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Lyrebird
Life is in two parts: who you were before you met her, and who you are after.
A documentary crew discover a mysterious young woman living alone in the mountains of West Cork. Strikingly beautiful she has an extraordinary talent for mimicry, like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew, fascinated, make her the subject of her story, and bestow the nickname upon her.
When they leave, they take Lyrebird with them back to the city. But as she leaves behind her peaceful life to learn about a new world, is she also leaving behind a part of herself? For her new friend Solomon the answer isn’t clear. When you find a rare and precious thing, should you share it – or protect it…
A documentary crew discover a mysterious young woman living alone in the mountains of West Cork. Strikingly beautiful she has an extraordinary talent for mimicry, like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew, fascinated, make her the subject of her story, and bestow the nickname upon her.
When they leave, they take Lyrebird with them back to the city. But as she leaves behind her peaceful life to learn about a new world, is she also leaving behind a part of herself? For her new friend Solomon the answer isn’t clear. When you find a rare and precious thing, should you share it – or protect it…
413 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2016
754 people are currently reading
8987 people want to read
About the author
Cecelia Ahern
98 books19.4k followersCecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. She is now published in nearly fifty countries, and has sold over twenty-five million copies of her novels worldwide. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,136 reviews
November 12, 2016
Ok where do I start with this book..150 odd pages in and I was bored senseless,it was a challenge to even pick up the book and continue reading. It wasn't even that it was slow with nothing really happening but the plot was just boring. A woman found on a mountain who can mimic any sound and so this film crew want to do a documentary on her.
My biggest problem from the start was that I just didn't like any of the characters though I kinda liked Bo,the film producer even if she was a bit selfish only looking out for herself. I did not like Laura or Solomon and I did not like this ridiculous connection that they had from the moment they met. It was pathetic and cringe worthy and how could I think it was romantic when he was effectively betraying his girlfriend(Bo) with every thought,glance and touch he had with Laura.
Bo might not have been the nicest person in the world but she didn't deserve to be treated like that by her boyfriend whom she lived with and by Laura,a girl who had this pathetic bambi persona going on.
Once Laura got involved in the talent show the book did begin to pick up and it was easier to read and I may have enjoyed it in parts but it was overall a massive let down. The plot was just weak and pathetic and trying to get us to fall in love with this unique special bond that Laura and Solomon had was just wrong.
You could forgive Laura somewhat as she was slightly naive in ways but Solomon is a grown man whose attitude and concern for something other than his girlfriend bordered on freakish.
Bo's reaction to Solomon and Laura was utterly ridiculous and all I will say is ' AS IF' .
Laura being the Lyrebird was at times silly and boring and others it was interesting in the way it took people back to their childhoods and their memories but then most of the others times it was turned into a farce.
For me it was overall a rather weak uninteresting plot with weak uninteresting fickle characters that didn't know the meaning of morals or loyalty.
My biggest problem from the start was that I just didn't like any of the characters though I kinda liked Bo,the film producer even if she was a bit selfish only looking out for herself. I did not like Laura or Solomon and I did not like this ridiculous connection that they had from the moment they met. It was pathetic and cringe worthy and how could I think it was romantic when he was effectively betraying his girlfriend(Bo) with every thought,glance and touch he had with Laura.
Bo might not have been the nicest person in the world but she didn't deserve to be treated like that by her boyfriend whom she lived with and by Laura,a girl who had this pathetic bambi persona going on.
Once Laura got involved in the talent show the book did begin to pick up and it was easier to read and I may have enjoyed it in parts but it was overall a massive let down. The plot was just weak and pathetic and trying to get us to fall in love with this unique special bond that Laura and Solomon had was just wrong.
You could forgive Laura somewhat as she was slightly naive in ways but Solomon is a grown man whose attitude and concern for something other than his girlfriend bordered on freakish.
Bo's reaction to Solomon and Laura was utterly ridiculous and all I will say is ' AS IF' .
Laura being the Lyrebird was at times silly and boring and others it was interesting in the way it took people back to their childhoods and their memories but then most of the others times it was turned into a farce.
For me it was overall a rather weak uninteresting plot with weak uninteresting fickle characters that didn't know the meaning of morals or loyalty.
May 1, 2023
Another lovely book by Cecilia Ahern. When you listen to it, you get transformed into a world where magic exists. You are reminded of everything that is beautiful , and feel happy to be alive. The ordinary gets extraordinary. Ahern has a gift, and like the lyrebird, she reminds us of everything that is important in life.
