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The Language of the Birds: A Novel
A gifted but idiosyncratic teenager must unlock fiendish puzzles, pore through occult texts, and unearth buried clues—all while reckoning with the outside world in ways she never has before—as she pursues an ancient secret in this brainteasing, YA/adult conspiracy thriller.
When Arizona learns her mother’s been kidnapped and finds a cryptic test accompanying the ransom note, she has no idea that she’s just been enlisted in a treasure hunt, on the trail of an occult, centuries-old secret her father supposedly took to his grave. And if the prize at the end is real, it could shake the world.
Following a trail of cryptic clues across the remote American West, Arizona must use her unique skills and confront her greatest fears, all while staying one step ahead of those working against her as she races toward the dark and dangerous secret that is The Language of the Birds.
“A wondrous unstoppable read, knitted with bookish ciphers and puzzles, alchemy and poetics, all starring a brave, funny, unfiltered young woman whose differences are her greatest gifts—and the keys to deciphering some very dark secrets.”—Matthew Sullivan, bestselling author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“A high-stakes treasure hunt and an intricate puzzle box of a novel filled with hope, history, and all kinds of heart.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
When Arizona learns her mother’s been kidnapped and finds a cryptic test accompanying the ransom note, she has no idea that she’s just been enlisted in a treasure hunt, on the trail of an occult, centuries-old secret her father supposedly took to his grave. And if the prize at the end is real, it could shake the world.
Following a trail of cryptic clues across the remote American West, Arizona must use her unique skills and confront her greatest fears, all while staying one step ahead of those working against her as she races toward the dark and dangerous secret that is The Language of the Birds.
“A wondrous unstoppable read, knitted with bookish ciphers and puzzles, alchemy and poetics, all starring a brave, funny, unfiltered young woman whose differences are her greatest gifts—and the keys to deciphering some very dark secrets.”—Matthew Sullivan, bestselling author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“A high-stakes treasure hunt and an intricate puzzle box of a novel filled with hope, history, and all kinds of heart.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
33 people are currently reading
13888 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Merson
1 book46 followersK.A. Merson is a vaguely reclusive writer who lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, along with a brilliant artist, a malevolent dog, and an Airstream trailer. For more details, visit https://kamersonbooks.com/about.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
November 10, 2024
To be honest, it’s really hard for me to rate this book, because I don’t think I am it’s target audience. If I was rating it for myself, I would put 2 stars, but I am rounding up because I think this author is super intelligent and will appeal to the right reader.
This book would be for a young adult reader that enjoys solving high level puzzles. The themes are young adult, but the content is full of puzzles and riddles that she is trying to figure out to save her mother who is missing.
It reminded me somewhat of a goonies vibe with the puzzles, but it was missing the funny vibe that usually goes along with these types of stories.
I was gifted this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but I do not feel I was the target audience for this.
This book would be for a young adult reader that enjoys solving high level puzzles. The themes are young adult, but the content is full of puzzles and riddles that she is trying to figure out to save her mother who is missing.
It reminded me somewhat of a goonies vibe with the puzzles, but it was missing the funny vibe that usually goes along with these types of stories.
I was gifted this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but I do not feel I was the target audience for this.
May 19, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and RHPG Ballantine for the pre-release copy of The Language of the Birds by K.A. Merson. Below you'll find my honest review.
I'm gonna be honest - I love a good treasure hunt story. National Treasure? Yeah, saw it in theaters multiple times. Most of Dan Brown's novels, like Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code? Love. Indiana Jones? My favorite is the Last Crusade.
I absolutely adore the whole "let's solve puzzles and ciphers and riddles as we move along the hunt for a treasure or a place" trope. And this one did it so well!
Firmly in the YA genre, this one has the young MC follow a trail of ciphers and clues at the demand of some baddies who have kidnapped her mom. She's definitely a unique heroine, as she falls on the spectrum of autism/neurodivergence. As someone who is also neurodivergent, it was refreshing to see a character written so genuinely, who struggles with their differences as both a strength in some situations and a hindrance in others, but begins to learn the ways she can interact with the world on her own terms.
As far as the puzzles go, they were so much fun! The ciphers were interesting to read about, and we get to see Arizona's process documented as she thinks through and solves them. There are also plenty of visual references, which were amazingly helpful. And all the history of alchemy and Herbert Hoover was very cool to read about.
All in all, I absolutely adored this book. I will warn you - there's a bit of a scare with the dog, for those of you who need trigger warnings.
Highly recommended for fans of treasure hunts, YA, fun puzzle adventures with historical references, and neurodivergent representation. Five stars.
I'm gonna be honest - I love a good treasure hunt story. National Treasure? Yeah, saw it in theaters multiple times. Most of Dan Brown's novels, like Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code? Love. Indiana Jones? My favorite is the Last Crusade.
I absolutely adore the whole "let's solve puzzles and ciphers and riddles as we move along the hunt for a treasure or a place" trope. And this one did it so well!
Firmly in the YA genre, this one has the young MC follow a trail of ciphers and clues at the demand of some baddies who have kidnapped her mom. She's definitely a unique heroine, as she falls on the spectrum of autism/neurodivergence. As someone who is also neurodivergent, it was refreshing to see a character written so genuinely, who struggles with their differences as both a strength in some situations and a hindrance in others, but begins to learn the ways she can interact with the world on her own terms.
As far as the puzzles go, they were so much fun! The ciphers were interesting to read about, and we get to see Arizona's process documented as she thinks through and solves them. There are also plenty of visual references, which were amazingly helpful. And all the history of alchemy and Herbert Hoover was very cool to read about.
All in all, I absolutely adored this book. I will warn you - there's a bit of a scare with the dog, for those of you who need trigger warnings.
Highly recommended for fans of treasure hunts, YA, fun puzzle adventures with historical references, and neurodivergent representation. Five stars.
May 14, 2025
This debut fictional mystery novel intrigued me and bored me in equal measure. I was also unsure if this was supposed to be for adults or does it fall into the category of YA. The young protagonist seemed to straddle the worlds between adult, and angst-ridden teenager who was also a math genius.
Following the recent death of her father under unusual circumstances, seventeen-year-old Arizona is now on a hunt to find her mother who has been kidnapped. The kidnappers contact Arizona to let her know that she must solve some complex puzzles for them in order to save her mother. With the help of Wikipedia, computer search engines, and her penchant for solving puzzles, Arizona is lead on a quest to find a hidden Secret, resolve questions surrounding her father's death, and save her mother. (That's the intriguing part.)
Chasing around Nevada in an Airstream and a motorcycle with a sidecar for her dog, Mojo, it all becomes one big elaborate jigsaw puzzle. However, Arizona is extremely bright. She uses frequency analysis, arithmetic computations, GPS coordinates, and decryption methods to solve the kidnapper's cipher. (That was the boring part.) I was almost ready to give up on this story halfway through, but things eventually smoothed out some and I'm glad that I stuck it out until the end.
It reminded me a little of the book/movie The DaVinci Code and or the action-adventure film National Treasure.
Readers who love mysteries with complicated puzzles that go way beyond Wordle or Waffle or the NY Times Crossword, may want to try and unlock the secrets of The Language of the Birds.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Following the recent death of her father under unusual circumstances, seventeen-year-old Arizona is now on a hunt to find her mother who has been kidnapped. The kidnappers contact Arizona to let her know that she must solve some complex puzzles for them in order to save her mother. With the help of Wikipedia, computer search engines, and her penchant for solving puzzles, Arizona is lead on a quest to find a hidden Secret, resolve questions surrounding her father's death, and save her mother. (That's the intriguing part.)
Chasing around Nevada in an Airstream and a motorcycle with a sidecar for her dog, Mojo, it all becomes one big elaborate jigsaw puzzle. However, Arizona is extremely bright. She uses frequency analysis, arithmetic computations, GPS coordinates, and decryption methods to solve the kidnapper's cipher. (That was the boring part.) I was almost ready to give up on this story halfway through, but things eventually smoothed out some and I'm glad that I stuck it out until the end.
