I know I read about this book someplace and that is why I requested an ARC, unfortunately, I did not note where I found out about it. I was not as enthralled as whatever introduced me to this book.
Multi-layered story of a team of people who do research on birds, trying to learn how and why they sing. Some of the scenes of labwork were not easy to read, but it was the same for some of the interaction between lab mates - it was more than the birds that were confined by cages.

The synopsis of this one sounded so good but I really never got into it. I felt nothing for the characters or what was going on and it took me forever to get thru it. The only thing that was even slightly interesting to me was the birds.

For a big part of my life, I tagged along with my dad when he went to different forest preserves to look for unusual birds. He could tell what a bird was just by its sound or a flash of color flying above us. I absorbed a very tiny part of that talent, and I feel hypersensitive when a new birdsong floats by.

Because of that, I looked forward to Sylvia Torti's book, Cages. The novel tells the story of three very different people working in a laboratory with birds. At times, they're deflated, desperate to make scientific history, or bothered by the ethical choices they make on a daily basis. Each of these people comes with unique baggage on relationships and careers, and the book paints a picture of the human side of science.

I enjoyed reading about these people, but the technical/scientific information clouded what could have been a more in-depth analysis of these characters. Certain areas dragged, and while the science was clearly very carefully researched, I don't think the majority of it added anything to the story.

Okay, we have two scientists and a lab assistant, in a lukewarm love triangle. Think of a Jules and Jim, with birds.
First disclosure- This book is no where near as good as that classic French film.
The scientists are working on bird vocalization, by manipulating and experimenting with the vocal chords of these test birds, which leads into sticky moral issues that the lab assistant begins to struggle with, putting her at odds with both men. There is also lots of layers here, as the narrative shifts to the different pasts, of each character. Some of it interesting, some of it not.
Second disclosure- The reason I decided to read this novel, is that I love birds and reading about birds. This author has done her homework in this regard and my favorite parts of the book are the details of the serious “birder”. Sadly, the human part of the story falls pretty flat. I say skip the book, see the French film and then go to a park and spend some time with real birds.

This book had a very literary feel, with more emphasis on characters and feelings than on plot. It's the type of book that gets described as "interesting", rather than "engaging" or "thrilling".

There is a lot of science woven into the book, but it never feels like an infodump, nor is it distracting. The explanations really are part of the story, as they contribute to the overall feel and understanding of the characters. It's a unique mix of nonfiction and fiction.

Finishing the book, I felt the whole story could be summed up by 2 words: melancholy and interesting. Those were my overall impressions, and while those aren't typical descriptions that describe a great book, I did enjoy the story. It's not a one-sitting story, but rather one that deserves to be pieced out, considered, and mulled over as it's read.

This was a raw, beautiful and emotional book.

It starts of a little chaotic, and hard to follow. But as you learn the structure of the book, it gets easier and I started to sense the different emotions of the characters, Right under the surface of the book, you can feel the raw pain of David, the loving curiosity of Rebecca and the strange feeling of not quite fitting in from Anton. As you learn to know them, it was hard to let them go.

The song of the birds are explained and romanticized in such a way that I caught myself listening to the birds when I am outside. The song is so alive in the book that I did not need much more explanation of the surroundings, but still, I miss a better description of the look of the birds.