An interest retelling of the Orpheus legend. It is written in a hauntingly beautiful style. It contains friendship and love that is fragile. It is tragic and sad yet a beautifully evocative read.

I recently bought a new kindle after my old one broke. For some reason I was unable to download this title from the cloud onto my kindle, therefore I will be unable to review this title. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused

Unfortunately this book did not capture my attention and I did not connect with the characters. Maybe it was the mood I was in at the time, maybe it was just not my personal taste. This is not the first time however that I did not enjoy a David Almond book. I feel that his writing feels disjointed and did not build the bridge between reader and characters.

Claire and Ella Grey are inseparable best friends (and maybe something more). Then on a trip to the beach they meet the mysterious Orpheus who can charm the birds and beasts with his music. Orpheus has eyes for no one but Ella, and she is instantly smitten as well. But their love story is a tragic one, and Claire is the only one left to tell it.

A Song for Ella Grey reads like a fairy tale or maybe a dream. It's as if the reader is seeing it all through a haze. I'm not sure quite what to make of David Almond's story. It seemed to straddle two worlds at all points--both modern and mythic--and I think I would have liked to see a more modern take on this ancient tale.

Such an interesting concept. Totally something I'd recommend to my students.