It reminded me a little of the book/movie The DaVinci Code and or the action-adventure film National Treasure.
Readers who love mysteries with complicated puzzles that go way beyond Wordle or Waffle or the NY Times Crossword, may want to try and unlock the secrets of The Language of the Birds.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2025
The summary caught my attention because I enjoy a good mystery/thriller, and a teenager solving her mother's disappearance during a family trip appealed to me.
Arizona is an intelligent teenager traveling with her mother on a family trip when her mother goes missing. Initially, she isn't worried until their airstream is ransacked and an ominous note is left behind. Arizona's mother was kidnapped due to a secret her father took to the grave, and she must uncover the secret before her mother can be returned. Arizona is not your typical teenager; she is more comfortable with books than with people and has extraordinary fondness for puzzles, codes, and riddles. Arizona sets off with her dog Mojo to find her mother on her own terms. Using a cipher, she cracks codes and pores over ancient texts to uncover mysteries hidden in plain sight. She races to stay ahead of her adversaries while uncovering family secrets and learning that she is stronger than she thinks.
The plot was intriguing, and I enjoyed how this brilliant teenager could solve what the kidnappers couldn't. However, I wanted to stop reading quite early into the book, as it felt like a chore to get through. I love a good mystery, trying to solve it, and anticipating the ending, but this was too cerebral for me. I understand that this is Arizona's thing and necessary for the plot to watch her pore over riddles and codes, but instead of enhancing the story, it became the story and ruined it for me. I felt exhausted reading pages and pages of codes; it was just too much. Her genius could have been shown and appreciated without dragging us "mundanes" through the ringer, but if you enjoy codes and ciphers, you will likely love this.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Arizona is an intelligent teenager traveling with her mother on a family trip when her mother goes missing. Initially, she isn't worried until their airstream is ransacked and an ominous note is left behind. Arizona's mother was kidnapped due to a secret her father took to the grave, and she must uncover the secret before her mother can be returned. Arizona is not your typical teenager; she is more comfortable with books than with people and has extraordinary fondness for puzzles, codes, and riddles. Arizona sets off with her dog Mojo to find her mother on her own terms. Using a cipher, she cracks codes and pores over ancient texts to uncover mysteries hidden in plain sight. She races to stay ahead of her adversaries while uncovering family secrets and learning that she is stronger than she thinks.
The plot was intriguing, and I enjoyed how this brilliant teenager could solve what the kidnappers couldn't. However, I wanted to stop reading quite early into the book, as it felt like a chore to get through. I love a good mystery, trying to solve it, and anticipating the ending, but this was too cerebral for me. I understand that this is Arizona's thing and necessary for the plot to watch her pore over riddles and codes, but instead of enhancing the story, it became the story and ruined it for me. I felt exhausted reading pages and pages of codes; it was just too much. Her genius could have been shown and appreciated without dragging us "mundanes" through the ringer, but if you enjoy codes and ciphers, you will likely love this.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 16, 2025
A puzzling mystery filled with treasure hunts, codes and ciphers. No spoilers here but the story revolves around Arizona, a brilliant neurodivergent teen who must solve these puzzles to save her Mom.
The primary characters are engaging and ones you will root for. The plot is both fun and intellectually stimulating, and readers who enjoy solving challenging puzzles and alchemy will really appreciate what this debut novel from K.A. Merson has to offer.
Rate this a 3.5 but rounded up since half stars aren't an option on GRs.
Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
The primary characters are engaging and ones you will root for. The plot is both fun and intellectually stimulating, and readers who enjoy solving challenging puzzles and alchemy will really appreciate what this debut novel from K.A. Merson has to offer.
Rate this a 3.5 but rounded up since half stars aren't an option on GRs.
Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2024
Wow; I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Arizona is truly a determined and extremely intelligent girl. Solving the puzzles and ciphers was wild to watch unfold. Gave me DaVinci Code/Natural Treasures vibe the hunt for ancient things that were hidden. I loved that she stepped outside of her comfort zone and made some friends along the way. Such a fantastic journey, written so well you feel a part of it!
I received this ARC from Random House / Ballatine Books to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from Random House / Ballatine Books to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
May 15, 2025
If you cross National Treasure with a coming-of-age road trip and throw in a dog named Mojo riding shotgun in a motorcycle sidecar, you’ll start to get a sense of The Language of the Birds. It’s a debut that’s unafraid to be smart, strange, and deeply specific—in all the best ways.
Arizona is not your average teen heroine. She’s a puzzle-obsessed, socially awkward girl who’d rather decode a cipher than talk to an actual human being. So when her mom is kidnapped and the ransom is solving a trail of clues, Arizona doesn’t panic. She grabs her dog, hooks up the Airstream, and follows the clues straight into the Sierra Nevada wilderness. Because of course there’s a centuries-old secret buried in American history.
I loved Arizona. She's sharp, eccentric, and fully her own person. The story doesn't flatten her edges—she’s difficult and brilliant, sometimes frustrating, always interesting. Watching her navigate the world solo, solving riddles that tie into forgotten bits of U.S. history, was unexpectedly moving. There's something really satisfying about a character who starts out believing she doesn’t need anyone, and slowly starts to realize that connection isn’t weakness.
There are lots of puzzles. Some of them are so intricate you can’t help but admire the architecture of them, even as you’re completely lost. I gave up trying to solve most of them and just let Arizona do the work. At times they slowed the story down for me—if you’re the kind of reader who wants to be in the puzzle, not just observing it, that might frustrate you. But I stayed in it for Arizona, for the weird historical tangents, and for the thrill of following someone this smart into the unknown.
Also, Mojo is a perfect fictional dog. No debate.
K.A. Merson's prose feels both tightly plotted and totally offbeat. It’s not an easy balance, but it works. I wasn’t just reading to find out what happened next—I was reading because I wanted to see how Arizona would handle whatever came next. The Language of the Birds is clever, bold, and refreshingly original, with a protagonist who sticks with you long after the last page. While some of the puzzles teeter on the edge of overcomplication, the emotional core—Arizona’s evolution, her bond with Mojo, and the strange, beautiful path she walks to reclaim her family—makes the journey more than worth it. This is a debut that dares to be different, and for the most part, pulls it off.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advance readers copy for review.
Arizona is not your average teen heroine. She’s a puzzle-obsessed, socially awkward girl who’d rather decode a cipher than talk to an actual human being. So when her mom is kidnapped and the ransom is solving a trail of clues, Arizona doesn’t panic. She grabs her dog, hooks up the Airstream, and follows the clues straight into the Sierra Nevada wilderness. Because of course there’s a centuries-old secret buried in American history.
I loved Arizona. She's sharp, eccentric, and fully her own person. The story doesn't flatten her edges—she’s difficult and brilliant, sometimes frustrating, always interesting. Watching her navigate the world solo, solving riddles that tie into forgotten bits of U.S. history, was unexpectedly moving. There's something really satisfying about a character who starts out believing she doesn’t need anyone, and slowly starts to realize that connection isn’t weakness.
There are lots of puzzles. Some of them are so intricate you can’t help but admire the architecture of them, even as you’re completely lost. I gave up trying to solve most of them and just let Arizona do the work. At times they slowed the story down for me—if you’re the kind of reader who wants to be in the puzzle, not just observing it, that might frustrate you. But I stayed in it for Arizona, for the weird historical tangents, and for the thrill of following someone this smart into the unknown.
Also, Mojo is a perfect fictional dog. No debate.
