Birdy by Jess Vallance

You know that moment in a horror movie when the killer takes of his mask and it turns out to be the best friend? That feeling of shock and awe and you can't blink for fear that you'll miss some important detail? Well I can tell you one thing, this story supersedes that moment.. and it wasn't the best friend. It was someone more shocking and unimaginable. This story messed me up. You know, in a good way of course!

Birdy by Jess Vallance made me feel mixed emotions the entire ride. At first I felt curious. This curiosity was prompted by the front cover. I know the classic saying tells us readers not to judge but the inkblots and the description of "one obsession" had me wondering at how this story of two friends would turn as dark as Hot Key Books described it. Twenty-four chapters in and I'm still wondering.

It is with great restraint that I hold back from telling you how the story ends but I can tell you that if you're worried that halfway through the story gets a little dry (like I was today) keep at it, because it's all explained in a dark and very disturbing way.

And that, my friends, is why I absolutely LOVED this story!

Meet Frances, a lonesome-beyond-lonely loner who has no friends but doesn't struggle with that fact. On the contrary, she embraces it. Quite frankly she embraces everything in her depressing life; her mother's suicide, her father's anonymity and the mental deterioration of the grandparents who look after her.

Enter Alberta, nicknamed Bert, a glamorous and wealthy student who is placed in Frances' custody at school. Frances is tasked with showing Bert the ropes and how to survive the hellish torment that is public school.

The two become close friends yet Bert's horrifying past catches up with her and a mysterious trouble-maker is determined to make her adjustment to this new life as difficult as possible.

It's just... ugh... you think you know the answer! You think you know how everything is going to play out and then WHAM! The story sends you a whopper of a curve ball.

So, this story's strengths? Well for one thing, the huge plot twist at the end gives it a lot of merit (and that's as much as I can tell you). Another interesting thing about this story is that it revolves around a seemingly cheery friendship, two people becoming so enamored with each other, that you barely stop to notice the dark scenery. What I noticed after I looked deeper into this novel is that it actually takes place in quite a black and white, murky environment and I think, in a way, that foreshadows the events to come.

The story was quite realistic as well and at first that might've made it come off as a bit dry. But that is probably one of Birdy's main strengths, the shocking realism in the characters and the situation.

I'm not sure if this can be counted as a fault but one thing I did identify in this story was the feeling of being dragged on. I constantly felt that the story had yet to kick off and that when it did it better have one hell of a climax. Yes, I was satisfied with the result.

I'm going to urge all teenage readers (do be weary of the explicit content. I'd say ages 14+) as well as my school library to have this book on their shelves. Phenomenal.

4.5/5 stars.