book review: Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger

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The backstory: After loving all three of Audrey Niffenegger's earlier graphic novels, The Adventuress, The Three Incestuous Sisters, and The Night Bookmobile, I was eager to read her latest, Raven Girl.

 The basics: When a postal carrier falls in love with a raven and takes her to live with him, they're both surprised her baby turns out to be human, but still birdlike. The Raven Girl longs to be a raven, as she feels on the inside.

 My thoughts: Audrey Niffenegger's graphic novels tend to include elements of magical realism, and Raven Girl is no different. I'm not a fan of fairy tales, per se, but those elements in Raven Girl worked well for me. Niffenegger quickly builds a world in which it makes perfect sense for a postal carrier to fall in love with a raven and build a life together. That sense of magic dissipates somewhat when Raven Girl grows up and goes to college. A darker magical realism emerges, and it wasn't as captivating for me. Niffenegger's drawings were stunning as always, but I wanted more of them. For a graphic novel, this one felt text-heavy.

The verdict: While Raven Girl didn't quite measure up to Niffenegger's earlier graphic novels, it is an enchanting tale and worth a read.

 Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: May 17, 2013
Source: library

 Convinced? Treat yourself! Buy Raven Girl from an independent bookstore, the Book Depository or Amazon (no Kindle edition.)

Want more? Visit Audrey Niffenegger's website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Comments

  1. AthiraNovember 18, 2013 at 3:04 PM

    Glad to hear that you recommend Niffenegger's graphic books. I haven't tried any of those.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. nomadreaderNovember 18, 2013 at 3:10 PM

      They are all great, but I recommend getting them from the library because they're all so short!

      Delete
  2. Melissa (Avid Reader)November 21, 2013 at 2:11 PM

    Somehow I didn't even realize this was a graphic novel until I read your review! Good to know!

    ReplyDelete

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