by Kathleen Jennings
Published on July 28, 2020 by Tor.com
ISBN: 9781250260499
Pages: 176
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Horror
In a small Western Queensland town, a reserved young woman receives a note from one of her vanished brothers--a note that makes question her memories of their disappearance and her father's departure.
A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights and uncanny family horror can live--and even thrive--under a burning sun, Flyaway introduces readers to Bettina Scott, whose search for the truth throws her into tales of eerie dogs, vanished schools, cursed monsters, and enchanted bottles. Flyaway enchants you with the sly, beautiful darkness of Karen Russell and a world utterly its own.
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A Haunting, Dark Fairy Tale Brought to Life
Flyaway is a feast for the mind and the senses from the very beginning. Featuring lush descriptions and vivid imagery, you’re immediately thrown into this small town suited for the scene of a horror movie.
As an actual story, I found the back and forth nature of the narrative, jumping around between characters and timelines, to be more confusing than anything. A mystery to solve, how each piece fits together (and they do by the end and thankfully this is a short book). As a piece of art, Flyaway is breathtakingly haunting and lyrical and an atmospheric must-read.
I began Flyaway just plain confused, but intrigued. We’ve given pages of vivid description that tell a story in their own right but the overarching story isn’t clear yet. But what the book lacks in clear plot at the onset it more than makes up for with the haunting darkness that seeps into every word and turn of phrase. Even when you don’t know the details of what’s happening, your mind begins to guess and the possibilities are disturbing.
It’s truly a dark fairy tale brought to life. less a story and more an atmosphere, a way of seeing the world in a way that doesn’t always make sense and yet you know this place. For any young adult readers, this is what I had hoped to get out of The Hazel Wood but ultimately didn’t, though I think anyone who enjoyed that book would love Flyaway.
While I would consider Bettina Scott the protagonist of this story, the narrative does move between past and present through the eyes of different characters and their stories, weaving in pieces that are seemingly disconnected until you reach the end and the bigger picture is revealed. As soon as I finished I wanted to go back and re-read to see what hints and clues were put in that I missed the first time around. It’s that sort of book.
Bettina wasn’t the most interesting person if you’re looking for a character-driven plot, but I also wouldn’t consider Flyaway character-driven in the usual sense so it works. She’s unreliable, a girl who’s gone through a traumatic experience and at first you think she’s simply blocked it all out to move on, but there’s more beneath the surface. Missing memories that might have more answers than anyone thought.
Flyaway does have magic in that fairy tale-esque vague way, where things simply are. Folk legends exist because they do, there’s no other reason. And I think the book captured the idea of how some stories live on and why they live on when others don’t really well.
This is a novella and comes in under 200 pages, making it a quick read that, when you’re hooked, you won’t be able to put down. It’s not the sort of book to seek out if you like answers to all your questions while reading. It’s not the sort of book to pick up if you don’t like solving plot puzzles. It’s not the sort of book to reach for if you want something light and whimsical.
Yet I recommend Flyaway in all its entirety. This gorgeous, at times disturbing, beautifully dark book was everything I had hoped it would be. Despite the initial confusion, I couldn’t put it down and ended up appreciating that by the end. Filled with imagery as descriptive as though walking through a painted picture, this is not a book to miss!
About Austine
I'm a 20-something research proposal developer with a background in the life sciences and education. Reviewer of books since 2011, amateur photographer by day, and aspiring author by night. I believe animals (and books) are better than people.
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