February 7, 2017
This is hands down one of the worst books I have ever read, and here’s why:
- Laura is downright annoying. Yes, I know she’s supposedly been isolated from the whole world her entire life. But she’s annoying. Her mimicking borders on completely ridiculous. She can apparently mimic the noise of “the sound of his fingers brushing his stubble”. PLEASE. The author tries to pull off some sort of manic but innocent pixie girl nonsense with her character and it’s irritating how every single character in the book (minus Bo, who seems to be actually sane) instantly turns to mush in front of Laura’s noises and bend over backwards for her. Which brings me on to…
- SOLOMON. Oh my God. If Laura was annoying, Solomon made me want to gauge my eyes out. If you hate insta-love, don’t read this book. He literally would die for Laura the moment he sets eyes on her and then doesn’t shut up about it for the next 300 pages. He was territorial over her from the beginning; itching to be the number one helper in Laura’s life. He has to attempt to control his indignant rage when his brother Rory speaks to her at a party.
I felt no sympathy for his feelings for Laura and his mixed-up feelings towards his actual girlfriend, Bo. If you’re uncomfortable with emotional cheating then AVOID. THIS. BOOK:
“Solomon clears his throat again awkwardly. He doesn’t know where to look. If he lays his eyes on her again everyone will know, absolutely everyone will know how he feels. He can’t cope with looking at her, he can’t control himself, the sudden tremble he feels, the awkwardness, the downright unsophisticated urge to take her, and have her all to himself, do all the things most men in the room are fantasising about right now.”
Ahern tries to justify this by making Bo somewhat bitchy and difficult, but
1) there’s NO justification for how Solomon thinks and acts and
2) I don’t feel comfortable falling into the thought of ‘Bo is a bitch’ because she’s justified in being angry about the ridiculous way Solomon acts. I thought she was the only sane character in the whole thing, besides the camerawoman Rachel, who I wish we’d seen more of. Solomon is nasty to her, often throwing in things like “You’re disgusting, Bo” just because she doesn’t respect his weird feelings for Laura who, by the way, is supposed to be 26 years old but reads like a 14 year old (which made me feel weird about the way Solomon spoke of her). Mind you, Solomon also reads like an angsty and horny thirteen year old boy. He is supposed to be 30+, which is laughable.
Oh, and the whole talent show thing was odd. It felt unrealistic, especially the apparent worldwide frenzy for Laura after her first appearance. She’s apparently viewed 200 million times on YouTube in 5 days. She gains fans who sleep in front of where she’s staying just to catch a glimpse of her. I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes.
The storyline might have been improved by a beautiful writing style, but this fell short too. I disliked the narrative, which was written in the present tense but in third person. I guess I’m just not used to reading in that way, and I hated it. The perspectives also switch at any time during a chapter, especially in the beginning of the book, leaving me confused and unable to connect with any one character.
Wouldn’t recommend.
- Laura is downright annoying. Yes, I know she’s supposedly been isolated from the whole world her entire life. But she’s annoying. Her mimicking borders on completely ridiculous. She can apparently mimic the noise of “the sound of his fingers brushing his stubble”. PLEASE. The author tries to pull off some sort of manic but innocent pixie girl nonsense with her character and it’s irritating how every single character in the book (minus Bo, who seems to be actually sane) instantly turns to mush in front of Laura’s noises and bend over backwards for her. Which brings me on to…
- SOLOMON. Oh my God. If Laura was annoying, Solomon made me want to gauge my eyes out. If you hate insta-love, don’t read this book. He literally would die for Laura the moment he sets eyes on her and then doesn’t shut up about it for the next 300 pages. He was territorial over her from the beginning; itching to be the number one helper in Laura’s life. He has to attempt to control his indignant rage when his brother Rory speaks to her at a party.
I felt no sympathy for his feelings for Laura and his mixed-up feelings towards his actual girlfriend, Bo. If you’re uncomfortable with emotional cheating then AVOID. THIS. BOOK:
“Solomon clears his throat again awkwardly. He doesn’t know where to look. If he lays his eyes on her again everyone will know, absolutely everyone will know how he feels. He can’t cope with looking at her, he can’t control himself, the sudden tremble he feels, the awkwardness, the downright unsophisticated urge to take her, and have her all to himself, do all the things most men in the room are fantasising about right now.”
