Dreaming Big
  • Home
    • Staff
    • Members Only
  • Contact
  • Our Books
    • Non Fiction
    • Fiction
    • Poetry
    • Children's Books
    • Audio Books
  • Coming Soon
  • Blog
  • Opportunities
    • Call For Submissions
    • Submissions Guidelines
    • FAQ
  • Gifts and More

Fiction Book Review for 'Sleeping with the Blackbirds' by Alex Pearl

10/19/2016

0 Comments

 
Sleeping with the Blackbirds
By Alex Pearl
Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing


ABOUT THE BOOK
Eleven-year-old schoolboy, Roy Nuttersley has been dealt a pretty raw deal. While hideous parents show him precious little in the way of love and affection, school bullies make his life a misery. So Roy takes comfort in looking after the birds in his garden, and in return the birds hatch a series of ambitious schemes to protect their new friend. As with the best-laid plans, however, these get blown completely off course - and as a result the lives of both Roy and his arch tormentor, Harry Hodges are turned upside down - but in a surprisingly good way.
Genre: Middle Grade/Fantasy
179 pages
 
MY REVIEW
Reviewed by Laura Martinez
4 out of 5 stars
This middle grade novel does a great job at addressing difficult topics such as bullying, child neglect, and homelessness while still remaining light hearted. I really enjoyed the premise of the plot and the magical realism that Pearl weaves into the story is sure to capture the attention of any young reader. The magical birds with their human like characteristics were one of my favorite parts of the story. I did feel that the ending of the story was a bit rushed and there were a few loose ends concerning the other characters that could have been resolved had the author chosen to develop these characters more.
​
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Pearl is a slightly shambolic and extremely short-sighted advertising copywriter. He lives in NW London with his wife and two kids who are far smarter than their old man.

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.

https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Blackbirds-Alex-Pearl-ebook/dp/B01J1MXJLE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
 
OTHER REVIEWS FROM DREAMING BIG’S REVIEW TEAM:
MY REVIEW – Amy Owings
 
5 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent middle-grade book that tackles subjects such as bullying and dysfunctional families in an authentic and tender way. Rather than making Harry, Roy’s tormentor, an emotionless and impersonal bully, it delves into the reasons for his bullying, namely his feelings of inadequacy and abandonment. It paints both Roy and Harry in a sympathetic light, making them likeable and complex as characters. The magical realism that’s implanted in the form of anthropomorphic birds adds an engaging, unique layer to the story that’s sure to draw in young readers, while the prose and characters appeal to all.
 
My Review – Melissa Brooks
4 out of 5 stars

I liked this book. Pearl was able to write an enjoyable story that tackles the hard subject of abuse and neglect. This book has a good message about the negative effects on children when their parents don’t care about them or each other.

The story itself is well written. It has a good flow and a good pace. It also has detailed descriptions and very detailed characterizations (both human characters and the birds). Each chapter starts from the perspective of a different character, which allows readers to learn more about each character and to see multiple parts of the story.
I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that while I liked the ending, it was a surprise and it was kind of sudden, which did take away from the story a bit. Overall though, I definitely recommend this book.
 
MY REVIEW by Kelly Benning
Echoing the charm of classic English authors such as Roald Dahl before him, Alex Pearl has written Sleeping with the Blackbirds which reminds us of the unspeakable magic that comes from a good heart and unique friendships. For the child in all of us who is in need of a little adventure, Pearl’s work has an appeal that is hard to pin down and yet it gives us the impression that it neither needs nor wants to be captured.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Challenge Participant
    Parajunkee Design
    I review for BookLook Bloggers
    Professional Reader
    Book Reviewer Sign Up

    1888PressRelease
    YA Bound Book Tours

Services

Ask A Therapist
Blog
Our Books
Coming Soon

Company

About Us
Staff
​

Support

Contact
FAQ

Find and follow us on social media 
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.