TITLE: Dissonance of Bird Song
AUTHOR: Alexandra Beaumont
PUBLISHER: Brigid's Gate Press
ISBN: 978-1963355031
PODCAST EPISODE: Meet the Author
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Would you sacrifice everything so that your community could continue to thrive? Would you risk a fate worse than death for them? What about madness? And would you do it even if the religious leader of your community was someone whom you knew you couldn't trust? These are just the beginning of Eseld’s questions to herself. If she wouldn't risk it all for her community – what about for the life of her sister?
Alexandra Beaumont's DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG (Brigid's Gate, 2024) is a unique blend of poeticism and folk horror that she has become known for in the UK. A lifelong fan of the Gothic, she often cleverly weaves these themes and tropes within her narratives. Her work can be deeply personal, combining exciting narratives with thoughtful perspectives on the social issues of the day.
DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG takes place in a mythical version of ancient Cornwall, and as with all good Gothic narratives the very landscape of Kernow becomes a character within the narrative. Reading this book, you will be hard-pressed not to feel the salt spray chill your skin, reel from the ebb of the waves, or sense harsh rock faces beneath your feet. An exciting plot steeped in folklore contrasts the decidedly Gothic setting.
Eseld is part of a community living on the shores of ancient Cornwall whose very existence is intertwined with a local population of birds. The birds migrate to the shores to breed each year, giving up their Myst to the person to which they've bonded, in exchange for safekeeping until the young have hatched and are old enough to fly away once more. Only now, the birds have been dying, with fewer returning each year. To lose your bird is to succumb to madness and eventual death. Eseld's bird has fallen ill, and she needs to find the cure.
Eseld's journey is a harrowing one, interlaced with folklore that will thrill readers of all ages. It takes her deep beneath the waves, and to far distant shores, interspersed with song. Eseld is a compelling heroine, disabled and determined, and her story is inspirational without ever being cloying. DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG is an exciting adventure that heralds a new kind of fantasy sure to appeal to young adult readers and general audiences alike.
AUTHOR: Alexandra Beaumont
PUBLISHER: Brigid's Gate Press
ISBN: 978-1963355031
PODCAST EPISODE: Meet the Author
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Would you sacrifice everything so that your community could continue to thrive? Would you risk a fate worse than death for them? What about madness? And would you do it even if the religious leader of your community was someone whom you knew you couldn't trust? These are just the beginning of Eseld’s questions to herself. If she wouldn't risk it all for her community – what about for the life of her sister?
Alexandra Beaumont's DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG (Brigid's Gate, 2024) is a unique blend of poeticism and folk horror that she has become known for in the UK. A lifelong fan of the Gothic, she often cleverly weaves these themes and tropes within her narratives. Her work can be deeply personal, combining exciting narratives with thoughtful perspectives on the social issues of the day.
DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG takes place in a mythical version of ancient Cornwall, and as with all good Gothic narratives the very landscape of Kernow becomes a character within the narrative. Reading this book, you will be hard-pressed not to feel the salt spray chill your skin, reel from the ebb of the waves, or sense harsh rock faces beneath your feet. An exciting plot steeped in folklore contrasts the decidedly Gothic setting.
Eseld is part of a community living on the shores of ancient Cornwall whose very existence is intertwined with a local population of birds. The birds migrate to the shores to breed each year, giving up their Myst to the person to which they've bonded, in exchange for safekeeping until the young have hatched and are old enough to fly away once more. Only now, the birds have been dying, with fewer returning each year. To lose your bird is to succumb to madness and eventual death. Eseld's bird has fallen ill, and she needs to find the cure.
Eseld's journey is a harrowing one, interlaced with folklore that will thrill readers of all ages. It takes her deep beneath the waves, and to far distant shores, interspersed with song. Eseld is a compelling heroine, disabled and determined, and her story is inspirational without ever being cloying. DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG is an exciting adventure that heralds a new kind of fantasy sure to appeal to young adult readers and general audiences alike.