Winter Birds [Paperback]

Jamie Langston Turner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

Plain and dutiful, Sophia Hess has lived most of her life without ever knowing genuine love. Her professor husband had married her for the convenience of having a typist for his scholarly papers. The discovery of a dark secret opens her eyes to the truth about her marriage and her husband. Eventually nephew Patrick and his wife, Rachel, take Sophia into their home, and she observes from a careful distance their earnest faith and the simple gifts of kindness they generously bestow upon her and others-this in spite of an unthinkable tragedy they've suffered. Dare she unlock the door behind which she stalwartly conceals her broken heart? An insightful and moving portrayal of the transforming power of love

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. With this fictional octogenarian's rich reflection on her disappointing life, Christy Award–winner Turner pens her best novel in years. Bitterness over her late husband and his secret addiction to pornography has colored Sophia Hess's view of everything she's trusted and held dear. Dangling the promise of leaving her money to whichever distant relative cares for her, "Aunt Sophie" takes up residence in the spare room belonging to her loquacious, pontificating nephew, Patrick, and his diffident wife, Rachel, in Greenville, Miss. They collect a ragtag group of acquaintances, including an ex-con and a severely disabled four-year-old who flit in and out of the story. Sophie, a former English teacher, passes her days mostly by reading obituaries, watching television and learning about the birds outside her window. Turner brilliantly weaves together the threads of Shakespeare's plays, sitcoms, birds and their habits, and the deaths of celebrities gleaned from Time magazine's obituary section as she unfolds the story. As she did in Some Wildflower in My Heart, Turner shows how even the most awkward and imperfect love, care and attention can yield meaningful results. Readers may find the present tense narration mechanical at times, and the story begins slowly, but this helps form an impression of the protagonist and her dull marking of days. Genuine humor and well-crafted characters make this a memorable and inspiring novel. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"...once I started reading I fell in love with Sophia." -- Laura Hilton, faithwebbin.net

"An emotional and realistic storyline, WINTER BIRDS is one of the best books I have read this year." -- RomanceDesigns.com

"Christy Award-winner Jamie Langston Turner is elegantly plain and unbelievably funny..." -- Brenda A. Snodgrass, curledup.com

"It reminds me of Marilynne Robinson's Gilead and, like that book, it's one I'm planning to read again...." -- Violet Nesdoly, blogcritics.org

"This noteworthy work is one to be savored." -- Christian Retailing

"Turner writes with elegant precision and the leisurely pacing of the book perfectly captures the lengthened days of the aging." -- Peter J. Leithart, Touchstone

"Winter Birds is highly recommended for those who appreciate a character-driven story rich in profound insights into human nature." -- Marcia Ford, faithfulreader.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House; First edition. edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764200151
• ISBN-13: 978-0764200151
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #997,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Appreciate your elders, January 14, 2007

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Winter Birds (Paperback)

Sophia is a elderly woman who is living in the home of her nephew Patrick and his wife Rachel. She has chosen them as the place where she will live until she dies. She then proceeds to tell us about here life and what goes on inside this household. She reveals that her marriage wasn't what she had expected it to be. Her stepchildren hated her from the beginning, her husband treated her as just a mere companion, and denied her of any little happiness she had hoped would come from her marriage that she did not experience in her childhood. Plus she also found a devastating secret about her husband that he had kept hidden throughout their entire marriage until his death. Living with Patrick and Rachel has allowed her to view this small family and their lives as a quiet observer. They have lost their two children and may not have the greatest marriage but since they are Christians they still find the strength to get through any hardships that come their way. This puzzles Sophia as she struggles to understand the meaning of her life and how not to take everyone for granted.

This book was a very relaxing read for me. Have you ever seen the movie Junebug? This book reminded me of that movie, being down in the south where everything is just slow paced. You think it will be a long time before the story gets exciting, but before you know it you've already been drawn into this world. I felt that the characters were very real and the reader feels very connected to Sophia. Being still a young adult, it was fascinating for me to read the story through the eyes of an eighty year old. I never realize how really we treat the elderly, until I read about how Patrick treated his aunt IE talking to her loudly because he think she can't her or doing things because HE feels that it's best for her. I did like very much how Sophia changed throughout the course of the book as she starts to realize that she doesn't want to look forward to dying anymore. I also found the scene where she's caught eavesdropping by Rachel and to cover it up she pulls off the button from her dress on purpose very amusing. I love how all of Jamie Turner's books bring in characters from her other novels and while this story took place in a different setting from the others, we still have appearances from two memorable characters. This book is touching, hopeful, funny, sad, and manages draws you right into the story all at the same time. I highly recommend this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! What an amazingly beautiful book., December 7, 2006

By 

Elysa Mac "Book-aholic Homeschool Mom" (America's Deep South) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winter Birds (Paperback)

As I finished the last page of WINTER BIRDS yesterday, I softly exclaimed "oh...wow!" I have loved all of Jamie Langston Turner's rich and insightful books. All of her books have been jewels, but this one is the most beautiful. It is a well crafted, poignant tale of God's love and compassion shown thru the lives of everyday, imperfect people. Its message inspires me to be faithful in loving those around me through the seemingly insignificant things of a life filled with service. Who knows when a simple act will touch a life sorely in need of love. May my life be an instrument of God's grace and mercy inspired anew by the very real story of WINTER BIRDS.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reflective tale, April 5, 2008

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winter Birds (Paperback)

Sophia Hess has lived to be 80 and now has found a place to settle for her last days. She isn't expecting happiness, as she has known so little of it in her life. She carefully selected a relative's home to reside in after petitioning and then visiting several relatives; her nephew, Patrick, and his wife, Rachel, offered the best prospects.

Sophia has endured great heartbreaks over the course of her life, as have Patrick and Rachel. She carefully watches and relates each aspect of their household as she sees them coping and dealing with the blows life has thrown at them. She also notices their faith, as Patrick and Rachel never waver in their faith no matter the circumstances.

WINTER BIRDS starts off achingly slow, as Sophia reveals details in an often meandering way. As the story progresses, one becomes drawn into the lives of the characters as their personalities and idiosyncrasies begin to emerge through the eyes of Sophia. WINTER BIRDS is definitely a character driven tale as the plot is a relatively slow developing one, with numerous looks back on the past as Sophia ponders over the events of her life.

Jamie Langston Turner makes good use of metaphors in WINTER BIRDS. The mention of the various birds, both at the introduction to each chapter and liberally sprinkled throughout the tale, provides a good point of reference to Aunt Sophia's perspective as it changes and grows. In some ways, the descriptions of the birds are Sophia as she gradually begins to see her value as a member of her family. The inclusion of quotes from various works of literature, focusing specifically on Shakespeare, only adds to the overall atmosphere of WINTER BIRDS. This is a tale that develops from a very melancholy and almost depressing story to one in which a glimmer of hope begins to emerge. The transition of focus from the older generation to the younger generation finalizes the shift.

Jamie Langston Turner tackles some sensitive issues in WINTER BIRDS. Not only is aging addressed, but racial issues play a large part in the storyline. Ms. Turner provides a careful and thoughtful balance, pointing out that everyone has faults but no one is beyond the hope of change.

A note of caution is in store, however, as WINTER BIRDS isn't a happily-ever-after tale. The characters deal with both trauma and the daily struggles of everyday living and there is no quick or easy answer for any of them. Perhaps that is the message the author wishes to convey, that faith can and does survive the reality of daily living.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES