The Gravity of Birds

A Novel

By: Tracy Guzeman

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

A debut novel already destined to be a book club favorite. “With its deft interweaving of psychological complexity and riveting narrative momentum, with its gorgeous prose and poetic justice, The Gravity of Birds is about sibling rivalry, tragedies, and resurrections. And it’s irresistibly exquisite” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Forty-four years after the brilliant young painter, Thomas Bayber, first meets Alice and Natalie Kessler, Bayber unveils a never-before-seen work, Kessler Sisters—a provocative painting depicting the young Thomas, Alice, and Natalie. Bayber asks Dennis Finch, an art history professor, and Stephen Jameson, an eccentric young art authenticator, to sell the painting. But their task becomes more complicated when the artist requires that they first locate Alice and Natalie, who seem to have disappeared.

Told in alternating chapters that weave revelations about the sisters’ past with clues Finch and Jameson discover in the present, this story sets three characters on a collision course with their histories, showing how families tear themselves apart and then try to bind themselves together again, not always creating the same fabric. The Gravity of Birds “combines the drama of warring sisters, the mystery of a missing painting, and the sorrow of lost love into a haunting elegy that will…leave you breathless” (Tiffany Baker, author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County).

Not for me

I just could not get into this book. I have no idea why, it just wasn’t for me

Beginning to end

it captured & held my attention. Hated to turn it off. A must read! Enjoyed it thoroughly!

Beautiful Prose With Plot Problems

Guzeman's writing was lyrical, Cassandra Campbell's narration was lovely, and the plot was interesting. But this novel was very depressing...a treatise on how one woman's evil destroyed the lives around her. There was great inconsistency and naivete in the actions of the characters which made the story seem less believable. I think a better editor could have taken this novel to the next level.

Very Pretty but Left Me Wanting

There was so much I enjoyed about this novel, the prose, the characters, the story concept, the build up. But even though there was obviously a great story to be told, I was left feeling flat. I don't want to give anything away because like I said the concept was excellent but the story in the end just didn't deliver for me. These people did vile, despicable, horrible things to each other but there was not true explanation to the why's and the hows. And the climax of the story? Was completely anticlimactic because for some reason, none of the surviving characters could bring themselves to show they cared one way or the other. I've never met a bigger group of dispassionate people in my life. I suspect the author shied away form the natural intense emotion expected and instead relied on birdwatching archetypes and milquetoast characters.
I mean seriously, there's this BIG, HUGE revelation that should have blown the roof off the entire novel and all of the characters involved are like, "Ho hum, who cares, let's have lunch."
It was a wholly unsatisfying experience. I found that unfortunate because I really, really wanted to like this book.

One Of Five Best Books Ever

Amazing, heartfelt novel . Love , jealously , loss , revenge & healing . Love this & highly recommend it . Hope it has a sequel .