4 out of 4 stars
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Family is important to most people. They are the ones who you can always count on to provide you with love and support. They are the ones who you can always turn to whenever you’re feeling lonely and just need somebody to stay by your side. Even though families are supposed to be a source of warmth and love, there are some families that are full of tragic secrets and deep misunderstandings. In J.C Sasser’s Gradle Bird, readers will see the complexities of a family dynamic that embodies both love and secrets.
In the story, readers meet sixteen-year-old, Gradle Bird, who lives in a motel with her grandfather. Gradle Bird constantly seeks open affection from her grandfather who mainly regards her with indifference. She goes as far as to try to physically resemble her deceased mother in an effort to gain his love. After a letter is sent to her grandfather about the possible foreclosure of an old house, he suddenly uproots them from their life at the motel into a new life at the house.
Even though the house is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of the former owner, Gradle finds herself mystified by her grandfather’s interest in the home and unbeknownst to her, his interest in the ghost that haunts the attic. In the meantime, she meets a wide cast of individuals who all share tragic pasts that draws her to them. She meets Delvis Miles, an interesting man whose family history clashes with hers in ways she would never have thought possible. Gradle Bird is a story about family, forgiveness, and redemption.
The plot of Gradle Bird was exemplary and full of rich content that will draw its readers in. Sasser weaves a compelling tale that is filled with mysteries, but enough information that will keep one enthralled as they try to piece the puzzle of Gradle’s family history together. Sasser never reveals too much all at once but doesn’t leave a stone unturned either. The plot and language of the book held a mixture of tragedy and hope. These two contradicting factors serve to make the story even more interesting to the readers. While the plot was wonderfully written, the characters in Gradle Bird were well-crafted as well.
One aspect that was enjoyable about the characters was the fact that any one of them could be the main character of their own book. Each main character had a story and a complex personality. There are no cookie cutter characters in this book. One of the characters that stood out the most was the titular character, Gradle Bird. Gradle starts off the story as a young girl seeking male attention to make up for the lack of attention from her grandfather. She is so desperate for her grandfather’s affection that she changes her appearance to match her dead mother. Later in the story, readers see a growth to her character as she cuts away the past and starts to accept her own reflection. This was a pivotal moment in the book that will make her character even more lovable to readers.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There isn’t anything negative I can say about the book. The plot was well written, the characters were well-crafted and I didn’t see any grammatical errors. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about compelling family mysteries. This is a book that will delight and entertain many readers, and I would encourage anyone to read it.
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Gradle Bird
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