This was beautiful! Magical realism isn't always for me but I do really appreciate what this book is doing. Not always an easy read but a really unique take on a lot of the themes.

This was such a good book! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book and I loved all the twists and turns. My first time to read a book by this author but I cannot wait to read more!

I enjoyed this, but i did feel at times it really dragged on and felt a little bored. But the good definitely outweighed the bad!

Overall, I had a great time with this book! It was a wonderful coming of age story with a magical twist.

Plusses:
[*] Writing Style
[*] Heartwarming characters
[*] Atmospheric
[*] LGBQT + Own Voices

Minuses
[*] Can be a bit slow at times
[* ] I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was missing a little something for me..

Potential Triggers
[*] Bullying with physical harm
[*] Abusive father
[*] Parental Estrangement (I wouldn't say abandonment, but if you have been in that situation I can see how it could bring up feelings)
[*] Forceful kiss without consent.

The idea of this book was really captivating to me and there are many areas of the book I connected with like feeling a sense of otherness as a child and like you don’t belong, wanting to experience more of the world than your home town, and feeling like you need to hide parts of yourself from others.

At first this reads like it is going to be a modern day fairy tale but it quickly gets stuck in what I felt was a too reality based coming of age story. It tries to dance on this line between fantasy and reality and it got a little complicated. I’m not sure it worked. The fantasy elements often seem to be pretty random and didn’t contribute enough to the story. I actually enjoyed both aspects of this book separately but I do wish it had leaned into one more than the other because I don’t feel like they always worked as well together.

Some of the writing also felt a little awkward to me. Like it was trying too hard to be clever. There were instances where it felt too blunt for the situation and phrases seemed out of place.

It started off strong and there were many elements that I enjoyed but overall it just wasn’t for me.

I absolutely adored this title. Emme Lund has written a gorgeous novel that brings together a tender, incisive coming-of-age story that explores themes of queerness, community, found family, and acceptance through a very interesting lens of magic realism and mild body horror, and manages to sell the whole thing.

I was so moved by Owen's story and the powerful metaphor of queerness being like a bird in one's chest, an unmutable presence that can leave one constantly in fear of being hunted and discovered as well as an incredible trait that can bring us closer to our loved ones and chosen families, as well as the longing for acceptance and community, others like us.

The whole thing is written with a beautiful sense of place and aching descriptions of water and landscapes, and I appreciated the sensitivity with which Emme explored themes of social justice and privilege, reminding us that we can be as unique and endangered as Owen while still enjoying privileges that others lack.

I can't recommend this book enough and can't wait for it to be released.

I liked this more than I expected. The author writes well and effectively brings up emotions in readers. There's drama and tough choices, and would recommend this to literary fiction readers.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

A rare and shimmering coming of age story laden with sharply beautiful prose and loveable characters. With an emphasis on found family, queer love and friendship, and what it means to be othered by the world around you, "The Boy with a Bird in His Chest" is a fantastic tale, tenderly written and expertly wrought. I eagerly await sharing this with my readers next year!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the earc of this story in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

The Boy With a Bird in His Chest is an incredibly unique coming of age tale about Owen, a boy who has grown up his whole life with a bird living in a hole in his chest. Gail, the bird, is tied to Owen in that when she dies, he dies. The two of them spend their childhoods sequestered away in a tiny home with Owen’s mother, Owen never allowed outside, and living in fear that someone will find out about Owen and Gail and make their lives one miserable experiment. When a life threatening incident threatens to bring upon just that, Owen’s mother panics and rushes him off to live with his Uncle Bob and cousin Tennessee in the pacific north west where Owen must keep Gail a secret even from them. As Owen and Gail grow older, they navigate family and friendship and relationships and sexuality and all the teenage angst one sixteen years old boy can muster together.

I very much enjoyed a big chunk of this story. It was melancholy and filled with longing while still being hopeful and full of possibilities at times. My heart often aches for Owen and what he was going through, and his innocent confusion. I loved that the things he was going through were mostly what every teenager faces- wanting to fit in, wanting to disappear in a crowd and not be noticed, finding a first love, discovering his sexuality- and yet he did it all while hiding this huge secret about a literal bird growing inside his chest.

