Walton is a native of Tacoma, Washington, where she currently teaches at a high school.
Industry Reviews
I absolutely adored this book ... gripped me from the beginning with its gorgeous narrative style and its unique story and I couldn't put it down Readaraptor An absolutely mesmerising, magical tale [that] completely captivates you and whisks you away with it's gorgeous, rich story and sumptuous, beautiful language... A book I will read over and over, and love forever... I absolutely cannot wait for what Walton shares with us next Once Upon a Bookcase The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is mindblowingly good. Full of on-point whimsy, heart-wrenching tragedy and enough sweet moments to offer some hope, it's a bittersweet tale of love and loss, but it's also so much more than that. You want to read this book The Cait Files It's one of the most unusual YA books I've ever read, while also being one of the most compelling ... Leslye Walton's writing really is beautiful. It's lyrical and poetic, infusing her story with some of the most beautiful prose I've read this year. She made me care about this family and those that encountered them more than I thought I would, and she's left me with a longing to read more Wondrous Reads This book is very good and well written Guardian Reader Review An intriguing tale of love, loss and lust... Guardian Reader Review A sweet, harsh, bittersweet and lyrical read - I loved this book! Guardian Reader Review This book contains brilliantly written, beautiful storylines, all collected together like a book of pressed flowers. First off, I enjoyed this book immensely. The wonderful cast of characters manages to be both colourful and dark at the same time. When one reads the back of this book, it is expected that a sentimental love-story will be found, and indeed this book is romantic at its very heart, but it is also slightly more sinister than anticipated... this book is gorgeously written, surprisingly thrilling and overall an exciting and mesmerizing read -- Emer O'Brien, age 16 LoveReading4Kids The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender' really hooked me to another world, where anything can happen! The hugely complicated plot unfolded in such a simple yet attention grabbing way, fab! -- Alice Horncastle, age 14 LoveReading4Kids This book is exceedingly well written and an immaculately thought out story. I love the eccentricity of the Lavender family that contrasts beautifully with the normality of the emotions felt by each and every character. It is one of those tales where you can grow up with the characters, watch them blossom, and live their lives alongside them. It is a must have book for when you are looking for something a bit different, and it is one that I would definitely read again -- Millie Windeler, age 15 LoveReading4Kids A haunting yet beautiful tale of both the darkest desires and selfless sacrifices that love can cause us to make. A divine masterpiece. Walton has captured human emotion so purely in this novel. The plot was well paced and reached a marvellous climax. The use of language was vivid and romantic which boded well with the underlying themes of the novel. The darker undertones complemented the plot and added to the raw human emotion that the novel captured. The characters were colourful and real, and easy to sympathises with. A thoroughly beautiful and enjoyable book -- Ciara McIlvenna, age 16 LoveReading4Kids The characters are now etched on my heart as this story went from climax to climax , making me cry many times along the way. Enchantingly, the characters were unpredictable, original and either amazing or evil but mostly they were somewhere in between the two. I really hope this book does well because I love it!' -- Isobel Read, age 13 LoveReading4Kids I knew this book was going to be good as soon as I turned the first page. What I love the most is the cleverness of Leslye's writing; the way that the person goes from third to first. I also find her writing very beautiful and the events show very believable, but also very strange at the same time. For instance, events that actually happen, like the First World War, are included, and mostly everything fits in with the time period; but at the same time events that occur are often out of this world, like when great-grandmother dies, and her spirit changes into the form of blue ashes. I also find that the change of main characters but the same person narrating the story is very effective and makes it more unique to any other book I've read. The plot and characters are amazing. Another main advantage is that you don't know how good this book is until you read it yourself. I give this book, without any hesitation, a five star' -- Aimee Sweet, age 13 LoveReading4Kids This modern fairy tale of love and loss navigates through Ava Lavender's family history with much elegance and ease Loves Books Reads Daily
