Thought provoking coming of age story sent in the Bronze Age
The writing style is unusual as part is written as poetry
The setting is very good
I did think something is missing from the story

I was granted eARC access to Cuckoo's Flight by Wendy Orr via NetGalley. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Cuckoo's Flight is a bronze age coming-of-age middle-grade novel about children working through all of life's beauty and tragedy. It's interesting and inspired, but I definitely got the feeling that I'm missing something. Is this book actually part of a series? Or not technically a series, but about characters introduced in another book?

I do love the fact that this book introduces difficult topics like living with disability and surviving abuse in a way that middle-grade readers will be able to process. I also really love the fact books like this being set in real world ancient times don't commit too many historical accuracy sins, so school systems and teachers that prefer a combined humanities approach to teaching language arts and history can make use of books like this to tackle two subjects at once.

Bronze Age comes alive

Thought provoking coming-of-age (in a different way) tale set in the Bronze Age exploring relationships, abuse, perceived disabilities, traditions, moving beyond the group’s beliefs and mores, and change. Orr’s prose evoked the senses, whether it be the pottery works and processes, the honouring of slaves, the grief Clio experiences at her grandmother’s death, Clio and Mika’s race to the temple, the threat of the raiders—all so real. That reality captured me. I loved the ideas behind the story although I must admit that at first I found it hard to really identify with Clio. Clio was injured when her pony, her soul mate, Gray Girl, shied at a snake, unseating Clio. Clio was left with a permanent injury to her leg necessitating the use of a crutch to walk. Her horse riding days are over. Mika is from a fishing village nearby. When she shows an affinity with horses she and Clio begin a friendship that will startle all.

A Pajama Press ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

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We had to finish this book before completing as my girls are advanced readers and the animal sacrifice featured early on was too graphic for their age group. It was disappointing not to be able to read on as Clio was an interesting character.

This was a beautiful story. Our protagonist, Clio, loves horses but is unable to ride because of an injury; however, she is able to find that freedom through driving a chariot. I loved seeing her grow through her connection to the horses, and I’m so happy she took the chance to bond with and trust Mika. I also found the religious practices so fascinating!

I read to 60 pages in this book, but I'm not the right reader for it. I found it lacking in dialog, slow-paced, and was not invested in the story or the characters.

This is a beautifully written story, the words just flow magically across the page and before you know it you've finished the book.
I enjoyed the setting, a bronze age island, which is described perfectly.
I loved the bond between the girls and their horses and how that was so crucial to the ending.
My only criticism for this book was the animal sacrifices, I absolutely hated reading those parts and would have preferred for that to have been left out. Apart from that this is a very good read.
Thank you to Netgalley uk and Pajama Press for an arc of this book in return for my honest opinion.