However, I did find it to be quite slow toward the middle of the story and struggled a bit at times to keep going. I think the writing style is beautiful and it reminded me a bit (in tone, at least) of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and I think readers looking for a different take on the coming of age genre will be very happily surprised!

while I get the aim of the book it was really not what I expected, I guess since it was a boy with a bird living inside a hole on his chest I expected to have some fantastical elements to it but that was my mistake and assumption, it was a coming of age relatable to queer kids but I did struggle with big chunks of the book because it felt dragged on, overall not a bad book just not a book for me

It started off so well! loved the writing, so simplistic, and owen and gail. they were such a strange and whimsical pair. about 60% through though i got bored waiting for something to happen. i wish it wasn’t so slow and dragged on

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such a magical coming of age story that emphasizes friendships and the costs one bears for being different. Owen Tanner was born with a Java sparrow in the center of his chest and never realized he was different because he just was. The story follows him being confined in his youth to his home because of fears that the Army of Acronyms will find him. He leads an enclosed life reminiscent of quarantined days and yearns to explore nature and reach the ocean. The story does follow him from a young child to a seventeen year old and we see him grow both socially by the spaces he ventures.
The best thing about this story is not focusing on what makes him different, but rather how he connects with people who feel the same as him. He finds solace in family, friendships, and love. Truly heartwarming.

The Boy with a Bird in His Chest is an irresistably warmhearted ode to the many kinds of fierce, forgiving loves we may find through happy accident when we both most need and are least able to accept or believe in them. In Emme Lund's tender narrative of queer coming of age, the necessity of keeping life-or-death secrets clashes with the urgency of being seen, understood, and valued despite--and even because of--difference. This is a gentle story, despite the horrors its characters live in fear of and occasionally taste, and its defiant gentleness strengthens the believable nature of its ultimately hopeful conclusions.

I will likely recommend this novel to many people, but I would particularly recommend it to anyone who knows from the inside out what it's like to grow up as a queer, weird, music-loving outcast in a small-town or rural setting.

I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a great story of identity, found family, of hiding secrets and sharing them on your terms, of love and self love and acceptance. The metaphors in this book felt so real, so raw. I loved the magical realism approach that Emme Lund took here, and hope she continues. Thank you for the e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I don’t think I was the right reader for this story. I simply couldn’t get into the story or connect with characters. I did not finish this book.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Title: The Boy With a Bird in His Chest
Author: Emme Lund
Publisher: Atria Booke @atriabooks
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highlights: Owen was born a special boy- both due to being born during the day of a lucky flood and because he was born with a literal bird in his chest named Gail. His mother, concerned that the outside world would harm her special boy, locked him away in the house for ten years with strict rules about what he could and could not do safely. When he was nearly discovered, he was sent to live with his uncle and cousin Tennessee. But as he grew, Owen found it harder to keep his uniqueness a secret, and he began to share it with those he loves. As with all rare things, there are some that would do anything to get their hands on Owen. Can he ever safely live a “normal” life? And does he even want to?

Other thoughts: This was a slow starter for me, and some of the teenage angst felt, labeled but not given depth if that makes sense. Sometimes I felt like a lot of trendy language was thrown around when it didn’t necessarily contribute to the plot line or character development. But overall this was a heart-warming read of a boy coming into his own and learning how to make his way in a world where he is a rarity. The concept of Gail the bird was new and fresh and interesting. I think this will be a big hit in February 2022 when it is released!

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I absolutely loved The Boy With a Bird in His Chest so much, I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again. Owen, a boy born with a bird living in a hole in his chest, is forced into a life of hiding and loneliness so he and his bird aren’t discovered. Once a teenager, he becomes rebellious of his mother’s rules, and ultimately has to go live with his uncle and cousin.
Emme Lund has written such a beautiful story of love and heartbreak, loneliness and friendship. Owen is such a well written character, and I loved his relationships with both Gail and Tennessee. Owen’s sometimes reckless decisions stressed me out, and Gail’s background commentary had me laughing throughout it all. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who enjoy a little magic in their day to day.

Thank you Atria Books y'all have become one of my favorite publishers!

The Boy with a Bird in His Chest is such a beautiful novel. With amazing descriptions and writing that I was just in awe with!
Owen the main character I just loved him! He is flawed and normal. Just a wonderful character.
Emme Lunds novel is just so beautiful I loved the writing it just flowed so well.
This is one book I can't wait to release to buy a hardback!