The bond between a mother and her child is powerful. In times of war, what will a mother to do protect her child?
The Yellow Bird Sings: A Novel was published last week.
Written by Jennifer Rosner, the novel is set in Poland during World War II. Róza and her 5-year-old daughter, Shira, are hiding in a barn owned by their Christian neighbors. Her husband, parents and the rest of the town’s Jews have all disappeared. To keep her daughter quiet and calm, Róza tells her the story of a yellow bird. The story works, but not forever.
Soon, Róza must make a choice. Keep Shira with her or send her away with strangers to give her a chance to survive.
This book hits all of the emotional and narrative points that is standard for the genre. However, it did not tough me in a way that other books in the genre do. I wanted to feel the tension as to whether both characters would survive and find their way back to each other. Unfortunately, I did not.
Do I recommend it? Maybe.
Writergurlny 