Probably one of the best books I've read this year, The Gravity of Birds reads like a mystery, with a tense forward momentum that will keep you turning pages all night long. The plot is riveting, featuring everything from a pair of squabbling sisters with dark secrets from their past to truly lush romantic scenes between unlikely partners. But the thing that truly sets The Gravity of Birds apart is the language, which is so lush and sensual that you will feel like you're experiencing everything from the rain on your skin to the miracle of watching birds in flight. I ran out of a book while in NYC. Did you know it is impossible to find a book in New York? We drove up to Boston and ferried out to Martha's vineyard where I finally found a darling book store called Bunch of Grapes. Thrilled that I finally found a book store I started perusing through the shelves when I came upon a book with a beautiful cover. Not usually buying a book because of it's cover, I picked it up and scanned through making sure it didn't have a bunch of bad words etc. When I took it up to the register I asked the clerk if she had read "The Gravity of Birds". She said she had not, nor had she spoken with anyone who had read it. It was the author's first novel. What the heck - I thought I'd give it a chance and purchased the book. After a 3 or 4 page slow start, I was hooked and loved every single page, the writing style and most of all the story. I was sad to see it end ... and would have ended it a little differently but it was there, the last page, to leave the rest to the reader's own thoughts and imagination. I hope Tracy Guzman keeps on writing and I will watch for her next book with eager anticipation.