Ahern tries to justify this by making Bo somewhat bitchy and difficult, but
1) there’s NO justification for how Solomon thinks and acts and
2) I don’t feel comfortable falling into the thought of ‘Bo is a bitch’ because she’s justified in being angry about the ridiculous way Solomon acts. I thought she was the only sane character in the whole thing, besides the camerawoman Rachel, who I wish we’d seen more of. Solomon is nasty to her, often throwing in things like “You’re disgusting, Bo” just because she doesn’t respect his weird feelings for Laura who, by the way, is supposed to be 26 years old but reads like a 14 year old (which made me feel weird about the way Solomon spoke of her). Mind you, Solomon also reads like an angsty and horny thirteen year old boy. He is supposed to be 30+, which is laughable.
Oh, and the whole talent show thing was odd. It felt unrealistic, especially the apparent worldwide frenzy for Laura after her first appearance. She’s apparently viewed 200 million times on YouTube in 5 days. She gains fans who sleep in front of where she’s staying just to catch a glimpse of her. I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes.
The storyline might have been improved by a beautiful writing style, but this fell short too. I disliked the narrative, which was written in the present tense but in third person. I guess I’m just not used to reading in that way, and I hated it. The perspectives also switch at any time during a chapter, especially in the beginning of the book, leaving me confused and unable to connect with any one character.
Wouldn’t recommend.
July 26, 2023
This was not an easy book to read, but also very powerful. I've had this book sitting around for a while and read a few of Cecilia Ahern's books since purchashing this one. The title of the book enthralled me as the lyrebird is almost a mythical Australian bird that virtually can imitate any sound. I mean, chainsaws, cars, birdsounds and virtually anything they may hear, in the male courtship of a female bird. Having heard and seen the elusive lyrebird myself in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, I have long been enthralled by this magnificent bird, so of course I was interested in reading this one by the Irish writer. Please google it and watch and listen to this amazing bird.
Laura, also known a lyrebird, has no birth certificate and supposedly does not exist, until she is discovered at 26 living alone in a cottage on the land owned by twins, who have had a popular documentary filmed about their lives. One day the documentary crew comes across Laura near her cottage on their property, where she has lived alone for ten years, after her father, one of the twin brothers in the documentary, has suddenly died. His brother knows nothing of his niece's existence.
What follows is an often fraught journey where the documentary crew want to make a film about her. She agrees, but what follows is a most disturbing journey, including reality tv and all the horrible things that can happen with celebrity. I struggled through this journey, which Ms Ahern writes about with great understanding and skill, but not easy for the reader.
This book took me a while to read, not an easy one for sure, but overall, magnificent. The entirety of a human, living on her own, imitating the sounds of her environment, is entralling. The world was not ready for her, nor she for the world. A remarkable accomplishment. 4+ stars for me.
Laura, also known a lyrebird, has no birth certificate and supposedly does not exist, until she is discovered at 26 living alone in a cottage on the land owned by twins, who have had a popular documentary filmed about their lives. One day the documentary crew comes across Laura near her cottage on their property, where she has lived alone for ten years, after her father, one of the twin brothers in the documentary, has suddenly died. His brother knows nothing of his niece's existence.
What follows is an often fraught journey where the documentary crew want to make a film about her. She agrees, but what follows is a most disturbing journey, including reality tv and all the horrible things that can happen with celebrity. I struggled through this journey, which Ms Ahern writes about with great understanding and skill, but not easy for the reader.
This book took me a while to read, not an easy one for sure, but overall, magnificent. The entirety of a human, living on her own, imitating the sounds of her environment, is entralling. The world was not ready for her, nor she for the world. A remarkable accomplishment. 4+ stars for me.
December 2, 2016
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
---- Charlotte Brontë
Cecelia Ahern, the #1 international bestselling author, pens her new contemporary fiction, Lyrebird which reads like a breathy timeless romantic fantasy of music and love and it centers around a young male documentary filmmaker and a lonely exotic and wild girl of the mountains with a rare talent to mimic whatever sound she hears and when these two meet, both of their worlds and lives change for the good. A heart warming tale that is surely going to touch millions of hearts around the world.
Synopsis:
Life is in two parts: who you were before you met her and who you are after.
Down in the south west of Ireland, rugged mountains meet bright blue lakes and thick forests. Deep in the woods, surrounded by farmland, a young woman lives alone in a small stone cottage.
Then, into her peaceful landscape comes a documentary crew. Solomon’s skill is sound. He records, he listens, he hears. And when he meets Laura, he discovers that she has an extraordinary talent: an ability to mimic sounds. It’s a gift that earns her the nickname Lyrebird.
From that point, Laura’s life is turned on its head. When the documentary crew offers her a way forward, a bridge to another kind of life, she takes it. But while Solomon knows the world will love Laura, will it free her to spread her wings – or will it trap her in a gilded cage? Like all wild birds, she needs to fly free…
Lyrebird is a thoughtful, deeply moving love story; a story of the wild heart in us all and the quiet that lies underneath the world’s noise.
