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Laura Kasischke
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White Bird in a Blizzard: A Novel Hardcover – January 13, 1999

by Laura Kasischke (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 270 ratings
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Laura Kasischke's first novel, SUSPICIOUS RIVER, was hailed as "extremely powerful" (The Los Angeles Times) and "amazing...beautifully written" (The Boston Globe). Now Kasischke follows up her auspicious debut with mesmerizing story of youthful passion and loss of innocence.

When Katrina Connors' mother walks out on her family, Kat is surprised but not shocked; the whole year she has been "becoming sixteen" - falling in love with the boy next door, shedding her babyfat, discovering sex - her mother has been slowly withdrawing. As Kat and her impassive father pick up the pieces of their daily lives, she finds herself curiously unaffected by her mother's absence. But in dreams that become too real to ignore, she's haunted by her mother's cries for help. Finally, she must act on her instinct that something violent and evil has occurred - a realization that brings Kat to a chilling discovery.

Like SUSPICIOUS RIVER, which The New Yorker described as "by turns terrifying and ravishingly lyrical," WHITE BIRD BLIZZARD evokes works of Kathryn Harrison and Joyce Carol Oates - and confirms Kasischke's arrival as a major literary talent.

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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hyperion
  4. Publication date
    January 13, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    5.88 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0786863668
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0786863662
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Four crucial years in a troubled teenager's life are the focus of this eloquently written, suspenseful second novel by the author of the praised Suspicious River. Having grown up in an extraordinarily suffocating atmosphere, 16-year-old Kat Connors greets her mother's disappearance one winter day with stoic calm. Kat is overweight, lives in a cookie-cutter suburb, feels her heavy figure makes her a social outcast?and yet has a pivotal adolescent sexual experience. Readers who find similarities between Kat and Delores Price, the heroine of Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone, will also see eerie similarities in Kat's tense relationship with her mother (both mothers have birds as pets, in one case a parakeet, in the other a canary; the girls' fathers hate them; subsequently, both birds are found dead at the bottom of their cages). In both novels, mother and daughter end up sleeping with the same man without the daughter's knowledge. Like Delores, Kat sees a psychiatrist who becomes a father figure to her. Both heroines lose weight and triumph over their traumatic experiences, and each experiences the unexpected death of her mother. Despite these similarities, Kasischke's heroine is a fully rounded, distinctively portrayed character?a self-centered, typically hormone-crazed teenager who painstakingly develops into a self-aware young woman. Kasischke movingly charts her progress into a person, a young lady who learns to trust her instincts and her misgivings about the truth behind her mother's disappearance.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

At the start of Kasischke's second novel (after Suspicious River, Houghton, 1996), 16-year-old Katrina Connor is struggling to come of age in suburban Ohio. Preoccupied with sex and dating and eager to separate from parents she sees as terminally boring, she largely ignores her mother's efforts to lure her into closeness. Then, on a frigid January day, her mother vanishes. Sure, she had often complained about the dullness of marriage. But don't all full-time homemakers long for more, Katrina wonders? Why would she simply take off, without a trace? As the truth of Evie Connor's disappearance emerges, the reader is treated to a cacophony of raw teenage emotion. Shadowy dreams in which a beguiling Evie appears to Katrina enhance Kasischke's mysterious but always poetic prose. The soft, almost ethereal language makes the horrifying reality at the core of the book shockingly powerful, the hidden underside of a quintessentially normal domestic tableau. Highly recommended.?Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hyperion; First Edition (January 13, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786863668
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786863662
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.88 x 0.88 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 270 ratings

About the author

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Laura Kasischke

Laura Kasischke

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Laura Kasischke teaches in the University of Michigan MFA program and the Residential College. She has published seven collections of poetry and seven novels. She lives with her family in Chelsea, Michigan.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
270 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style interesting, rich with metaphors, and poetic language. They describe the book as a great read that provides vivid imagery. However, some readers feel the story is not worth the time to read it, is disappointing, and tiresome. Opinions differ on the quality of the story, with some finding it suspenseful and believable, while others say the ending is unlikely and the premise is better than the book.

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Writing styleReadabilityBeautyDescriptionStory qualityTime spent
25 customers mention "Writing style"19 positive6 negative

Customers find the writing style interesting, rich with metaphors, and poetic language. They also appreciate the lovely descriptions and twisted poetry. Readers describe the book as mesmerizing, wistful, and elegiac.

