Heather’s Bookshelf: Of Magpies and Men
Author: Ode Ray
Released: 01/31/21
Genre: Mystery/Crime Novel
“His gaze met hers. An appraising gaze. A gaze assessing her reaction, maybe even her character. She had seen this gaze on him on their first encounter when they spoke about his mother’s letter. Deep down, Marie believed that everyone was entitled to have a shot at happiness. And as long as it did not impair anyone else’s, then who cares?”
“Of Magpies and Men” is a multiple timeline, multiple point of view novel that begins with a couple of bodies washing on shore and then continues by piecing together the events leading up to that. The two main characters (Benedict Grant and Marie Boulanger) offer an interesting dichotomy of perspectives as they seek the truth about themselves and their pasts while also laying the groundwork for the future.
“Of Magpies and Men” follows several characters and their individual points of view surrounding the events that all lead up to a pivotal point in time. Along the way, the author does an amazing job in developing Benedict and Marie. Each of the characters come from completely different backgrounds, are multi-faceted, broken, and strong in their own ways. I couldn’t help but root for each of them to find happiness.
The way that the author intertwines the timelines and points of view is seamless. It provides interesting plot details and insights to the ancillary characters that would otherwise be challenging to incorporate. I appreciated that the author made sure to give each of the characters their own individual voices and piece of the overall story.
Fair Warning: There is some adult language, murder, and sexual situations.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I will say that I had a little bit of a hard time getting into the beginning of it, as I was unsure where the author was going and how it would all tie together. But the main characters of Benedict and Marie are so compelling on their own (and even more so when they are together) that I soon could not put it down. I really enjoyed how the author weaved a tale by speaking through different characters and different points in time. Each character had their own voice and added to the overall story in a way that was both refreshing and insightful. In my opinion, it was also one of the best endings that I have read in a good while.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A little slow to start, but overall a great story about love, loss, family, and the power of choice
Want to learn more about the author? Check out an interview with Ode Ray.
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