Cover Image: Goodbye Birdie Greenwing

Goodbye Birdie Greenwing

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is the first novel I’ve read by the author and I adored it.
It focuses on 4 characters on a Brighton street; Birdie who is lonely and grieving for her husband and sister, Jane and her daughter Frankie, recently arrived from Bristol and Ada a doctor from Poland. I loved all of the characters and the author portrays them with such insight, depth and compassion that I felt I knew them. This is such a beautifully written book, it made me laugh and cry and I felt bereft when I’d finished it.
Recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars

Was this review helpful?

Initially there were a lot of characters to wrap my head around and recall between each point of view chapter, but I soon adjusted and found them just so well developed and interesting to get to know. As a parent of a neurodivergent child I felt especially connected to Jane and Frankie, their relationship was beautiful to read. The trappings of loneliness that the characters all shared in many variations is a theme often explored recently in fiction, and I think because it's so indicative of how our society has evolved it's important to see this covered well. I felt uplifted and hopeful reading this book and then sad that it was over.

Was this review helpful?

This is everything and more in a book, it was funny and dark and heartwarming and gritty and emotional in parts. I absolutely loved it, I couldn’t put it down and raced through it wanting to know how it needed! I wasn’t do so though I wish I’d not read it so fast and savoured it more! A must read 5 stars!!

Was this review helpful?

"Goodbye Birdie Greenwing" is a touching tale of love and loss, The story revolves around the lives of three women who find their paths intertwined. Birdie, who has been struggling with loneliness after the loss of her twin sister and husband, her new neighbours Jane and her daughter Frankie, as well as oncologist, Ada. It’s a real emotional rollercoaster of a read that has moments of joy, sorrow, and hope. A read that will stay with you long after you finished it.

Was this review helpful?

Lovely, feel good story of finding love in unexpected places, following your heart and accepting people for who they are. Ada, Jane, Frankie , Birdie and Min will stay in my heart for a long time.

Was this review helpful?

I loved the author's debut so couldn't wait to get my hands on her much waited 2nd book. It did not disappoint. Packed with emotion and some strong female yet complicated characters, it was an interesting journey. This has some difficult subject matters but still feels like a book about hope and community rather than death, grief and loss highlighting the power of the collective,

This author is fantastic at the little details and creates vivid yet powerful images and descriptions. Its a real world.

I cant not comment on how much I adored the first and last chapter which frame this novel so perfectly. The advent calendar windows felt very Under Milk Wood like to me, and I liked the sleeping street before meeting the characters first hand at the beginning.

Adorable.

Was this review helpful?

What a beautiful little book I enjoyed it thoroughly. I’ve seen quite a lot of interest about it. Reep publication on book Twitter, and was delighted when I was approved to read
It on NetGalley UK.
This is a beautifully written, incredibly wild crafted novel that looks at the inhabitants of a single street in Brighton as they struggle with the individual issues and problems in their lives. Ultimately, finding that coming together as a community as supporting each other results in rewards that they could not have predicted.

Birdy is dying. She lives on her own, having lost her husband and beloved sister. She struggles to keep her own home going and this is compounded when she develops terminal cancer
The six months or so that it takes her from diagnosis to ultimately dying are enough time for her to influence her new neighbours and the Doctor Who gave her the diagnosis incredibly profoundly. The story is told from the point of view of these individual characters, and we learn more about their own backgrounds, and what puts them in the in their presence situation how they’ve become isolated and how they need to develop their own community or family.

The author has the ability to sharply observe, character traits and develop her characters in a in a totally believable fashion, you really feel you know these people and that you’ve met them before in your own lives. It’s the little things in life that often go on recorded that this author manages to so perfectly describe the minutia of daily life are seen in the pages of this book and again are instantly recognisable.

Given that the main character is dying, this book could’ve been a miserable experience to read however, it remains optimistic, and hopeful it is a joyous read.
As a medical professional myself, I recognised very clearly the description of all the Medical setting. I’ve definitely worked in hospitals with a WRVS shop that Wood precisely match the one described in the novel. likewise, I recognised the life of the consultant and the reasons why she has chosen this particular speciality are quite poignant.

Brighton is a great setting for a novel. Even if you’ve not been there you have a awareness of the area. This novel is very British.

I thoroughly recommend this novel to anyone who likes an emotional relationship based novel if you liked a man called Ove by Frederick Backman , a little, hope, by Ethan Joella, all the collected regrets of cloverby Mikki Brammer that then I think you would enjoy this novel. I think it’s going to go on my top breeds of the year so far list.

I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley, Uk the book is published in the UK on the 18th of April 2024 by random house, UK Transworld publishers.

This review will appear on NetGalley UKGoodreads and my book, blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon, UK

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book, such a lovely story. I loved the characters and how we got to know them better throughout the book and the story. Couldn't read it fast enough, and loved the ending.

Was this review helpful?

A tale of a lonely old lady who is diagnosed with cancer; an oncologist lady Dr, and a single mother and daughter. These characters at first are shown in a sad light, unhappy with their lot, but pushing through. However, events unfold and the cancer patient finds new friends in the unlikeliest of places, the hospital canteen. The oncologist finds that all work and no play is not good. The single mother and child move into the same street as these two characters and a friendship is made through accidents and rescues of neighbours. Neighbours and warm hearted people helping each other in difficult times, showing how reaching out to people helps not just those in immediate need but also the ones helping.

Was this review helpful?

This book is so easy to get into and follows three main characters - Birdie is a widow, Ada is a Polish oncologist and Jane, a single Mum of Frankie who is neuro-diverse. We follow Birdie and find out about her past life with her husband Arthur and her twin sister Rose, both sadly no longer with us. Ada is Birdie's oncologist, someone who wants to heal and who moved to England so her patients would be anonymous to her. Finally, we meet Jane, a nurse, and her daughter Frankie who move in next to Birdie. All live in Brighton and we follow how all of their lives intercept but also, about their pasts too. This really is such a good book and from the beginning you are invested in the daily lives of all of the characters and their relationships. . Again, this was a book that I couldn't put down but didn't really want to finish it either. I loved it, the happy parts, the sad parts, the funny parts and the surprising parts. A great book and I'll definitely read this author again. Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book and I would like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for letting me have a copy.

I love a book with strong female characters and one that makes you laugh and cry. This book does just that. Similar to Dog Days there are some sad moments but some real laugh out loud ones too.

Great read.

Was this review helpful?

The story follows not only Birdie, but a number of other women in Brighton through their lives and how they cope, with strong themes of loneliness and grief, amongst others.
I grew really attached to the characters and their lives - I also enjoyed that even the characters that weren't 'main' characters still played an important role in the story.
A beautiful story about human connection with strong character development.

Was this review helpful?

Sometimes you wish there was an option to give more than five stars and this is a case in point. A gorgeous, addictive and absorbing novel following a wonderfully quirky cast of characters. It's unusual to invested in so many at a time but I was rooting for them all from the start. Funny, sad, moving, heartwarming, heartbreaking. This is a truly glorious novel and I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough.

Was this review helpful?

A beautiful, brilliant read. So brilliant that I’m recommending this to my book club as their May book choice. Full review will be posted on Amazon.

Was this review helpful?

I adored Ericka’s first book Dog Days so I was so excited to be able to read this one.
As always the characters were a mixing pot of different human beings with lives that crossed paths in various ways.
I loved how the lonely souls come across a (sometimes prickly ) character who show they have kindness beneath the tough exterior.
I loved the Polish theme running through Ada’s storyline and wish I could have visited the Polish store where her friends Alecksey and Lech worked as I endeared to their mosaic characters and it sounded so warm and comforting.
The main protagonist Birdie has a heartbreaking diagnosis but after years of loneliness she finds her support blanket in some of Ericka’s other characters.
This book broke my heart then put it back together with human kindness.mA wonderful read.

Was this review helpful?

A poignant and thought provoking novel by Ericka Waller.

The storyline has a thread of loneliness running through it: romantic loneliness, familial loneliness, friendships. Even the loneliness of the neighbourhood watch lady.

Birdie is lonely and sad. Then she meets her new neighbours, Jane and Frankie and her life starts to improve. With Birdie at the centre, other characters are drawn in and the circle widens.

It is a poignant story and I really liked the characters, though I didn’t love the book.

I would still recommend it for a holiday read.

Was this review helpful?

I always love a book set in Brighton and Hove. I also love a book about women and their friendships. Goodbye Birdie Greenwing did not disappoint on either front. I really liked the three women, all at different stages in their lives, who live on the same street and who become friends, by accident of geography and life events.

As well as the three main characters, the supporting 'cast' were really entertaining, with the teenage Frankie definitely my favourite, (a well written neuro-diverse teenager always gets a big tick from me) closely followed by Lech and Alekset in the Polski Sklep. But then there was Connie and her mugs at the hospital cafe. On reflection, there are too many stars to chose an absolute favourite.

I have no hesitation in recommending this lovely book to all ages and to anyone who wants a book that is heartwarming, relatable, and hard to put down. You won't regret it.
.

Was this review helpful?

Oh this is such a lovely book. It covers the end of life for Birdie Greenwing. You would expect this to be a sombre tale but it isn’t- with beautifully written characters this is a brilliant story of women supporting women and all of their quirks and I loved every minute of it,

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

So I almost lost the run of myself on a train into London as I read the end of this wonderful novel. Funny, moving, with characters you can’t help but fall in love with, this is a very emotional, yet hopeful read. It’s beautifully written and the characterisation is off the scale. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I am never going to forget Birdie and all of these fabulous fierce characters. Ericka has again created a world whereby we all are represented and we all matter and we all care. I will treasure this book forever, I cried I laughed I cheered I whooped and I cried some more. A beautiful, beautiful book a fantastic story I can’t wait to press it into everyone’s hands and say go Birdie go! I’m going to miss them all, my heart is broken, but I’m so happy I got to meet them all.

Was this review helpful?