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Angela M is taking a break.'s Reviews > The Bird Hotel
The Bird Hotel
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This is such a beautiful story, one of those all encompassing stories that draws you in from the beginning, taking you through the depths of grief and loss on a journey to healing . It’s not just a journey of the heart and soul , but it takes the reader to a place of beauty and wonder where nature can be as cruel as it is breathtakingly beautiful. Irene is alone and lost, in the depths of despair, having suffered unimaginable losses, desiring to escape from her life. She chooses to live and wanders until she finds herself in a lovely little village called La Esperanza in central Central America at a hotel called La Llorona. It is here that she discovers her lost self as she becomes immersed in this place - a place that’s a character in its own right, with it’s beautiful lake, and calming gorgeous landscape, exotic birds, a volcano looming with beauty, power and danger.
This novel has a wonderful cast of characters - friends who become family, hotel guests who become friends and as life goes people she thought were friends who are really enemies. This place among these people who help her on her journey to healing as she discovers her lost self, hers art, her motherly instincts, the person who could love again, is full of hope as the village name implies. I was immersed into this lovely place, the culture and the customs of indigenous Mayan people here and would like to have been there a while longer. I can’t say why I’ve never read a book by Joyce Maynard, although I have a few on my to read list. I’ll have to take a look.
I received a copy of this book from Arcade through Edelweiss.
This novel has a wonderful cast of characters - friends who become family, hotel guests who become friends and as life goes people she thought were friends who are really enemies. This place among these people who help her on her journey to healing as she discovers her lost self, hers art, her motherly instincts, the person who could love again, is full of hope as the village name implies. I was immersed into this lovely place, the culture and the customs of indigenous Mayan people here and would like to have been there a while longer. I can’t say why I’ve never read a book by Joyce Maynard, although I have a few on my to read list. I’ll have to take a look.
I received a copy of this book from Arcade through Edelweiss.
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Reading Progress
March 21, 2023
– Shelved
March 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
to-read
July 4, 2023
–
Started Reading
July 10, 2023
– Shelved as:
2023-favorites
July 10, 2023
– Shelved as:
edelweiss-reviews
July 10, 2023
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 79 (79 new)
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Debbie
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rated it 5 stars
Jul 07, 2023 01:27PM
Hope you’re loving this as much as I did! Look forward to your review!
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Nice to see your rating. I had this borrowed from Libby but for some reason it never became available in Kindle format and I didn't want to read it in my browser. I've requested it again hoping this will be corrected given some extra time.
Woot Woot!!! I'm glad you enjoyed that travel to the BH, Angela. Can't wait for your review
Beautiful review, Angela. Looking forward to this one. :)
Debbie, thanks . Loved it !
C, hope you can get a copy.
Jen, I want to pack my bags like you did !
Linda, thanks so much! Hope you enjoy!
Great review, Angela! This was such a lovely book on so many levels.
What a lovely review, Angela! I've never read this author, and had to add this one.
Angela, I'm so glad that you read this one and loved it, too! She's written a lot of books, I've read several of them, and enjoyed them all, and loved several of them - including this one! Beautiful review, my friend!
Another lovely review, Angela. Many have praised this book too and I hope to read it some day.
Beautiful review, Angela. I'm looking forward to this one.
Splendid review, Angela! I loved this book
Outstanding review, Angela! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this one. I'm so happy for you that you loved this, also! I've missed connecting with you, Angela on Good Reads. Your reviews are always so lovely. :)
Wouldn't you love to visit?
Thanks very much Ann, Kathleen, Cheri, Laysee, Kerrin, Anne, Diane, Karen, and Teres.
Kathleen wrote: "What a lovely review, Angela! I've never read this author, and had to add this one."Kathleen, thanks so much. This was the first for me, but since I loved this one, I’ll definitely try another.
Cheri wrote: "Angela, I'm so glad that you read this one and loved it, too! She's written a lot of books, I've read several of them, and enjoyed them all, and loved several of them - including this one! Beautifu..."Cheri, thanks very much, book sister ! What else do you recommend by her ?
Karen wrote: "Outstanding review, Angela! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this one. I'm so happy for you that you loved this, also! I've missed connecting with you, Angela on Good Reads. Your reviews are alwa..."Karen, thanks for your kind words. I’ve been around, but not as much and Goodreads notifications leave a lot to be desired . I don’t get them sometimes, so I don’t connect as frequently.
Teres wrote: "Wouldn't you love to visit?"I wanted to pack my bags when I finished!
Sounds like a nice vacation read, in the sun and near water. :-)
Lovely review, Angela! As it turns out, the author has a second home in a small village in Guatemala. La Esperanza is modeled on her experiences there. She said that she wrote the book while spending a good part of the Pandemic there. I think that this is a book that will stay with me. Glad you enjoyed it!
This was truly a fabulous story and a wonderful review!
Thanks, Lynne!
Carmel , a vacation read , but definitely not a light one .
Holly, thanks so much. Thanks for sharing that.
Marialyce, thanks much!
So glad to see you loved this one as much as I did! Don't you just want to visit? You will definitely have to read more of her books.
Angela, she's written a LOT of books, most of the ones before I joined Goodreads I haven't read - the exception being 'At Home in the World: A Memoir' about her relationship with JD Salinger, and another 'An 18-Year-Old Looks Back on Life'I *think* the first of her fiction I read might have been 'Labor Day', which was made into a movie which (I think) starred James Brolin. I've read 'Count the Ways', 'The Best of Us', and 'Under the Influence', and this latest one, of course! Unless you are interested in her memoirs (which I loved) I think you'd enjoy 'Labor Day' the most, and take it from there!
Thanks, Cheri . I don’t read many memoirs , but will try Labor Day . Thanks!
What a beautiful and breathtaking review, Angela! I’m so glad you were as enraptured as I was. Have you not read Let Me Count the Ways? If you haven’t, please do as you will love it too!
Lovely review, Angela.
Jen, thanks so much. One of those books that I can say I loved everything about it. Count the Ways is on my lists. Thanks!
Bianca, thanks very much.
Excellent review Angela, I'm glad you loved it too. I've enjoyed nearly every book I've read by her so you are in for a treat as you explore her backlist! Enjoy!
Such a beautiful review of a beautiful book, Angela!
Wonderful review, Angela! This is such an amazing book!
Jan, thanks so much! Do you have a favorite?
Karen , thanks very much.
Sujoya, thank you so much.
Lovely review, Angela! You summarized The Bird Hotel perfectly. And I second Jen’s recommendation - Count the Ways is wonderful! So different from this story but still has really heartfelt characters.
Love seeing your 5 stars, Angela! Fabulous review. I heard her being interviewed about this book, and was intrigued. Your review has convinced me to add this novel! Thank you!
Kim, thanks very much . I’ll definitely give it a try .
Kathleen, thanks very much. I’ll have to look for that interview. Hope you enjoy it .
Melissa, thanks so much!
Martine , thanks very much.
