What We’re Reading: Silhouette of a Sparrow

Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin (Milkweed Editions, 2012)

Today’s review is a continuation of Hazel’s bird theme from Monday’s Three Things writing prompt, and a contrast of last week’s young adult debut novel review on What We’re Reading. While I felt last week’s Anything But Ordinary fell short of its possible creativity, this week’s debut young adult novel, Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin, blew me away with its intricate writing, creative plot, and the pumping human heart holding the novel by its center.

The main character, Garnet, is a 17-year-old coming into her own in the roaring 20s. A scientist at heart, she spends her time cataloging the birds she sees out her window by cutting artistically beautiful silhouettes. She does this to appease her mother, who is concerned about Garnet’s lack of ladylike attributes. However, she still finds her own way to circumvent this and assert her scientific interests by writing the scientific names of each bird she silhouettes on the back, based on the birding books she’s always poring over.

Garnet’s home life is anything but stable. Her mother, while well-meaning, is a nervous creature who is constantly pressuring Garnet to be proper. Her father, once the man who used to take Garnet into the woods for bird watching, has come back from the war with severe post-traumatic disorder, and is a disappearing shadow in their lives. In an effort to bring her husband back, Garnet’s mother sends her daughter away to spend the summer with an aunt in Excelsior, MN.

Griffin researched the time period well, especially that time period in Excelsior, MN. She gives us many rich period details, although my favorite is the hat store that Garnet finds a summer job at in Excelsior. This is where Garnet meets a flirtatious, vibrant 18-year-old flapper named Isabella. Their relationship grows organically, but hesitantly into one of lovers, and Garnet’s cookie-cutter life waiting for her at home is thrown into question even more. She must balance her dedication to her broken family, societal pressures, and her own values and desires. It’s a journey of self-discovery, and one that is not usually seen in young adult novels. Griffin writes about Garnet’s love for Isabella exactly the way she should: naturally.

There are a few moments where I wonder if the characters are acting a bit more contemporary than their time period, but I don’t wonder too long before Griffin sweeps me away with some more intricate language. The prologue wastes no time in grabbing its reader by both shoulders and holding on with the strength of language:

I was born blue. Life ripped me early from my safe place and thrust me into the world. It was all so astonishing that I forgot to breathe […] My mother gave me life that day, but I was the one who decided to take it. I claimed it for myself.

That’s how the story goes. At least, that’s the way Aunt Rachel told it to me a hundred times over, even after I knew it by heart. That’s the version I asked to hear again and again as a child, so I could wrap those pretty words around me like a familiar blanket and fall asleep thinking I knew exactly who I was.

Griffin’s attention to detail is apparent throughout. My favorite example of this is that each chapter is named after a bird, including its standard name, along with its scientific name. The birds reflect the people, or the traits that crop up in the following chapter.Through this diverse flock of beautiful, typical, rare, and plain birds, we see Garnet’s catalog of her own journey of self-discovery, and her acceptance who she is.

What are some of the most creative young adult novels you’ve read? How important is accurately reflecting the time period when writing in a different era? What other young adult novels featuring strong lesbian or gay main characters would you recommend?