K.A. Merson's prose feels both tightly plotted and totally offbeat. It’s not an easy balance, but it works. I wasn’t just reading to find out what happened next—I was reading because I wanted to see how Arizona would handle whatever came next. The Language of the Birds is clever, bold, and refreshingly original, with a protagonist who sticks with you long after the last page. While some of the puzzles teeter on the edge of overcomplication, the emotional core—Arizona’s evolution, her bond with Mojo, and the strange, beautiful path she walks to reclaim her family—makes the journey more than worth it. This is a debut that dares to be different, and for the most part, pulls it off.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advance readers copy for review.
Read
February 25, 2025This young adult thriller follows 17-year-old Arizona, who, withmher dog Mojo, must solve a lot of puzzles in order to free her kidnapped mom when the two go on a road trip to spread her father’s ashes.
The author does a good job with Arizona, who is on the spectrum (and the kidnappers know it, and attempt to make a weakness of her strengths), and who has to solve a series of puzzles in order to spring her mom.
Basically, if you like puzzles, you're sure to like this book. Puzzles take up the majority of the pages. If you want more plot with friends and social engagement, and thriller action, you might check out a chapter or two before deciding.
The author does a good job with Arizona, who is on the spectrum (and the kidnappers know it, and attempt to make a weakness of her strengths), and who has to solve a series of puzzles in order to spring her mom.
Basically, if you like puzzles, you're sure to like this book. Puzzles take up the majority of the pages. If you want more plot with friends and social engagement, and thriller action, you might check out a chapter or two before deciding.
March 11, 2025
Wow! This turned out to be far more intricate than I anticipated. It’s packed with cryptograms, riddles, and a mystery woven from history. I absolutely loved the main character, Arizona—she was refreshingly unique, and I really appreciated how the author brought her to life. It didn’t take long before I was rooting for her.
While I enjoyed the premise of the story and the geographical journey it took me on, I quickly realized I wasn’t quite prepared for the complexity of the puzzle-solving. At times, I felt weighed down by the detailed decoding Arizona worked through. However, whenever the story shifted away from the ciphers, I was drawn back in. The ending delivered some great surprises, and Arizona’s character development was so compelling that I’d love to read more about her—ideally in a slightly less complex adventure next time!
Single POV
Not a romance
Triggers
While I enjoyed the premise of the story and the geographical journey it took me on, I quickly realized I wasn’t quite prepared for the complexity of the puzzle-solving. At times, I felt weighed down by the detailed decoding Arizona worked through. However, whenever the story shifted away from the ciphers, I was drawn back in. The ending delivered some great surprises, and Arizona’s character development was so compelling that I’d love to read more about her—ideally in a slightly less complex adventure next time!
Single POV
Not a romance
Triggers
November 3, 2024
This is an impressive debut by an author who cites the following influences: Andy Weir for showing that science and math writing can be accessible, Blake Crouch for demonstrating how genres can be blended and bent seamlessly, Steig Larsson for writing an inspirational heroine, and Stephen King for inspiring others to make a serious effort at writing.
Arizona is a neurodivergent seventeen year old traveling with her mother to spread her recently-deceased father’s ashes in some of the places he loved. After her mother goes missing at Bodie State Historic Park in California, Arizona receives a phone call from a stranger - he is part of a group that has her mother, is familiar with Arizona’s idiosyncrasies, and demands that she help them solve a cryptic puzzle if she wants to see her mother returned safely. But how do they know this about her, and how is the group that kidnapped her mother tied to her late father?
There were flavors of The Davinci Code in this story, as Arizona works her way through multiple puzzles using ciphers and all sorts of logic exercises with which I can’t pretend to be familiar. There are a lot of diagrams and maps in this book, as we follow Arizona and her dog Mojo along on this high-stakes adventure. Did I skim over many of the parts trying to explain how she figured out what the encrypted messages and riddles meant (fractals, Euclidean space, monoalphabetic substitution ciphers, frequency analyses)? You bet. Did I get a kick out of the story featuring the history of alchemy and U.S. history and geography anyway? Heck yeah!
This books tells a smart puzzle-filled adventure of a story while also showing us personal growth in Arizona as she learns a bit more about learning to trust people enough to form relationships, and that emotions can’t be dealt with in the same way as mathematical equations. On display is the author’s own love of historical mysteries, literature, and even topography/U.S. geography and an outdoor/nomadic lifestyle. Well done!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books of Penguin Random House publishing for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Arizona is a neurodivergent seventeen year old traveling with her mother to spread her recently-deceased father’s ashes in some of the places he loved. After her mother goes missing at Bodie State Historic Park in California, Arizona receives a phone call from a stranger - he is part of a group that has her mother, is familiar with Arizona’s idiosyncrasies, and demands that she help them solve a cryptic puzzle if she wants to see her mother returned safely. But how do they know this about her, and how is the group that kidnapped her mother tied to her late father?
There were flavors of The Davinci Code in this story, as Arizona works her way through multiple puzzles using ciphers and all sorts of logic exercises with which I can’t pretend to be familiar. There are a lot of diagrams and maps in this book, as we follow Arizona and her dog Mojo along on this high-stakes adventure. Did I skim over many of the parts trying to explain how she figured out what the encrypted messages and riddles meant (fractals, Euclidean space, monoalphabetic substitution ciphers, frequency analyses)? You bet. Did I get a kick out of the story featuring the history of alchemy and U.S. history and geography anyway? Heck yeah!
This books tells a smart puzzle-filled adventure of a story while also showing us personal growth in Arizona as she learns a bit more about learning to trust people enough to form relationships, and that emotions can’t be dealt with in the same way as mathematical equations. On display is the author’s own love of historical mysteries, literature, and even topography/U.S. geography and an outdoor/nomadic lifestyle. Well done!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books of Penguin Random House publishing for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
May 1, 2025
The Language of the Birds by K. A. Merson
Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishers for a complimentary copy of this novel! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Part historical fiction, part mystery and filled with puzzles and ciphers, this novel is sure to get your thinking cap on!!! If you’re a fan of the Robert Langdon series, then this is the book for you!!!
Arizona and her mom are on a trip revisiting places where they’d gone before her dad had died. Suddenly though, 17-year-old Arizona finds herself alone with just her dog Mojo. Her mom is nowhere to be found! What ensues is a race to find and solve the clues, riddles, codes, and ciphers that will lead to a centuries-old treasure (I also got Nation Treasure vibes). Her family’s Airstream and house has been turned upside down and in order to get her mom back safely, Arizona must solve the riddles and codes to get her back. It’s a good thing Arizona takes after her dad and has experience at cracking codes! Along the way, she meets people. But who can she trust? As she searches for clues, they end up leading her to discover parts of American history. The clues had been there all along, built into the US monuments and landmarks, just waiting for someone to notice them and connect the dots!
I really enjoyed this novel! I particularly like the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown, so I especially enjoyed reading this novel! I did not want to put it down – I finished in a day!!! You can join Arizona on her adventure yourself when this novel is AVAILABLE May 13, 2025!
Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishers for a complimentary copy of this novel! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Part historical fiction, part mystery and filled with puzzles and ciphers, this novel is sure to get your thinking cap on!!! If you’re a fan of the Robert Langdon series, then this is the book for you!!!
Arizona and her mom are on a trip revisiting places where they’d gone before her dad had died. Suddenly though, 17-year-old Arizona finds herself alone with just her dog Mojo. Her mom is nowhere to be found! What ensues is a race to find and solve the clues, riddles, codes, and ciphers that will lead to a centuries-old treasure (I also got Nation Treasure vibes). Her family’s Airstream and house has been turned upside down and in order to get her mom back safely, Arizona must solve the riddles and codes to get her back. It’s a good thing Arizona takes after her dad and has experience at cracking codes! Along the way, she meets people. But who can she trust? As she searches for clues, they end up leading her to discover parts of American history. The clues had been there all along, built into the US monuments and landmarks, just waiting for someone to notice them and connect the dots!
I really enjoyed this novel! I particularly like the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown, so I especially enjoyed reading this novel! I did not want to put it down – I finished in a day!!! You can join Arizona on her adventure yourself when this novel is AVAILABLE May 13, 2025!
