Customer Reviews

Every Day a Bird Learns How to Fly

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I enjoyed reading this novel about two lovers set in a very nostalgic time. This is not an ordinary romance. I got more involved with the characters and their plight as I read on. I enjoyed it so much I got another copy and passed it on to relatives who also enjoyed it.

The stepmother of one's best friend in high school - there doesn't seem to much potential for romance. "Every Day a Bird Learns How to Fly" is a classic love story about Jimmy and Carol, only Jimmy is fresh out of high school and Carol is older and the mother of his friend. For 1958 in a small community in the state of Maryland, it's not the most kosher thing socially. Jimmy and Carol are stuck in a conflict of love and respect, and have no idea which will win out. "Every Day a Bird Learns How to Fly" is a fine addition to any romance shelf and for anyone who wants a controversial love story.

This novel caught my attention when I discovered it was written by a male author featuring a male protagonist. Jimmy is an eighteen-year-old senior with good moral upbringing, but he's not superhuman, beyond the emotions of a young man growing into adulthood. Although this is Frank V. Arcilesi's first novel, he gets into the innermost thoughts and feelings of his lead character with the precision of a seasoned writer. I'm especially impressed with the author's pace, not rushing his story. Jimmy and his best friend's young step-mother are subtly attracted to each other, a slow developing magnatism that cannot be resisted. They resolve to be best friends, but still the pressure is there. When a forbidden relationship can no longer be contained, the author writes the most touching love scene I have read.

The book was entertaining but took a long, slow, detailed route to the climax of the story. I kept reading just to see if somethign interesting would ever happen. The ending was good.