The Bird Hotel, A Novel by Joyce Maynard. New York: Arcade Publishing, 2023. 404 pages. *****
We can't let anyone find out who we are," Granny said. "You can't be Joan anymore." No one must know who her mother is and how she died. After a childhood filled with loss, loneliness, and grief, Joan grows up as Irene. Keeping her promise, Irene doesn't even tell her beloved husband who she really is. Irene seeks a place where she can be herself, develop as an artist and find peace. Arriving at LaLonda, Irene finds her paradise and acceptance.
There are many stories of love, acceptance, and survival within this one book. Maynard's gift is telling other's story within a story staying true to Irene. The lushness of the island is vividly portrayed while overshadowed by natural threatening elements. I was carried along by the colorful descriptions and the kindness of man forgetting the darker side in every situation. Maynard reminds the reader that not everything is as it seems. This journey of self-awareness and survival while maintaining integrity and choosing forgiveness will provide many discussion points for a Book Club. I recommend The Bird Hotel as a thought-provoking read and have added it to my suggested summer recommended reading list.
From her website - "Joyce Maynard is the author of eighteen books, including the New York Times bestselling novel, Labor Day and To Die For (both adapted for film), Under the Influence and the memoirs, At Home in the World and The Best of Us. Her latest novel, Count the Ways —the story of a marriage and a divorce, and the children who survived it— was published by William Morrow in July, 2021, and The Bird Hotel (Arcade Publishing) was published May 2, 2023." She is currently at work on a sequel to Count the Ways, tentatively scheduled for publication in 2024.
Follow Joyce Maynard at https://www.joycemaynard.com.
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