November 16, 2024
Arizona is going through a difficult loss whe her mom goes missing. It is up to her to solve a difficult puzzle. This book kept me on edge from the start.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2025
The publisher Random House sent me pre-approval through NetGalley. I’ll always take these on, even if I might not have chosen it first. I'm glad I did.
Right off, I’m not a present tense fan, but as is usual, I got used to it pretty quickly. There will be the inevitable comparisons to The Da Vinci Code (there already are), Andy Weir's The Martian (the author thanked Weir in his Acknowledgements*). I enjoyed Dan Brown's book when it came out, and I enjoyed this one (before it comes out).
So, our protagonist is a not-of-the-age-of-consent (her words) seventeen year old neurodivergent and gifted girl.
“I’m just trying to protect you.”
“Just because I have some disorders—”
“Differences,” Mom says, “not disorders. And everyone is different.”
If anything at all in this book speaks to me…this. I have a version of ADHD, and I don’t think it’s a deficiency or a disorder, rather, a difference as she says here. I have been evangelizing this for years. And I have friends with adult children who have autism - they are different yes, and they have a place in the world. And and (how many postscripts do I need??), the puzzles speak as well. I had a fascination long ago, and long since set aside, with cryptography. These are cleverly crafted. Some might chose to skip past them, as I know some did with Weir's mathematical calcs, but I love the stuff.
The action moves quickly, and geographically quickly as well. The story engaged me enough that after splitting time with another ARC, at about a third through I focused only on this book until I finished.
One nitpick is that the mysterious villains come off as cartoon/B-movie bad guys in their speech. It stands out compared to the main story line, as Arizona is quite smart and written that way. Another is her access to funds, but that's easy to sidestep.
There’s a connection for me at the end of Part II, and a wee bit of belief suspension knowing what I know about San Nicolas Island. Of interest only to me, I was the Assistant Public Works Officer (Navy) 1997-99 at what is now Naval Base Ventura County, in charge of the maintenance of the facilities on land and on the island. I did get to spend a few nights a couple of times out there, visiting with the folks who worked in my division and I also designed a barge landing floating pier so that we could still bring bulk material out during the times the elephant seals were occupying the beach without disturbing their nesting. Sadly, the archeological sites were off limits to everyone but the archeologists. Oh, and I did see an Island Fox.
I like looking up, and sometimes reading jumping off points. Some of the texts referenced in the story:
Roger Bacon, “Epistle on the Secret Works of Art and the Nullity of Magic"
{Lookup/find}
[Arizona] Finds a link to the full searchable text of De Re Metallica.
{As Mr. Merson says, it's real. Project Gutenberg has a copy in case you are interested.}
Alchemy and its Mute Book by Canseliet
This is an uncommon book, rather obscure, so cool that it was included. And,
[From the Author's Note] There is an admonition near the end of Mutus Liber — Lege, lege, lege, relege, labora et invenies. It translates roughly as: Read, read, read, read again, work and discover.
{There is an early copy of this available on the Library of Congress website. The Canseliet book is available through retail sources. Have fun}
* The author acknowledges...
Stephen King, thank you so much for your stories and for your book On Writing. It was On Writing that inspired me to take this effort seriously.
{on my List}
Andy Weir, for demonstrating how science and math writing can be eminently accessible.
{Yes!}
Blake Crouch, for your stories that blend—and bend—genre so seamlessly.
{I've read seven of Crouch's works so far. I agree]
Stieg Larsson, for your inspirational heroine in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
{I only read the first. She was pretty badass.}
Right off, I’m not a present tense fan, but as is usual, I got used to it pretty quickly. There will be the inevitable comparisons to The Da Vinci Code (there already are), Andy Weir's The Martian (the author thanked Weir in his Acknowledgements*). I enjoyed Dan Brown's book when it came out, and I enjoyed this one (before it comes out).
So, our protagonist is a not-of-the-age-of-consent (her words) seventeen year old neurodivergent and gifted girl.
“I’m just trying to protect you.”
“Just because I have some disorders—”
“Differences,” Mom says, “not disorders. And everyone is different.”
If anything at all in this book speaks to me…this. I have a version of ADHD, and I don’t think it’s a deficiency or a disorder, rather, a difference as she says here. I have been evangelizing this for years. And I have friends with adult children who have autism - they are different yes, and they have a place in the world. And and (how many postscripts do I need??), the puzzles speak as well. I had a fascination long ago, and long since set aside, with cryptography. These are cleverly crafted. Some might chose to skip past them, as I know some did with Weir's mathematical calcs, but I love the stuff.
The action moves quickly, and geographically quickly as well. The story engaged me enough that after splitting time with another ARC, at about a third through I focused only on this book until I finished.
One nitpick is that the mysterious villains come off as cartoon/B-movie bad guys in their speech. It stands out compared to the main story line, as Arizona is quite smart and written that way. Another is her access to funds, but that's easy to sidestep.
There’s a connection for me at the end of Part II, and a wee bit of belief suspension knowing what I know about San Nicolas Island. Of interest only to me, I was the Assistant Public Works Officer (Navy) 1997-99 at what is now Naval Base Ventura County, in charge of the maintenance of the facilities on land and on the island. I did get to spend a few nights a couple of times out there, visiting with the folks who worked in my division and I also designed a barge landing floating pier so that we could still bring bulk material out during the times the elephant seals were occupying the beach without disturbing their nesting. Sadly, the archeological sites were off limits to everyone but the archeologists. Oh, and I did see an Island Fox.
I like looking up, and sometimes reading jumping off points. Some of the texts referenced in the story:
Roger Bacon, “Epistle on the Secret Works of Art and the Nullity of Magic"
{Lookup/find}
[Arizona] Finds a link to the full searchable text of De Re Metallica.
{As Mr. Merson says, it's real. Project Gutenberg has a copy in case you are interested.}
Alchemy and its Mute Book by Canseliet
This is an uncommon book, rather obscure, so cool that it was included. And,
[From the Author's Note] There is an admonition near the end of Mutus Liber — Lege, lege, lege, relege, labora et invenies. It translates roughly as: Read, read, read, read again, work and discover.
{There is an early copy of this available on the Library of Congress website. The Canseliet book is available through retail sources. Have fun}
* The author acknowledges...
Stephen King, thank you so much for your stories and for your book On Writing. It was On Writing that inspired me to take this effort seriously.
{on my List}
Andy Weir, for demonstrating how science and math writing can be eminently accessible.
{Yes!}
Blake Crouch, for your stories that blend—and bend—genre so seamlessly.
{I've read seven of Crouch's works so far. I agree]
Stieg Larsson, for your inspirational heroine in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
{I only read the first. She was pretty badass.}
December 1, 2024
The Language of the Birds is like the teenage version of National Treasure. There were ciphers, riddles, codes, and puzzles based on history that had to be solved in order for 17 year old Arizona to rescue her mom from kidnappers. Arizona is autistic and does not do well with people. She is homeschooled and really only relates to her dog. Her father has recently passed away from a tragic accident and she is trying to deal with her grief by finishing their family trip. Arizona is supposed to meet her mom but she never shows. After finding their camper ransacked, Arizona discovers that she has to solve puzzles and other clues in order to get her mother back because the kidnappers believe her father knew a secret that they want to find. The novel delves into a lot of history and puzzle solving but it is also a story of Arizona growing and learning how to deal with the outside world.
There were parts of this story that I enjoyed such as the literature and history elements. The author also included an author's note which let the reader know some of the true elements in the story. However much of this story was focused on solving the puzzles and riddles which just didn't interest me. Unfortunately, I was not invested in the characters. I found myself just wanting the book to be over. I do think a younger audience would enjoy this book especially if they have their own obstacles to overcome and enjoy figuring out riddles and puzzles.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
There were parts of this story that I enjoyed such as the literature and history elements. The author also included an author's note which let the reader know some of the true elements in the story. However much of this story was focused on solving the puzzles and riddles which just didn't interest me. Unfortunately, I was not invested in the characters. I found myself just wanting the book to be over. I do think a younger audience would enjoy this book especially if they have their own obstacles to overcome and enjoy figuring out riddles and puzzles.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
October 15, 2024
A fun and engaging read along the lines of Davinci Code or National Treasure. Our main character, Arizona, is so genuine and relatable. She is simply wired differently than the average bear. I suspect she would be on the spectrum based on her behaviors and thoughts, but that is what makes her as smart and logical as she is. She is basically forced to uncover, interpret and solve a bunch of clues within hidden messages when her Mom is kidnapped by person(s) whose motives are questionable. That being said, these puzzles/clues were way over my head, but the author did an amazing job of explaining and recapping along the way so I never really felt lost...but it is a lot of information coming at you. I just had to put that aside and focus on the story. I did find my brain wandering and wanting to skim read. It's probably just my pea brain needing a break from information overload, but it truly was a great story and the author handled explaining stuff extraordinarily well. If you are looking for something a bit off the usual paths you to take in reading, I highly recommend this.
January 14, 2025
I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. Arizona goes through it and I was here for it! Loved from start to finish.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc on exchange for my honest review!
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc on exchange for my honest review!
did-not-finish
July 26, 2025Dnf'd. There were too many f-bombs and other swear words for my liking.
June 20, 2025
Initial thoughts: Overall, an entertaining YA mystery/thriller. It gets detailed when the protagonist decodes ciphers and other clues (and there are a lot of them). That could slow down the pace of the book for some, but I found those sections to be interesting. I realize this is 2025 and the protagonist is 17, but I found the use of F-bombs to be jarring. There weren’t a lot of them, but I did find it unnecessary.
As for the protagonist, I really liked her a lot. The author did a great job creating a neurodivergent character.
As for the protagonist, I really liked her a lot. The author did a great job creating a neurodivergent character.
June 24, 2025
This one is the Goonies meets National Treasure! It’s full of cryptic mystery and intriguing adventure. I had such a great time on this ride!
Arizona and her mom have lost the patriarch of their little trio. They plan to honor him and release his ashes in places he loved. Her and her dad had a fascination and hardcore hobby of ciphering and decoding. When her mom turns up missing on a hike in a national park, the stakes are quickly raised to rescuing her at all cost. Turns out- there may be more to her dad’s love of cryptic puzzles than just a hobby. Was her dad’s death really an accident? Now Arizona has to put her honed skills to the test to solve equations, coded texts and riddles to save her mom in time.
This thrill ride takes Arizona everywhere from dessert caves to island dives, and readers will have a blast tagging along! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Arizona and her mom have lost the patriarch of their little trio. They plan to honor him and release his ashes in places he loved. Her and her dad had a fascination and hardcore hobby of ciphering and decoding. When her mom turns up missing on a hike in a national park, the stakes are quickly raised to rescuing her at all cost. Turns out- there may be more to her dad’s love of cryptic puzzles than just a hobby. Was her dad’s death really an accident? Now Arizona has to put her honed skills to the test to solve equations, coded texts and riddles to save her mom in time.
This thrill ride takes Arizona everywhere from dessert caves to island dives, and readers will have a blast tagging along! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 23, 2025
If you like puzzles and deciphering encryptions this is definitely the book for you! Well written, with great characters, this book got me hooked right away and kept me intrigued throughout. Admittedly, I'm kind of a nerd who likes puzzles, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Think :The Da Vinci Code" meets "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and you'd be in the ball park. Highly recommended
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy.
July 10, 2025
The Language of Birds is a unique, very exciting thriller incorporating mysterious puzzles into the twisty plot which serves as clues as to who could be the villain and what they are looking for. We will follow the quest of a teenage girl who has recently lost her father and now must deal with another shattering loss...her mother's kidnapping. Never sure as to where the clues will take her (and us) this ingenious story will have you on the edge of your seat!
Arizona, yes, that's her name, is a seventeen-year-old who has recently lost her father to a horrible motorcycle accident. Her mother decides they need to get away and regroup so they decide to take a trip in their camper and visit some of the places they as a family had been. Along with their dog Mojo, they begin the journey. Arizona is a brilliant girl, but extremely awkward in social situations. So much so she has been home schooled. She is well read and amazing at puzzle solving thanks to her father.
But, as soon as they reach their first destination in which they decided to split up and meet back later in the day, something goes terribly wrong. Her mother is not there to meet her. Suddenly she gets a call in which a mystery man informs her they have kidnapped her mother and need for Arizona to solve a group of puzzles which will lead to an unknown which they refuse to tell her. Only then will they release her mother.
The reader then goes along for the ride with Arizona and Mojo as they are given different types of clues in which she must try and decipher only to have to go from location to location and keep solving puzzles.
But Arizona is not stupid. She sees a pattern. A pattern she keeps to herself. Will she be able to solve the final puzzle in order to get her mother released but also solve the true mystery before the bad men can.
The story is a treasure quest, something her father prepared her for since she was a child. What he did not prepare her for was the fact that she cannot just rely on herself and she must try and learn to trust others and more importantly keep herself calm something she is not very good at. These skills she must learn and learn quickly in order to save her mother.
The Language of Birds is an exciting rush to the finish line not really understanding where the line is or why we are there. But be sure, the ending will shock, surprise and satisfy the reader.
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #K.A. Merson #TheLanguageofBirds for the advanced copy.
Arizona, yes, that's her name, is a seventeen-year-old who has recently lost her father to a horrible motorcycle accident. Her mother decides they need to get away and regroup so they decide to take a trip in their camper and visit some of the places they as a family had been. Along with their dog Mojo, they begin the journey. Arizona is a brilliant girl, but extremely awkward in social situations. So much so she has been home schooled. She is well read and amazing at puzzle solving thanks to her father.
But, as soon as they reach their first destination in which they decided to split up and meet back later in the day, something goes terribly wrong. Her mother is not there to meet her. Suddenly she gets a call in which a mystery man informs her they have kidnapped her mother and need for Arizona to solve a group of puzzles which will lead to an unknown which they refuse to tell her. Only then will they release her mother.
The reader then goes along for the ride with Arizona and Mojo as they are given different types of clues in which she must try and decipher only to have to go from location to location and keep solving puzzles.
But Arizona is not stupid. She sees a pattern. A pattern she keeps to herself. Will she be able to solve the final puzzle in order to get her mother released but also solve the true mystery before the bad men can.
The story is a treasure quest, something her father prepared her for since she was a child. What he did not prepare her for was the fact that she cannot just rely on herself and she must try and learn to trust others and more importantly keep herself calm something she is not very good at. These skills she must learn and learn quickly in order to save her mother.
The Language of Birds is an exciting rush to the finish line not really understanding where the line is or why we are there. But be sure, the ending will shock, surprise and satisfy the reader.
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #K.A. Merson #TheLanguageofBirds for the advanced copy.
September 29, 2024
I remember the magic and excitement of reading Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code when I was in my 20s, and I feel like KA Merson captured similar magic in THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS. Filled with puzzles, codes, cyphers, U.S. history, conspiracy theories, danger and adventure, this book is sure to capture the imagination of YA readers in search of a smart mystery rooted in US history and lore.
Seventeen year-old Arizona thinks differently and sees patterns and meaning in things others may not. Homeschooled since she was young, Arizona is well traveled, well read, and struggles in social situations. Her superior skill in deciphering puzzles is something she likely inherited from her beloved father, who recently died. When Arizona’s mother is kidnapped while on a family trip in their Airstream, Arizona is shocked to discover that her father may have been more than a cartographer who worked for the USGS: he might have been researching a secret the kidnappers are desperate to uncover.
Arizona’s quest to rescue her mother takes the clever teen on great adventures across the western U.S. I enjoyed that the history here is real and many of the clues are hidden in plain sight. Those who live in the western states, and those who have visited some of the monuments and sites featured (including Hoover Dam) will enjoy the story even more.
I am not the target audience for this book, as my tastes have changed greatly since my 20s and I wasn’t aware THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS was YA when I requested it on NetGalley. That being said, I do think this book will appeal to readers of smart YA. I am not sure it’s believable that a 17 year-old - even a neurodivergent one who has a difficult time connecting with others - would put their life on the line to solve the mystery without trying a bit harder to report her situation to the authorities. In addition, a touch more character development would have roped me into the story a bit more, but overall THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS is a fun read.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
Seventeen year-old Arizona thinks differently and sees patterns and meaning in things others may not. Homeschooled since she was young, Arizona is well traveled, well read, and struggles in social situations. Her superior skill in deciphering puzzles is something she likely inherited from her beloved father, who recently died. When Arizona’s mother is kidnapped while on a family trip in their Airstream, Arizona is shocked to discover that her father may have been more than a cartographer who worked for the USGS: he might have been researching a secret the kidnappers are desperate to uncover.
Arizona’s quest to rescue her mother takes the clever teen on great adventures across the western U.S. I enjoyed that the history here is real and many of the clues are hidden in plain sight. Those who live in the western states, and those who have visited some of the monuments and sites featured (including Hoover Dam) will enjoy the story even more.
I am not the target audience for this book, as my tastes have changed greatly since my 20s and I wasn’t aware THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS was YA when I requested it on NetGalley. That being said, I do think this book will appeal to readers of smart YA. I am not sure it’s believable that a 17 year-old - even a neurodivergent one who has a difficult time connecting with others - would put their life on the line to solve the mystery without trying a bit harder to report her situation to the authorities. In addition, a touch more character development would have roped me into the story a bit more, but overall THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS is a fun read.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
May 13, 2025
The Language of the Birds offers a fun, frequently exciting read. It does require a bit of willing suspension of disbelief, as so many good reads do.
The central character is Arizona, a brilliant 17-year-old who's on the spectrum. She's been home-schooled by her parents as they travel about with their Airstream trailer. Arizona knows a lot about her own triggers and has developed her own routines for coping with them. She's not good at trust, and given her family's mobility, her only close relationships are with her parents and her dog Mojo.
As the book opens, Arizona's father has died in a motorcycle accident, and Arizona and her mother are traveling, leaving bits of his ashes at many of the places he loved. At one of those locations Arizona and her mother split up. When the time they agreed to meet up arrives, her mother is a no-show.
It turns out that her mother has been kidnapped by a group of modern-day alchemists hoping to discover an equivalent of the philosopher's stone that has been hidden for hundreds of years. (This where the willing suspension of disbelief really gets going.) Arizona receives a phone call from a blocked number from a member of that group, explaining that Arizona will have to help the group solve a series on increasingly complex coded message if she ever wants to see her mother again. Basically, she's going to have to become a teenage Robert Langdon if she wants to hold on to what's left of her family.
As Arizona works on the ciphers she's surprised to find herself making her first outside-of-family friends. She's cautious—but she's realizing that some people will take her as she is and genuinely enjoy her company.
If you're looking for a read that is something more than a "cozy" mystery and that involves demanding puzzles, you'll have fun with The Language of the Birds. It would make a great summer read or serve as something to take you away from the quotidian and stressful nature of daily life. When you need a dose of complexity, bookishness, warmth and adventure, go for The Language of the Birds.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The central character is Arizona, a brilliant 17-year-old who's on the spectrum. She's been home-schooled by her parents as they travel about with their Airstream trailer. Arizona knows a lot about her own triggers and has developed her own routines for coping with them. She's not good at trust, and given her family's mobility, her only close relationships are with her parents and her dog Mojo.
As the book opens, Arizona's father has died in a motorcycle accident, and Arizona and her mother are traveling, leaving bits of his ashes at many of the places he loved. At one of those locations Arizona and her mother split up. When the time they agreed to meet up arrives, her mother is a no-show.
It turns out that her mother has been kidnapped by a group of modern-day alchemists hoping to discover an equivalent of the philosopher's stone that has been hidden for hundreds of years. (This where the willing suspension of disbelief really gets going.) Arizona receives a phone call from a blocked number from a member of that group, explaining that Arizona will have to help the group solve a series on increasingly complex coded message if she ever wants to see her mother again. Basically, she's going to have to become a teenage Robert Langdon if she wants to hold on to what's left of her family.
As Arizona works on the ciphers she's surprised to find herself making her first outside-of-family friends. She's cautious—but she's realizing that some people will take her as she is and genuinely enjoy her company.
If you're looking for a read that is something more than a "cozy" mystery and that involves demanding puzzles, you'll have fun with The Language of the Birds. It would make a great summer read or serve as something to take you away from the quotidian and stressful nature of daily life. When you need a dose of complexity, bookishness, warmth and adventure, go for The Language of the Birds.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
May 8, 2025
Do you like to solve puzzles and cryptography? You should enjoy The Language of the Birds - the debut novel from K. A. Merson.
"Arizona and her Mom have taken a roadtrip in the family Airstream after the sudden death of her father. At the ghost-town of Bodie, Arizona heads off alone with her dog, Mojo. When she returns there is no sign of her Mom and the Airstream is trashed. She gets a phone call from a man threatening to harm Arizona's mom unless she does exactly what he tells her. So now, Arizona works on breaking ciphers and codes to find whatever the man wants and get her mother back."
Arizona is a character with some social challenges. But she is good with puzzles and codes. And there is a lot of detail on code-breaking in this book - a lot of detail. After a couple of times I skimmed those parts. If code-breaking is your thing you will probably love that much detail. There did seem to be some big logic jumps to get to the right sequences and words. There's a definite "National Treasure" vibe especially when you see the direction that Merson takes. Merson does have a couple of desptions so you're never quite sure who the bad guys really are. And the ending is a little ambiguous but it works that way.
Interesting debut from Merson.
"Arizona and her Mom have taken a roadtrip in the family Airstream after the sudden death of her father. At the ghost-town of Bodie, Arizona heads off alone with her dog, Mojo. When she returns there is no sign of her Mom and the Airstream is trashed. She gets a phone call from a man threatening to harm Arizona's mom unless she does exactly what he tells her. So now, Arizona works on breaking ciphers and codes to find whatever the man wants and get her mother back."
Arizona is a character with some social challenges. But she is good with puzzles and codes. And there is a lot of detail on code-breaking in this book - a lot of detail. After a couple of times I skimmed those parts. If code-breaking is your thing you will probably love that much detail. There did seem to be some big logic jumps to get to the right sequences and words. There's a definite "National Treasure" vibe especially when you see the direction that Merson takes. Merson does have a couple of desptions so you're never quite sure who the bad guys really are. And the ending is a little ambiguous but it works that way.
Interesting debut from Merson.
May 5, 2025
3.5 stars. YA is usually not for me, but throw in some cryptic puzzle-solving and I’m in.
Arizona is a very unique character and it’s interesting to follow her story. We get a decent balance of plot and character development, although it was more tell than show. She’s definitely way cooler than any 17-year-olds should be.
The puzzles though! It’s riddles and maps and code breaking and wonderful. Too few books nowadays give the reader (via their characters) challenges. It’s really rewarding when you can solve it alongside the characters. Now, there was exactly 0 instances when I solved a puzzle before Arizona, but there were a few where I noticed a clue that was important - and I’ll take the win where I can get it.
Overall an entertaining mystery! Very easy to go down the rabbit hole on everything we learned in the book, though.
Thank you to NetGalley, K.A. Merson, and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Arizona is a very unique character and it’s interesting to follow her story. We get a decent balance of plot and character development, although it was more tell than show. She’s definitely way cooler than any 17-year-olds should be.
The puzzles though! It’s riddles and maps and code breaking and wonderful. Too few books nowadays give the reader (via their characters) challenges. It’s really rewarding when you can solve it alongside the characters. Now, there was exactly 0 instances when I solved a puzzle before Arizona, but there were a few where I noticed a clue that was important - and I’ll take the win where I can get it.
Overall an entertaining mystery! Very easy to go down the rabbit hole on everything we learned in the book, though.
Thank you to NetGalley, K.A. Merson, and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2025
I’ll start by saying this book was not for me. While I appreciate the style of writing, I felt that much of it was redundant and overkill. Working through many different types of codes and riddles. Going over those details over and over again.
I had to skip over the parts of decoding to find hidden messages, and books of alchemy and the books that were cited. While I understand why that was put into the book, there was simply too much of it for readers that aren’t familiar. I did enjoy the plot.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc to read and review.
I had to skip over the parts of decoding to find hidden messages, and books of alchemy and the books that were cited. While I understand why that was put into the book, there was simply too much of it for readers that aren’t familiar. I did enjoy the plot.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc to read and review.
May 7, 2025
This is one of those weird books that is well written and intriguing for the right person. Unfortunately I’m not that person and found the character a bit unrealistic. It felt, to me, a little like an idea of a neurodivergent person vs a real person. However, I don’t know much about the author and don’t want to claim that’s not their experience.
I appreciate the ARC. Wish I liked this more - there’s a lot to like and I do think it’ll click with other readers.
I appreciate the ARC. Wish I liked this more - there’s a lot to like and I do think it’ll click with other readers.
August 9, 2025
This is quite an intriguing book. It features a YA protagonist but it's a very "smart" story--filled with big words, big theories, and big problems.
Also, it feels as if there are a lot of books featuring codes and puzzles lately. I love National Treasure as much as the next person, but I will freely confess that I am not smart enough for all these clues and treasure hunts!
Seventeen-year-old Arizona's father dies in a motorcycle accident and her mother disappears while they are mourning him. She quickly learns her mom has been kidnapped and the only way to get her back is to solve a series of puzzles and codes. The kidnappers have ties to the old alchemists and the book features tons of puzzles and mentions of ancient texts (and lots of readings of poems). I won't lie--it's a lot.
The puzzling is fun, but my favorites were the more emotional sections with Arizona herself. She was clearly autistic, or something similar, and it was her father with whom she had identified more (he was also a puzzle guy). Arizona is crazy mature for a 17-year-old, driving the family truck and camper all around to solve these puzzles, and basically dealing with a death and disappearance without completely freaking out. She also has an adorable dog, Mojo.
This is definitely a different sort of book, but that's not a bad thing. The puzzles and ciphers and some of the odd plot choices were a bit too much for me, but I'm still glad I read it.
I received this book from Netgalley and Ballantine Books in return for an unbiased review.
Also, it feels as if there are a lot of books featuring codes and puzzles lately. I love National Treasure as much as the next person, but I will freely confess that I am not smart enough for all these clues and treasure hunts!
Seventeen-year-old Arizona's father dies in a motorcycle accident and her mother disappears while they are mourning him. She quickly learns her mom has been kidnapped and the only way to get her back is to solve a series of puzzles and codes. The kidnappers have ties to the old alchemists and the book features tons of puzzles and mentions of ancient texts (and lots of readings of poems). I won't lie--it's a lot.
The puzzling is fun, but my favorites were the more emotional sections with Arizona herself. She was clearly autistic, or something similar, and it was her father with whom she had identified more (he was also a puzzle guy). Arizona is crazy mature for a 17-year-old, driving the family truck and camper all around to solve these puzzles, and basically dealing with a death and disappearance without completely freaking out. She also has an adorable dog, Mojo.
This is definitely a different sort of book, but that's not a bad thing. The puzzles and ciphers and some of the odd plot choices were a bit too much for me, but I'm still glad I read it.
I received this book from Netgalley and Ballantine Books in return for an unbiased review.
Read
February 4, 2025atmospheric, slow moving, but building up. The main character returns home to care for her mother with dementia, starts working at the local newspaper and investigates the death of a her childhood friend, who she had fallen out with as a teenager. Lots of unusual characters and lots of unpleasant characters populate this small Louisiana town where there is much poverty and oppression. Loved the main character and Sasha
May 20, 2025
K.A. Merson’s The Language of the Birds is an audacious literary debut—a genre-blurring fusion of mystery, historical intrigue, coming-of-age introspection, and cryptographic thrill. What begins as a teenager’s desperate quest to rescue her kidnapped mother swiftly evolves into something far more labyrinthine: a pursuit through arcane alchemical riddles, forgotten histories, and the mythic “Language of the Birds.” Part literary mystery, part intellectual scavenger hunt, and entirely absorbing, Merson’s novel is a triumph of both brain and heart.
Plot Overview: A Puzzle Wrapped in a Mystery
At the heart of this richly layered YA thriller is seventeen-year-old Arizona, a whip-smart, socially awkward puzzle enthusiast. When her mother vanishes on a family trip and the family Airstream is ransacked, Arizona’s world implodes. A cryptic note reveals the unthinkable: her mother has been kidnapped, and the captors want something impossible—secrets they believe Arizona’s deceased father took to his grave.
Armed with her dog Mojo, her wits, and her late father’s enigmatic clues, Arizona sets off in the family Airstream across the Sierra Nevada. The trail leads her into a swirling vortex of historical references, encrypted poems, obscure books, ancient symbols, and esoteric languages. What emerges is not just a treasure hunt for hidden knowledge, but a personal journey through grief, loneliness, belief, and legacy.
As the narrative unfurls, readers are drawn into Arizona’s deepening engagement with historical figures like Herbert Hoover, texts like De Re Metallica, and mythologies tied to alchemy and the fabled “Language of the Birds.” These layers fold into one another with literary finesse.
Characterization: Arizona as the Anchor
One of the novel’s finest achievements is its heroine. Arizona is an unforgettable character—eccentric, intelligent, and disarmingly real. Her prickly exterior masks a well of emotional vulnerability. She is no action hero in the conventional sense; rather, she is a cerebral protagonist whose battles are internal as much as external.
Arizona’s interactions—with her best friend Lily, with the morally ambiguous antagonist Gordon, and even with herself—are rendered with such authenticity that her arc feels earned, complex, and emotionally resonant. Her journey from intellectual isolation to emotional connection is as profound as the mystery she unravels.
Supporting Highlights:
- Lily: Arizona’s supportive yet grounded friend adds both warmth and contrast to the protagonist’s intensity
- Gordon: A chilling and articulate villain whose motivations are disturbingly logical, amplifying the story’s tension
- Mojo: More than a sidekick, the dog becomes an emotional barometer, grounding Arizona in moments of chaos
Writing Style and Structure: Fact Meets Fiction, Elegantly
Merson’s prose is taut yet lyrical, steeped in intelligence without tipping into pretension. The pacing is brisk but allows for reflective pauses. The book is divided into five parts and over 50 chapters, echoing the structure of a five-act play—a nod to classical storytelling theories, including those of John Yorke, whose influence is acknowledged by the author.
What elevates the writing is its ability to blend real-world facts—historical documents, maps, encrypted poems, alchemical texts—with a fictional framework. The seamless weaving of truth and imagination builds a deeply immersive world. Rarely does a YA mystery so convincingly incorporate research without slowing the narrative.
Notable literary influences surface: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” Lewis Carroll’s poetic cadence, and Fulcanelli’s mystical The Mystery of the Cathedrals. These aren’t mere name-drops—they’re tightly interwoven into the fabric of the plot.
Core Themes and Symbolism
The Language of the Birds as a Metaphor
This titular motif symbolizes a lost, divine understanding of the universe—a form of communication that transcends words. Arizona’s journey becomes an allegory for seeking deeper truths in a world obsessed with surface-level noise.
Alchemy and Transformation
Beyond literal ciphers and chemical lore, alchemy here signifies personal metamorphosis. Arizona’s evolution parallels the classic alchemical stages—nigredo (loss), albedo (reflection), citrinitas (awakening), and rubedo (completion). Her grief over her father, her intellectual isolation, and her fight to save her mother are all crucibles in her personal transmutation.
Order in Chaos
The novel constantly juxtaposes entropy with order—visible in the patterns of ciphers, celestial alignments, and even in Arizona’s thought process. It asks: Can there be a grand design behind randomness?
Highlights: Why You’ll Be Hooked
Real-life references: From Hoover Dam to Monument Plaza to the alchemical treatise De Re Metallica, Merson embeds the novel with historical artifacts and places, adding a sense of grounded intrigue
Innovative use of ciphers: The cryptographic elements are thoughtfully constructed—prime numbers, Caesar shifts, substitution codes, Vigenère ciphers—and are explained with clarity, even for readers unfamiliar with such puzzles
Intellectual reward: Solving the mystery alongside Arizona feels interactive. Each revelation lands with both intellectual satisfaction and narrative weight
Critique: Room for Refinement
Despite its many strengths, The Language of the Birds occasionally teeters under the weight of its ambition.
- Expository overload: At times, Arizona’s internal monologues become dense with research, which may slow the pace for less puzzle-loving readers
- Underexplored relationships: While Arizona’s growth is well-rendered, some peripheral relationships—particularly with her parents—could benefit from deeper emotional anchoring. Her mother, central to the plot, remains more of a narrative goal than a character with depth
- Skepticism vs. Belief: The novel plays in murky waters between mysticism and science. For readers who prefer firm footing in one, the ambiguity might feel frustrating. Yet this tension is likely intentional, mirroring Arizona’s own uncertainties
Final Verdict: A Treasure Hunt Worth Taking
The Language of the Birds is an intricate, atmospheric, and deeply cerebral novel that rewards attentive readers. It invites you not just to read, but to think, decode, and ponder. For fans of YA who crave more than romance or school drama—for those who delight in cryptography, ancient wisdom, and rich prose—this book is a treasure map all its own.
This isn’t a light read, nor is it a simple one. But for readers who relish an intellectual challenge with emotional payoff, The Language of the Birds is a radiant debut—and a reminder that the greatest mysteries often lie in plain sight.
Plot Overview: A Puzzle Wrapped in a Mystery
At the heart of this richly layered YA thriller is seventeen-year-old Arizona, a whip-smart, socially awkward puzzle enthusiast. When her mother vanishes on a family trip and the family Airstream is ransacked, Arizona’s world implodes. A cryptic note reveals the unthinkable: her mother has been kidnapped, and the captors want something impossible—secrets they believe Arizona’s deceased father took to his grave.
Armed with her dog Mojo, her wits, and her late father’s enigmatic clues, Arizona sets off in the family Airstream across the Sierra Nevada. The trail leads her into a swirling vortex of historical references, encrypted poems, obscure books, ancient symbols, and esoteric languages. What emerges is not just a treasure hunt for hidden knowledge, but a personal journey through grief, loneliness, belief, and legacy.
As the narrative unfurls, readers are drawn into Arizona’s deepening engagement with historical figures like Herbert Hoover, texts like De Re Metallica, and mythologies tied to alchemy and the fabled “Language of the Birds.” These layers fold into one another with literary finesse.
Characterization: Arizona as the Anchor
One of the novel’s finest achievements is its heroine. Arizona is an unforgettable character—eccentric, intelligent, and disarmingly real. Her prickly exterior masks a well of emotional vulnerability. She is no action hero in the conventional sense; rather, she is a cerebral protagonist whose battles are internal as much as external.
Arizona’s interactions—with her best friend Lily, with the morally ambiguous antagonist Gordon, and even with herself—are rendered with such authenticity that her arc feels earned, complex, and emotionally resonant. Her journey from intellectual isolation to emotional connection is as profound as the mystery she unravels.
Supporting Highlights:
- Lily: Arizona’s supportive yet grounded friend adds both warmth and contrast to the protagonist’s intensity
- Gordon: A chilling and articulate villain whose motivations are disturbingly logical, amplifying the story’s tension
- Mojo: More than a sidekick, the dog becomes an emotional barometer, grounding Arizona in moments of chaos
Writing Style and Structure: Fact Meets Fiction, Elegantly
Merson’s prose is taut yet lyrical, steeped in intelligence without tipping into pretension. The pacing is brisk but allows for reflective pauses. The book is divided into five parts and over 50 chapters, echoing the structure of a five-act play—a nod to classical storytelling theories, including those of John Yorke, whose influence is acknowledged by the author.
What elevates the writing is its ability to blend real-world facts—historical documents, maps, encrypted poems, alchemical texts—with a fictional framework. The seamless weaving of truth and imagination builds a deeply immersive world. Rarely does a YA mystery so convincingly incorporate research without slowing the narrative.
Notable literary influences surface: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” Lewis Carroll’s poetic cadence, and Fulcanelli’s mystical The Mystery of the Cathedrals. These aren’t mere name-drops—they’re tightly interwoven into the fabric of the plot.
Core Themes and Symbolism
The Language of the Birds as a Metaphor
This titular motif symbolizes a lost, divine understanding of the universe—a form of communication that transcends words. Arizona’s journey becomes an allegory for seeking deeper truths in a world obsessed with surface-level noise.
Alchemy and Transformation
Beyond literal ciphers and chemical lore, alchemy here signifies personal metamorphosis. Arizona’s evolution parallels the classic alchemical stages—nigredo (loss), albedo (reflection), citrinitas (awakening), and rubedo (completion). Her grief over her father, her intellectual isolation, and her fight to save her mother are all crucibles in her personal transmutation.
Order in Chaos
The novel constantly juxtaposes entropy with order—visible in the patterns of ciphers, celestial alignments, and even in Arizona’s thought process. It asks: Can there be a grand design behind randomness?
Highlights: Why You’ll Be Hooked
Real-life references: From Hoover Dam to Monument Plaza to the alchemical treatise De Re Metallica, Merson embeds the novel with historical artifacts and places, adding a sense of grounded intrigue
Innovative use of ciphers: The cryptographic elements are thoughtfully constructed—prime numbers, Caesar shifts, substitution codes, Vigenère ciphers—and are explained with clarity, even for readers unfamiliar with such puzzles
Intellectual reward: Solving the mystery alongside Arizona feels interactive. Each revelation lands with both intellectual satisfaction and narrative weight
Critique: Room for Refinement
Despite its many strengths, The Language of the Birds occasionally teeters under the weight of its ambition.
- Expository overload: At times, Arizona’s internal monologues become dense with research, which may slow the pace for less puzzle-loving readers
- Underexplored relationships: While Arizona’s growth is well-rendered, some peripheral relationships—particularly with her parents—could benefit from deeper emotional anchoring. Her mother, central to the plot, remains more of a narrative goal than a character with depth
- Skepticism vs. Belief: The novel plays in murky waters between mysticism and science. For readers who prefer firm footing in one, the ambiguity might feel frustrating. Yet this tension is likely intentional, mirroring Arizona’s own uncertainties
Final Verdict: A Treasure Hunt Worth Taking
The Language of the Birds is an intricate, atmospheric, and deeply cerebral novel that rewards attentive readers. It invites you not just to read, but to think, decode, and ponder. For fans of YA who crave more than romance or school drama—for those who delight in cryptography, ancient wisdom, and rich prose—this book is a treasure map all its own.
This isn’t a light read, nor is it a simple one. But for readers who relish an intellectual challenge with emotional payoff, The Language of the Birds is a radiant debut—and a reminder that the greatest mysteries often lie in plain sight.
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