Harare Review of Books

384 pages.

Expected publication date: 12 Oct 2021.

Finished reading on 13 May 2021.

Genre: Fiction.

Blurb: Louise Erdrich meets Karen Russell in this deliciously strange and daringly original novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Margaret Verble: set in 1926 Nashville, it follows a death-defying young Cherokee horse-diver who, with her companions from the Glendale Park Zoo, must get to the bottom of a mystery that spans centuries. 
 

Two Feathers, a young Cherokee horse-diver on loan to Glendale Park Zoo from a Wild West show, is determined to find her own way in the world. Two’s closest friend at Glendale is Hank Crawford, who loves horses almost as much as she does. He is part of a high-achieving, land-owning Black family. Neither Two nor Hank fit easily into the highly segregated society of 1920s Nashville.

When disaster strikes during one of Two’s shows, strange things start to happen at the park. Vestiges of the ancient past begin to surface, apparitions appear, and then the hippo falls mysteriously ill. At the same time, Two dodges her unsettling, lurking admirer and bonds with Clive, Glendale’s zookeeper and a World War I veteran, who is haunted—literally—by horrific memories of war. To get to the bottom of it, an eclectic cast of park performers, employees, and even the wealthy stakeholders must come together, making When Two Feathers Fell from the Sky an unforgettable and irresistible tale of exotic animals, lingering spirits, and unexpected friendship.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this ARC.

Delightful! And unexpected. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to tell you this is a ghost story, set in 1920s Nashville. Two Feathers is the main protagonist, a well-thought out and well-developed character. I found that I didn’t like her so much in the end, but that doesn’t really matter.

I winced a bit each time there was a treatment of race (black or Indian/Native), but enjoyed the development of all the characters, and the trajectory of the plot. I loved the ghost story, although the main ghost was a portrayed as a bit of a clown, and that felt like a bit of a let-down (I rhymed there, did you see?)

Overall, would recommend this unusual story.

Rated: 7/10.