"Holllllyyyyy moly this book is awesommmme!!! The writing is gorgeous and the plot rules. Nice. Five more words required. One more." Read more

"This book was NEARLY flawless and the writing is superb. Her metaphors ----- ahhh, so beautiful...." Read more

"...White Bird..." is a wistful and elegiac coming-of-age story, set in small-town Ohio and following Katrina Connors as she blossoms into a beautiful..." Read more

"This story is beautifully written...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read. They also say it's nearly flawless and the writing is superb.

"This book was NEARLY flawless and the writing is superb. Her metaphors ----- ahhh, so beautiful...." Read more

"...This is a good read though and the character dynamic is interesting...." Read more

"It was good, but it definitely seemed to totally change course about 80% of the way through to a mystery novel...." Read more

"...Overall a very pleasant read." Read more

6 customers mention "Beauty"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful and spine-chilling. They say it provides vivid imagery.

"...Otherwise - heartbreakingly beautiful book and one that I recommended to my sister and others already. Super easy and fast read - done in 24 hours." Read more

"...The prose is incredibly lush and beautiful, whether the descriptions are of Ohio in the dead of winter or of Katrina's own states of mind...." Read more

"...the writing is a bit too flowery for my taste, but definitely provides vivid imagery. Overall a very pleasant read." Read more

"...Scary and beautiful at the same time." Read more

3 customers mention "Description"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the author great at describing people, places, and feelings. They also say the character dynamic is interesting.

"...It was very wordy and descriptive which can be good but in this case I didn't see the point in it because it didn't really have anything to do what..." Read more

"...This is a good read though and the character dynamic is interesting...." Read more

"Writer is great at description of people,places,feelings, but the story was so unrelentingly miserable, It made me too depressed to enjoy it." Read more

21 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality. Some mention it develops richly and believable, while others say the ending is unlikely and miserable.

"...Umm. Okay. The characters are not likeable. Not one of them. The ending is a let down." Read more

"...The writing is gorgeous and the plot rules. Nice. Five more words required. One more." Read more

"...The ending was a little disappointing. It ends suddenly and there's not much explanation...." Read more

"...Told from the main character's perspective, the story develops richly and believably, as Kat reflects on her parents' failed marriage, her mother's..." Read more

7 customers mention "Time spent"0 positive7 negative

Customers find the book not worth the time. They also say it's boring and tiresome.

"...but also anticlimactic and disappointing...." Read more

"...At first they were ok, but it got quite tiresome. Seems half the book is this format. They contributed but seemed overused...." Read more

"...It's a good story but it just is not worth the time to read it since you can figure the entire thing out without picking up the book." Read more

"...but the story was so unrelentingly miserable, It made me too depressed to enjoy it." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Kittens Rule
5.0 out of 5 stars This book knocked my socks off
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2023
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Holllllyyyyy moly this book is awesommmme!!! The writing is gorgeous and the plot rules. Nice. Five more words required. One more.
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Wendy S The Loving Fifty
4.0 out of 5 stars so beautiful. I had to stop and re-read sentences and ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2014
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This book was NEARLY flawless and the writing is superb. Her metaphors ----- ahhh, so beautiful. I had to stop and re-read sentences and paragraphs because they were so expertly written.

But - there is a pretty big element to the plot that is a leap of faith…. I don't want to spoil it or the book here but there is something that happens, actually DOESN'T HAPPEN that is just completely implausible.

Otherwise - heartbreakingly beautiful book and one that I recommended to my sister and others already. Super easy and fast read - done in 24 hours.
4 people found this helpful
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Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written... if only it didn't have such a poor ending!
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2009
Verified Purchase
This has to be one of the most beautifully written novels I have read of late. "White Bird..." is a wistful and elegiac coming-of-age story, set in small-town Ohio and following Katrina Connors as she blossoms into a beautiful teenager, has her first sexual experiences, and -most importantly- tries to make sense of her mother's unexplained disappearance.

Told from the main character's perspective, the story develops richly and believably, as Kat reflects on her parents' failed marriage, her mother's bitterness and cruelty, and her kindly, dull father's attempts to continue living after she vanishes. The prose is incredibly lush and beautiful, whether the descriptions are of Ohio in the dead of winter or of Katrina's own states of mind.

The only reason why I didn't give it more stars was its implausible, contrived ending. It's as if, 75% into the novel, Ms. Kasischke had suddenly decided that what she wanted to write was a mystery novel instead of a character-based one --- or as if she had wanted to finish it quickly and had just wrapped everything up in this silly conclusion. And this is where the book, in my opinion, fails. The ending is not only unlikely (i.e., what happens could hardly have happened without anyone finding out soon enough) but also anticlimactic and disappointing. I'd have enjoyed the novel much more if Ms. Kasischke hadn't changed courses, and had continued with the wonderful story that had me hooked from the start!
4 people found this helpful
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Alissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and disturbing
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2014
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This story is beautifully written. While it is slow moving, the metaphors that the character uses to describe her life and family add a depth to the story that is intriguing. At every page, something mysterious is revealed, leaving the reader to play detective and solve the mystery. The ending is abrupt but it works because it leaves the reader breathless. This is the kind of story that will stay in your mind for a long time after, and make you think about yourself and everyone else around you.
3 people found this helpful
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Angela Matson
4.0 out of 5 stars Better than I thought, but unfinished.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
The book started out slow, I thought it would be about Kat' s journey in accepting her mother's disappearance, but it ended up being more of a mystery. I loved the book but was really disappointed by how unfinished it felt. If you like a good mystery though I recommend this book, and if you like a book with a perfect fairytale ending then perhaps you should be looking for a different book.
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Sheree
2.0 out of 5 stars Tries too Hard
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022
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I get wanting to be lyrical. And sometimes the writer is able to create a powerful image with her words. And other times...the word choice leaves the reader scratching their heads. Example..."it tasted like something you'd find in a virgins mouth at the beach". Umm. Okay. The characters are not likeable. Not one of them. The ending is a let down.
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CO_Bradleys
3.0 out of 5 stars Not a huge plot, but ok.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2014
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This book was ok, not my favorite. The thing that kept me reading was wanting to know what happened to the mom. Besides that there really wasn't anything that kept me going. I wasn't wondering about anything else but the mom. It was very wordy and descriptive which can be good but in this case I didn't see the point in it because it didn't really have anything to do what happened to the mom. The ending was a little disappointing. It ends suddenly and there's not much explanation. Some people like those kinds of ending but it just wasn't for me!
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Jessica
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting dynamic
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2015
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Read this book after watching the movie. Loved both the book and the movie slough for once I actually prefer the movie lol normally I prefer the book. This is a good read though and the character dynamic is interesting. The emotions are raw and real and often put words to what many people are thinking but won't actually say.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book
Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
I loved this book. Loved the story, the writing and poetic flow. I picked this book because I seen on Ellen that there was a movie coming out by this name and figured ah just for the heck of it I'll see if there is a book. I have a thing about reading the book before seeing the movie whenever possible so I got it. Well now that I have read the book and enjoyed it I can't wait to see the movie too.
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D. Legare
4.0 out of 5 stars Univers glaçant
Reviewed in France on December 22, 2014
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Ambiance glacée dans ce roman de Laura Kasischke. D’habitude Laura Kasischke nous installe d’abord dans une ambiance de normalité avant de nous faire basculer petit à petit dans un monde où rien ne va plus. Ici, d’emblée, le décor est planté dans une famille dysfonctionnelle où la mère disparait par un après-midi très froid du mois de janvier.

J’ai du mal à résister à cette belle phrase d’introduction que je vous livre ‘in English’ car Laura Kasischke a du style, un très joli style :

“I am sixteen when my mother steps out of her skin one frozen January afternoon - pure self, atoms twinkling like microscopic diamond chips around her, perhaps the chiming of a clock, or a few bright flute notes in the distance - and disappears.
No one sees her leave, but she is gone.”

C’est à partir de cette phrase glaçante qu'elle nous fait découvrir l’univers familial d’une adolescente, Kat, qui se sent mal aimée par cette mère disparue qui n’avait de cesse de lui faire des remarques humiliantes. C’est une femme froide et sans amour que cette mère, qui tient une maison aseptisée et entretient des rapports aseptisés ou teintés de dégoût avec son mari. Kat, la fille un peu déboussolée, s’efforcera sans relâche de comprendre le pourquoi de cette disparition si soudaine et sans explication, tout en pansant ses blessures affectives.

Un Oiseau Blanc Dans Le Blizzard fait partie des ‘bons’ romans de Laura Kasischke qui nous livre parfois des œuvres inégales. Ici elle tisse un univers glacial, ou tout semble transi sous une fine couche de givre, que ce soient les personnages, leurs sentiments, la maison, ou ce qui les entoure à l’extérieur. L’évocation d’atmosphères très particulières constitue le point fort de Laura Kasischke, c’est là qu’elle excelle, et c’est à partir là qu’elle arrive à nous séduire et à nous entraîner jusqu’au bout du blizzard.
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Under Ether
5.0 out of 5 stars Memorable
Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2019
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Beautiful writing. Haunting and sad. I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
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