Customer Reviews

Spirits of a Feather

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

 

 

I am really happy that you wrote this book. People are always "shocked" because they don't want to know the truth. It kinda shows how out of touch they really are and that life is not always a "white picket fence, or 2.5 children!"

Your interpretation of the "gay" scene in Winnipeg and in San Francisco was very amazing.

This is a book I finished yesterday which I really liked. It is the story of Jay, a young boy who leaves home when he can't take the abuse anymore and heads off to the big city (in this case, Winnipeg). He has $11 in his pocket and nowhere to go. He is incredibly naive and is (lucky for him) befriended by Phil who takes him in and begins the process of teaching Jay to open his mind and grow. Jay's experiences with the gay community, vegetarianism, a native shaman, drug dealers, a medium and the family of his rich girlfriend teach him about the varieties of life and people and help him to heal his own prejudices and find his own way in the world: seeing people not labels and stereotypes and exploring his own identity.

I liked this book because I have known a lot of Jays in this world - full of pain, ignorance and anger and I really enjoyed the characters whose paths he crosses with. I like to see stories of growth and release from our demons.

I was fascinated by the activities and ideas our young people face in today's society. I had no idea that there were so many things outside our main stream society. I'm sending a copy to all my friends who have teenage children in hopes it will start a dialogue between the parents and children.

I found the story truly captivating. It managed to tackle a sensitive, timely subject with dignity and understanding. The characters are real - likeable and more than a little complex. I left the book much better informed about them and their lives. I'm looking forward to the sequel. Wonderful !

The main character Jay, a young man coming from a home sorely lacking in love and support, takes a trip to Winnipeg in order to search for his father. Coming from a small place, Jay is rather naïve and carries with him some objectionable prejudices such as homophobia. In his travels he meets a variety of characters, including a gay man who gives him a lot of support, a vegetarian who lost his nephew to AIDS, and a native who is a practising Shaman. Through his interaction with these people, Jay grows as an individual and learns a lot about life.

Spirits of a Feather is not your typical novel. It combines a variety of narrative techniques which places it in a category all its own. The book is a combination of fiction and non-fiction. It is designed to educate as well as entertain, and as such, would make a great high school reader.

Reviewed by: Laura Davis (professional writer)

Despite an abrupt ending, I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading the sequel. Shirriff finds people in the worst situations, or just in situations that would make most readers uncomfortable, then treats them with dignity and tenderness. What would have been a tawdry, bleak, hopeless narrative in other hands becomes a journey of discovery and hope in Shirriff's hands. The character of Jay matures in unexpected but believable ways as he encounters gays, a Shaman, a drug dealer, the rave scene, and many other surprises. Even with Jay's prejudices and sometimes shady dealings, I kept liking him and wanting him to improve his life.