THE BIRDS ON THE TREES

by Nina Bawden ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 5, 1971

The modest and moderating virtues of Nina Bawden's novels can easily be demonstrated by her earlier titles, The Grain of Truth, or A Little Love, A Little Learning -- there are always mothers and husbands and wives and children who are forced to assess and revise their interpersonal sets. The bird charmer of the title is Toby, eldest son of Maggie and Charlie, who is gentle and quiet. . . too quiet now that he's withdrawn altogether (heroin? schizophrenia?). Backtracking (and sometimes sidetracking the reader in a somewhat disruptive fashion) this deals with the effect of Toby's illness on all the members of the family when just ""behaving naturally"" becomes a forced brightness to overcome awkward silences. While Lucy, Toby's sister, feels altogether excluded and unwanted. But their grandmother Sara (whose earlier loss of a son is remembered as a source of retaliation against rather than concern for her daughter) ultimately shows a native granny-woman sense. This reclaims Toby where parental and professional help fails. . . . Miss Bawden, in her wise attribution of guilt and dispersion of sympathy, accommodates here, adjusts there, and makes a tentative coexistence possible, one that permits a little hope. And, as always, she's an accomplished pleasure to read.

Pub Date: May 5, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1971

Categories: FICTION