Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin – a Review

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Description:
Frankie O’Neill and Anne Ryan would seem to have nothing in common. Frankie is a lonely ornithologist struggling to salvage her dissertation on the spotted owl following a rift with her advisor. Anne is an Irish musician far from home and family, raising her five-year-old, Aiden, who refuses to speak.

At Beauty Bay, a community of summer homes nestled on the shores of June Lake, in the remote foothills of Mount Adams, it’s off-season with most houses shuttered for the fall. But Frankie, adrift, returns to the rundown caretaker’s cottage that has been in the hardworking O’Neill family for generations—a beloved place and a constant reminder of the family she has lost. And Anne, in the wake of a tragedy that has disrupted her career and silenced her music, has fled to the neighboring house, a showy summer home owned by her husband’s wealthy family.

When Frankie finds an injured baby crow in the forest, little does she realize that the charming bird will bring all three lost souls—Frankie, Anne, and Aiden—together on a journey toward hope, healing, and rediscovering joy. Crow Talk is an achingly beautiful story of love, grief, friendship, and the healing power of nature in the darkest of times.

Review:

Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin is a heartwarming standalone novel. This story revolves around two women, Frankie O’Neill and Anne Magnuson, and Anne’s young autistic son, Aiden. Frankie returns to Beauty Bay, a remote island on the shores of June Lake, where her family lived in a caretaker cottage; with most houses are closed for the off season. Frankie is determined to work on her master’s thesis, with having a dismissive and non-helpful advisor, as well as still grieving the death of her beloved father. Anne and her husband, Tim are staying for a while at the family mansion on the hill temporarily, with their five-year old son, Aiden; who refuses to speak.  Anne is an Irish musician, and has not been able to resume her music, especially after losing her best friend to an accident.

Frankie rescues a baby crow, and slowly brings him back to health. When Aiden walks into Frankie’s house, though he is mute, he feels comfortable with Frankie; especially when Anne finds him in Frankie’s place.   Aiden is very interested in the baby crow, who is now called Charlie Crow.  In a short time, Frankie strikes a friendship with Anne, as well as Aiden. The story does revolve around crows, and Frankie’s dissertation is part of her study on crows. I really loved Charlie Crow, especially when Frankie fed him, and got him healthy again; and when he was freed, he would talk up on the branches in his own language.

Anne and Tim do everything in their power to keep Aiden content and loving, even though he does not talk. However, Anne’s in-laws interfere with their lives, as they constantly try to force him to talk.  When Tim is offered to take over the company, his family decides that Aiden needs to be put away to a facility for those autistic; much to Anne’s horror. At first Tim agrees, since he will be very busy with the new job, but when an accident happens, and everyone in town, including Frankie try to find the missing Anne. It was a very emotional time, with Aiden finding his way back. Anne and Frankie both had their own issues, but they ended up with a close friendship.

What follows is a story of three main characters, with anxiety and grieving issues, who in time bond together to help each other heal. A wonderful story of hope, healing, friendship, and the healing power of rediscovering life. I did like all of our three main characters, as well the wonderful secondary characters we meet along the way. Crow Talk was very well written by Eileen Garvin.  This was a heartwarming, poignant, emotional story of friendship and healing.  I suggest you read this beautiful wonderful story.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher