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Shade of Wings: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 26 May 26For fans of Laline Paull, a speculative young adult novel about a family of New York City crows struggling to survive the outbreak of West Nile virus during the sizzling summer of 1999.
Four-year-old Duncan needs to hurry up and find a mate—at least, according to his sister, Cloud. But she doesn’t know about the mistake that’s preventing him from leaving their family to start another.
Though he’s the eldest, Duncan doesn’t see himself as a father. Yet that’s what he must become when both his parents die of the mysterious illness that’s killing crows across New York City. He devotes himself to caring for his siblings, including three fledglings—but he soon discovers he can’t protect them from the “blind death.”
Meanwhile, a zoo pathologist’s worst fears are realized. It starts with dead flamingos. Then critically ill New Yorkers start showing up in hospital emergency rooms.
Some blame the crows.
Four-year-old Duncan needs to hurry up and find a mate—at least, according to his sister, Cloud. But she doesn’t know about the mistake that’s preventing him from leaving their family to start another.
Though he’s the eldest, Duncan doesn’t see himself as a father. Yet that’s what he must become when both his parents die of the mysterious illness that’s killing crows across New York City. He devotes himself to caring for his siblings, including three fledglings—but he soon discovers he can’t protect them from the “blind death.”
Meanwhile, a zoo pathologist’s worst fears are realized. It starts with dead flamingos. Then critically ill New Yorkers start showing up in hospital emergency rooms.
Some blame the crows.
296 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 26, 2026
About the author
Pam McGaffin
2 books23 followersPam McGaffin always knew she would write books when she grew up.
So, at age 51, after a long career in journalism and public relations, she quit her day job and went to work. After seven years, countless rewrites, and a seat-of-her-pants course in modern publishing, she released her debut novel, The Leaving Year, with SparkPress Aug. 14, 2018.
Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she grew up, The Leaving Year, is a coming-of-age story about love and loyalty, family and friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in our search for meaning.
For her second novel, Shade of Wings, she looked to New York City to tell the story of the West Nile virus outbreak from the point-of-view of the first US victims – American crows. She hopes readers fall in love her hapless hero, Duncan, and his plucky crow family. She certainly loved giving them life.
Before tackling novels, Pam wrote short stories and articles. Her short fiction has appeared in the online literary journals, Eclectica and Amarillo Bay, and her articles have been published in many Puget Sound-area publications and websites, including The Daily Herald (in Everett, WA), Bicycle Paper, the MS Connection newsletter, and Seattle Children’s Story Project.
She has a BA degree in Communications Journalism from the University of Washington and certificates in fiction writing and advanced literary fiction from UW Extension.
When she isn’t writing or thinking about writing, she likes to read, walk the dog, swim, bike, garden, and watch birds.
So, at age 51, after a long career in journalism and public relations, she quit her day job and went to work. After seven years, countless rewrites, and a seat-of-her-pants course in modern publishing, she released her debut novel, The Leaving Year, with SparkPress Aug. 14, 2018.
Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she grew up, The Leaving Year, is a coming-of-age story about love and loyalty, family and friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in our search for meaning.
For her second novel, Shade of Wings, she looked to New York City to tell the story of the West Nile virus outbreak from the point-of-view of the first US victims – American crows. She hopes readers fall in love her hapless hero, Duncan, and his plucky crow family. She certainly loved giving them life.
Before tackling novels, Pam wrote short stories and articles. Her short fiction has appeared in the online literary journals, Eclectica and Amarillo Bay, and her articles have been published in many Puget Sound-area publications and websites, including The Daily Herald (in Everett, WA), Bicycle Paper, the MS Connection newsletter, and Seattle Children’s Story Project.
She has a BA degree in Communications Journalism from the University of Washington and certificates in fiction writing and advanced literary fiction from UW Extension.
When she isn’t writing or thinking about writing, she likes to read, walk the dog, swim, bike, garden, and watch birds.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 10, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
I loved this book! I knew right from reading the description that I was gonna love this book. I got so excited when I was granted access to this ARC. As I'm a VetMed student I'm obviously gonna nerd out a little at a book about West Nile virus. I adore that this book is written mainly from the POV of the crows and it gives the same vibes and feeling as the film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (or at least this is the sort of thing I was imagining in my head when I was reading).
NB) I make the link to this film in the sense of animation, birds pov, the way they interact with one another. The story line doesn't necessarily link. But I got the same vibe and feeling from the book as I do when I watch the film.
I would definitely recommend even if you don't know much about West Nile virus going into the book it's definitely interesting imagining how the crows dealt with it as well as a sprinkle of human POV adding the element of realism to the story because its based on the outbreak that happened in New York in the late 90s early 2000s.
I loved this book! I knew right from reading the description that I was gonna love this book. I got so excited when I was granted access to this ARC. As I'm a VetMed student I'm obviously gonna nerd out a little at a book about West Nile virus. I adore that this book is written mainly from the POV of the crows and it gives the same vibes and feeling as the film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (or at least this is the sort of thing I was imagining in my head when I was reading).
NB) I make the link to this film in the sense of animation, birds pov, the way they interact with one another. The story line doesn't necessarily link. But I got the same vibe and feeling from the book as I do when I watch the film.
I would definitely recommend even if you don't know much about West Nile virus going into the book it's definitely interesting imagining how the crows dealt with it as well as a sprinkle of human POV adding the element of realism to the story because its based on the outbreak that happened in New York in the late 90s early 2000s.
February 24, 2026
Shade of Wings is an imaginative and deeply immersive read into the effects of the West Nile virus on the bird populations of New York in the summer of 1999, as told through the eyes and words of a crow.
I did a project on the West Nile virus in school, but completely forgot about it until half-way through the book. Although I remember studying the human casualties resulting from the virus outbreak, I had not considered how great of an impact West Nile virus had on the bird populations that encountered it.
I enjoyed the writing, though it started out slower and some sections caught in a lull. The constant POV shifts made it a little tricky to keep up with who was speaking/acting in certain chapters. I am curious if the storyline would have flowed better without cutting to so many different POVs. But at the end of the day it works, so...
Creating the story from a crow's point of view was an interesting concept that worked really well. I liked how the crows, and other bird species within the story, were given emotions, complex thoughts, and dreams for a better future. This created a human-like sense of connection between characters, and made the book all the more impactful.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publishers for an arc of this book.
I did a project on the West Nile virus in school, but completely forgot about it until half-way through the book. Although I remember studying the human casualties resulting from the virus outbreak, I had not considered how great of an impact West Nile virus had on the bird populations that encountered it.
I enjoyed the writing, though it started out slower and some sections caught in a lull. The constant POV shifts made it a little tricky to keep up with who was speaking/acting in certain chapters. I am curious if the storyline would have flowed better without cutting to so many different POVs. But at the end of the day it works, so...
Creating the story from a crow's point of view was an interesting concept that worked really well. I liked how the crows, and other bird species within the story, were given emotions, complex thoughts, and dreams for a better future. This created a human-like sense of connection between characters, and made the book all the more impactful.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publishers for an arc of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Pam McGaffin has crafted a truly immersive experience that blurs the lines between natural history and speculative fiction. By centering the narrative on a family of crows, she offers a startlingly unique perspective on loyalty and survival in the face of a mysterious, creeping threat. The blend of avian lore and scientific tension makes for a gripping read, but it is the emotional depth of these characters—feathered or otherwise—that truly resonates. It is a haunting, beautiful exploration of how we protect our own when the world begins to change in ways we don't understand!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
When birds start dropping dead in the terrible heat of the summer of 1999, both crows and humans try to solve the mystery. Set in New York City, the story is told mostly from the viewpoint of the crows, and paints a picture of a community-minded species with so many fascinating attributes. Duncan, at four years old, is an elder in his family, and as a worrier, feels guilty for all of his shortcomings even though he proves himself throughout the story as an empathetic leader. Other voices are his siblings, Cloud, Kyra and Worm, who look up to Duncan as he tries to understand the "blind death." The novel's human voices are Maddy, an observant teen living with her grandmother, who notices the number of crows decreasing; and Dr. Annie Burn, a forensic pathologist at the Bronx Zoo, who is the first to posit that whatever is killing birds and people is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is spread from animals to people.
Readers will be completely captivated by the ways that crows deal collectively with a dire situation. A nifty map at the beginning allows readers to follow the crows' movements from their territory in a hemlock tree on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo, to their roosting ground in Staten Island, to the white house in Queens where Maddy and her grandmother live, and all over New York City where the crows' adventures take them. The voices of the crows are believable and inform readers of so much about corvid life: their mating practices (crows mate for life), how they take care of orphans and scatterlings (crows who have lost their family units), foraging habits, even mercy killings. It's hard not to develop a great respect for these intelligent birds. It's also a medical mystery that humans are slow to solve, and I found it fascinating how the CDC was the last to agree to its cause. There's a stunning ending, as Duncan finds a way to make humans pay attention to the plight of all birds. An author's note at the end adds factual information about the West Nile Virus, and explains what's fact and fiction in the narrative.
The human characters cue as white. She Writes Press is an award-winning independent publisher distributed by Simon & Schuster.
Readers will be completely captivated by the ways that crows deal collectively with a dire situation. A nifty map at the beginning allows readers to follow the crows' movements from their territory in a hemlock tree on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo, to their roosting ground in Staten Island, to the white house in Queens where Maddy and her grandmother live, and all over New York City where the crows' adventures take them. The voices of the crows are believable and inform readers of so much about corvid life: their mating practices (crows mate for life), how they take care of orphans and scatterlings (crows who have lost their family units), foraging habits, even mercy killings. It's hard not to develop a great respect for these intelligent birds. It's also a medical mystery that humans are slow to solve, and I found it fascinating how the CDC was the last to agree to its cause. There's a stunning ending, as Duncan finds a way to make humans pay attention to the plight of all birds. An author's note at the end adds factual information about the West Nile Virus, and explains what's fact and fiction in the narrative.
The human characters cue as white. She Writes Press is an award-winning independent publisher distributed by Simon & Schuster.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5
First, I live in Whitestone and my family had a membership to the Bronx Zoo so I went there so many times throughout elementary and middle school (not even including school field trips) and reading about the World of Birds, monorail, Dancing Crane Cafe, etc, brought back so many memories.
But anyway onto the actual story, it was pretty nice. I liked learning about crows and the West Nile virus, as I only knew that it existed but did not know about the events that happened in this book (and real life). It was also amazing to learn that that Dr. Byrne and Maddy were based on real people, and even more so that the author was actually able to speak with the real Dr. McNamara for this book. (And if the exchange between her and that CDC pathologist who pretty much belittled her and didn't care that her coworker might die was real, I am more than enraged on her behalf).
That being said, I had been hoping we would get more from the humans, particularly Maddy and the White House. Since it was pointed out on the map and the crows kept referencing it in the beginning, I thought something significant would happen there, but the story would pretty much remain the same if the house was replaced with any other generic location like a park. I also wished we had gotten more from Maddy, I guess she was there to be a third party human perspective on the virus, but I couldn't really connect to her character because her chapters appeared sporadically and disappeared just as quickly. There was also more of a romance plot than I had expected from the crows (which, looking back, might be on me considering the synopsis which I had forgotten when I started reading) but I did tear up at one point and the ending made me happy, so I rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the arc!
First, I live in Whitestone and my family had a membership to the Bronx Zoo so I went there so many times throughout elementary and middle school (not even including school field trips) and reading about the World of Birds, monorail, Dancing Crane Cafe, etc, brought back so many memories.
But anyway onto the actual story, it was pretty nice. I liked learning about crows and the West Nile virus, as I only knew that it existed but did not know about the events that happened in this book (and real life). It was also amazing to learn that that Dr. Byrne and Maddy were based on real people, and even more so that the author was actually able to speak with the real Dr. McNamara for this book. (And if the exchange between her and that CDC pathologist who pretty much belittled her and didn't care that her coworker might die was real, I am more than enraged on her behalf).
That being said, I had been hoping we would get more from the humans, particularly Maddy and the White House. Since it was pointed out on the map and the crows kept referencing it in the beginning, I thought something significant would happen there, but the story would pretty much remain the same if the house was replaced with any other generic location like a park. I also wished we had gotten more from Maddy, I guess she was there to be a third party human perspective on the virus, but I couldn't really connect to her character because her chapters appeared sporadically and disappeared just as quickly. There was also more of a romance plot than I had expected from the crows (which, looking back, might be on me considering the synopsis which I had forgotten when I started reading) but I did tear up at one point and the ending made me happy, so I rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was sent a copy of this book for my honest review. And honestly... I LOVED IT!!! This book is a stunning novel about family and hope. It is filled with amazing details into the life of Crows and I could not put it down!!!
This book is about Duncan, a Four-year-old crow trying to help his family even after his horrible mistake. But when a strange illness called the "Blind Death" starts killing crows across New York City, Duncan is the one who has to step up and save his family. But it turns out not just crows are dying... And the sickness is worse than they thought...
Oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how good this book is! Every chapter was riveting, and there were times I couldn't put it down. (Was I almost late to work because of this book... Yes. But it was totally worth it!) I'm telling you, this is the book of the year! Teens 14 and up would LOVE this tale of hardship, hope and family.
Now there is violence in the novel. Since it is about animals, there is mention of dark topics. Mention of death, disease, blood and killing. Mention of animals dying, fighting and such. Which is why it is 14 and up. Animals kill each other and then eat each other. It isn't too gory, but there is some detail described. There is also some cursing throughout the book. As well as a mention of a word that starts with 'F'. (Hint-hint)
Overall, this is a book I love soooo much! And I really want to read Pam McGaffin's other book as well!!!! If you love a good animal story, complete with adventure, suspense and family; this is the book for you. Happy Reading!!! -The Young Llama Reader.
This book is about Duncan, a Four-year-old crow trying to help his family even after his horrible mistake. But when a strange illness called the "Blind Death" starts killing crows across New York City, Duncan is the one who has to step up and save his family. But it turns out not just crows are dying... And the sickness is worse than they thought...
Oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how good this book is! Every chapter was riveting, and there were times I couldn't put it down. (Was I almost late to work because of this book... Yes. But it was totally worth it!) I'm telling you, this is the book of the year! Teens 14 and up would LOVE this tale of hardship, hope and family.
Now there is violence in the novel. Since it is about animals, there is mention of dark topics. Mention of death, disease, blood and killing. Mention of animals dying, fighting and such. Which is why it is 14 and up. Animals kill each other and then eat each other. It isn't too gory, but there is some detail described. There is also some cursing throughout the book. As well as a mention of a word that starts with 'F'. (Hint-hint)
Overall, this is a book I love soooo much! And I really want to read Pam McGaffin's other book as well!!!! If you love a good animal story, complete with adventure, suspense and family; this is the book for you. Happy Reading!!! -The Young Llama Reader.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This unusual novel tells the story of the West Nile outbreak in New York City from multiple POVs—most of them crows, but some humans too. We mostly follow Duncan, who is helping his parents with his younger fledgling siblings when the mysterious “blind death” starts to affect crows, pigeons, and other city birds that people do not usually pay much attention to.
It is, simultaneously, an insight into the interconnectedness of human and more-than-human worlds, through the unusual optics of storytelling that follows crows—and a coming-of-age story, typical in its tackling of issues of growing into responsibility and the capability to make decisions and take care of others.
At a couple of points, I was disturbed by the combination of the realistic depiction of the inherent violence of the animal world (and this story is on the realistic side in terms of portraying animal habits, not in the fairy-tale talking-animal tradition where animals are just humans in disguise) with presenting those same animals as ethical subjects, but ultimately, this impression did not dominate my reading experience.
I should warn you, though: a ton of crows die in this story, including some of those whose POVs we get to follow. It is not a children’s book from this perspective—one where the negative emotional impact would be controlled by keeping suffering and death at the fringes and never affecting those in the spotlight.
Publication date: May 26, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC provided through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.
It is, simultaneously, an insight into the interconnectedness of human and more-than-human worlds, through the unusual optics of storytelling that follows crows—and a coming-of-age story, typical in its tackling of issues of growing into responsibility and the capability to make decisions and take care of others.
At a couple of points, I was disturbed by the combination of the realistic depiction of the inherent violence of the animal world (and this story is on the realistic side in terms of portraying animal habits, not in the fairy-tale talking-animal tradition where animals are just humans in disguise) with presenting those same animals as ethical subjects, but ultimately, this impression did not dominate my reading experience.
I should warn you, though: a ton of crows die in this story, including some of those whose POVs we get to follow. It is not a children’s book from this perspective—one where the negative emotional impact would be controlled by keeping suffering and death at the fringes and never affecting those in the spotlight.
Publication date: May 26, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC provided through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5/5
The story is based on real events, but presented in an unexpected way. New York City, spring-summer of 1999. A mysterious virus starts its killing spree.
Duncan is eaten up by guilt. He feels unworthy of trust, love, and anything good in his life. His sister Cloud is full of life and hope, and she keeps nagging him to find a mate for life. But is it the right time when death is just around the corner?
A moving story that made me cry. Slow-paced story on guilt, grief, death, and life. There is no death without life, and vice versa. Even when
Duncan's parents are dying, and he has to take care of his five younger siblings. But how can he? He isn't ready; he is immature and unworthy. But he has no choice and tries to do his best. Of course, not everything goes the easiest path. But while taking care of others, he learns the importance of taking care of himself and grows.
I would like to have a bit more chapters about Annye, or other humans, but it was still a great story, and I might even reread it later.
Thanks, Netgalley, for the ARC. All the opinions in the review are my own.
The story is based on real events, but presented in an unexpected way. New York City, spring-summer of 1999. A mysterious virus starts its killing spree.
Hundreds... Thousands die, but no one cares because the first victims are crows.
Duncan is eaten up by guilt. He feels unworthy of trust, love, and anything good in his life. His sister Cloud is full of life and hope, and she keeps nagging him to find a mate for life. But is it the right time when death is just around the corner?
A moving story that made me cry. Slow-paced story on guilt, grief, death, and life. There is no death without life, and vice versa. Even when
death doesn't obey order. It cruelly takes the one who wants to live over the one who's half dead already.It is a story with a deep meaning, and it could be used as a lesson on so many issues.
Duncan's parents are dying, and he has to take care of his five younger siblings. But how can he? He isn't ready; he is immature and unworthy. But he has no choice and tries to do his best. Of course, not everything goes the easiest path. But while taking care of others, he learns the importance of taking care of himself and grows.
I would like to have a bit more chapters about Annye, or other humans, but it was still a great story, and I might even reread it later.
Thanks, Netgalley, for the ARC. All the opinions in the review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
: ̗̀➜ ARC review [5⭐]I can't believe all the pirouettes this book had me doing while reading.
An emotional and acting packed, feeling bursting book. It truly had me shedding a tear on a couple of occasions too
On Shade of Wings you will find a story about perseverance, connection and sticking to what you truly believe, by the hand of both crows and humans. Here we have several crow povs, as well as two point of views from two human women entangled in the lives of the crows, directly or indirectly, that live around the zoo and all over the city.
The story is captivating by both the narrative and the storyline, that follows a family of crows and their fast growing younglings, and many more we encounter as our characters grow and learn the twists of living and fate, while battling a mysterious sickness that's slowly spreading amongst all the birds.
Despite the somewhat dramatic synopsis, what's fascinating about this book is the way you get fully immersed in the bird's way of living and culture. You're not just reading about the crows as simple animals, you get to experience being them, as protagonists with a full conscience, in a story imbued with their own history and culture, beliefs about the world, and the way of living in symbiosis with humans as species that evolved together, from the inside out.
At the same time, living the storyline from both the perspective of the humans and crows, and getting to know about what's really happening, alongside what both species believe is happening, while IT IS HAPPENING has been something enigmatic. Reading about the crows' difficulties and perseverance just as well as the humans' changing perspective of the situation as the book went on magnified the visual of both species living their own reality. It all made the final that more of a heartwarming end.
This book is really a journey through the whole spectrum of feelings, I'm so happy to have read about such interesting characters (crows?) ((and humans!)) and such complex relationships.
I can't wait to recommend this to everyone who loves nature and animals and original reads.
A truly unique and one in a million book.
: ̗̀➜Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional and acting packed, feeling bursting book. It truly had me shedding a tear on a couple of occasions too
On Shade of Wings you will find a story about perseverance, connection and sticking to what you truly believe, by the hand of both crows and humans. Here we have several crow povs, as well as two point of views from two human women entangled in the lives of the crows, directly or indirectly, that live around the zoo and all over the city.
The story is captivating by both the narrative and the storyline, that follows a family of crows and their fast growing younglings, and many more we encounter as our characters grow and learn the twists of living and fate, while battling a mysterious sickness that's slowly spreading amongst all the birds.
Despite the somewhat dramatic synopsis, what's fascinating about this book is the way you get fully immersed in the bird's way of living and culture. You're not just reading about the crows as simple animals, you get to experience being them, as protagonists with a full conscience, in a story imbued with their own history and culture, beliefs about the world, and the way of living in symbiosis with humans as species that evolved together, from the inside out.
At the same time, living the storyline from both the perspective of the humans and crows, and getting to know about what's really happening, alongside what both species believe is happening, while IT IS HAPPENING has been something enigmatic. Reading about the crows' difficulties and perseverance just as well as the humans' changing perspective of the situation as the book went on magnified the visual of both species living their own reality. It all made the final that more of a heartwarming end.
This book is really a journey through the whole spectrum of feelings, I'm so happy to have read about such interesting characters (crows?) ((and humans!)) and such complex relationships.
I can't wait to recommend this to everyone who loves nature and animals and original reads.
A truly unique and one in a million book.
: ̗̀➜Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a unique book! Totally loved it! I recall how, a few decades ago, some publishers stomped hard on any use of anthropomorphism, and I’m glad that trend didn’t last. I was immediately drawn into the story, as told from the crows’ point(s) of view. Part of my fascination came from discovering how the avian perspective—and, really, their entire culture and reality—runs parallel to the human view of this world. I realized that, to the extent I think about and relate to birds, it is much more on an individual level, as they appear within my reality. Also didn’t know much about West Nile. I’d be interested in whether a story about avian flu would be similar (or maybe a sequel?) A fantastically memorable read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC of this book.
"The Shade of Wings" is a unique novel told from the multiple perspectives of crows, thoughtfully exploring the outbreak of the West Nile virus and the theme of grief.
Overall, I really like the book and found the style and different POV's to be an interesting take. I have never read a book quite like this; therefore, I don’t think this book is one I would necessarily gravitate towards or read again. Despite this, I can think of many others who would enjoy the book and love the zoological aspects.
"The Shade of Wings" is a unique novel told from the multiple perspectives of crows, thoughtfully exploring the outbreak of the West Nile virus and the theme of grief.
Overall, I really like the book and found the style and different POV's to be an interesting take. I have never read a book quite like this; therefore, I don’t think this book is one I would necessarily gravitate towards or read again. Despite this, I can think of many others who would enjoy the book and love the zoological aspects.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC.
This was a story about grief, learning to accept yourself and your mistakes.
It's a pandemic story and I relate to it a little more
It follows the pov's of crows and humans and it was very beautifully written.
If we had more time in the human pov's I would've loved it even more.
I've found out that I'm loving the fiction/historical fiction genre a lot more lately.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC.
This was a story about grief, learning to accept yourself and your mistakes.
It's a pandemic story and I relate to it a little more
It follows the pov's of crows and humans and it was very beautifully written.
If we had more time in the human pov's I would've loved it even more.
I've found out that I'm loving the fiction/historical fiction genre a lot more lately.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast-paced and had a really good concept in it. Pam's has really good characters and an amazing writing style in this book. I also loved the dialogue and loved the way this book is portrayed and the way she has written her characters. However I wanted more scenes and more tension between the characters. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and as usual all opinions are my own. 💚🦅
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 A coming of age story that delves into the complexities of grief, kinship and community.
The novel, written from crows’ perspectives, was refreshing and the world building around their traditions and beliefs provides a nice touch.
The shifting between character pov allowed exploration into their inner worlds, though the characters’ relational development lacked in comparison and could’ve been fleshed out more to evoke further poignance.
#ARC review
The novel, written from crows’ perspectives, was refreshing and the world building around their traditions and beliefs provides a nice touch.
The shifting between character pov allowed exploration into their inner worlds, though the characters’ relational development lacked in comparison and could’ve been fleshed out more to evoke further poignance.
#ARC review
Review of advance copy received from Author
Shade of Wings is a cautionary tale wrapped in the saga of a brave and intelligent community of crows struggling to survive in New York City during the early days of the West Nile virus. Remarkably, the crows themselves are the protagonists, with supporting roles played by a young girl and a distinguished veterinarian. It works, and I learned a lot about crows and avian diseases in this intriguing story. (I read this through an advanced reader copy.)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love crows but have never read anything like Pam McGaffin's book. I found it completely enthralling, and sad, as it detailed what happened as the West Nile virus hit NYC in 1999. And who could not love the diary entries by Maddy, and her crow gifts. Wonderful! And then there is the exchange between the bisons and the crows. So much wonderful detail, and all in praise of the fantastic creatures crows are, and how much we humans resemble them. Thank you, Pam McGaffin!
Review of advance copy
Filled with appealing characters, crow lore, natural history, mysterious illness and conflicting scientific theories, Pam McGaffin’s speculative novel Shade of Wings delivers a fresh and compelling story of family, survival, and redemption. The book gripped me from page one, and never let go—simply said, I had to find out what happened to these characters. Well done!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book from start to finish. The crows were so real that I forgot sometimes they weren't people. I learned a lot as I enjoyed the gripping tale of survival in NYC for a family of crows.
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