Solomon travels with his crew to shoot a documentary about twin brothers in the Cork countryside of Ireland. The filmmaker is mesmerized by the beauty and the serenity of such an amazing and peaceful village surrounded by mother nature's gifts, mountains, dense forests, exotic plants, clear blue river, and amidst this beauty of mother nature, he found a rare and striking creature hidden away in a forgotten cottage. Laura, a young and wild girl of the village, who has forever lived her teenage and adult life in isolation after the death of her grandma thus she is not quite accustomed to the city folks, the manner they talk or dress or eat. She was forever known the wildness of the forest and the mountains and the various sounds that she heard in this village. Laura is born with a rare talent of mimicking sounds, be it of any kind or type, in a natural way, that made her sound fantastically bewitching. And as soon as Solomon and his crew finds her and her talent, they offer her to take part in a reality show to showcase her talent to the world. And Laura could not say no to the offer, as just like Solomon, who was struck by her charm and quietness, she too was struck by the calm, caring demeanor of a good-looking man. Solomon is happy as Laura is traveling back with him to the city but will the world accept her rare talent of mimicry? Can Laura survive the chaotic madness of a reality TV show's pressure?
Yet once again out favorite author, Cecelia Ahern, pens an arresting tale of love that is not at all stereotypical, instead it will take the readers' breaths away, as the tale is so lush, emotional and serene like a quiet river. The readers are bound to get carried away by the intensity of love while reading this stunning contemporary romance novel. After turning the last page of the book, I was left with an aching feeling that I will miss Laura and Solomon deeply on the other hand, I was also left with a sweet lingering feeling about the story line.
The writing style of the author is eloquent and remarkable that is laced with an air of mystery and sentiments balanced well to make it an intriguing read for readers of all ages. The narrative in this book is engaging and articulate enough to keep the readers glued till the very last page of the book. The first chapter itself struck me so vehemently with its mystical powers that it captivated my mind till the very last page. The pace is smooth although there are not much layers and twists in the story, yet the author gradually peels the layers of emotions that she has painted the story with. The readers are bound to feel like swaying away with this timeless piece of love story between a city man and a quiet village girl.
The characters in this book are well crafted out by the author as she depicts them with their flaws, strongest qualities laced flawlessly with reality. Although Laura's character is highly fictional yet it somehow comes closer to reality and that will make the readers connect with her. Laura is the gem of this novel. Her charm, sheer beauty, green wild eyes, peaceful demeanor, her sing-song voice, her sounds of nature and the people around her, her grace and her naive yet careful behavior simply steals the show. Her challenge and constant struggle with the reality TV show hosts, producers and the contestants will fill the readers heart with sorrow yet somehow her fight makes her look brave in the face of the readers. Even though most of the time, Solomon protected her, still Laura will not once come across as a damsel in distress. The supporting cast are quite interesting and will leave an impression in the minds of the readers.
The love story that the author penned between Solomon and Laura is full of compassion and care that will make the readers' hearts feel the intensity of that warmth. Their love story is pure and something to be cherished forever, meaning it is promising and hopeful. While reading, I felt, like the author has poured out all the best emotions from within her soul into this story to make it so much poignant and deeply moving. Although the ending is cliched, but somehow the author managed to turn this simple love story into something spellbinding.
Verdict: Yet once again Ahern shines with another hypnotizing tale of love, hope and peace.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
---- Charlotte Brontë
Cecelia Ahern, the #1 international bestselling author, pens her new contemporary fiction, Lyrebird which reads like a breathy timeless romantic fantasy of music and love and it centers around a young male documentary filmmaker and a lonely exotic and wild girl of the mountains with a rare talent to mimic whatever sound she hears and when these two meet, both of their worlds and lives change for the good. A heart warming tale that is surely going to touch millions of hearts around the world.
Synopsis:
Life is in two parts: who you were before you met her and who you are after.
Down in the south west of Ireland, rugged mountains meet bright blue lakes and thick forests. Deep in the woods, surrounded by farmland, a young woman lives alone in a small stone cottage.
Then, into her peaceful landscape comes a documentary crew. Solomon’s skill is sound. He records, he listens, he hears. And when he meets Laura, he discovers that she has an extraordinary talent: an ability to mimic sounds. It’s a gift that earns her the nickname Lyrebird.
From that point, Laura’s life is turned on its head. When the documentary crew offers her a way forward, a bridge to another kind of life, she takes it. But while Solomon knows the world will love Laura, will it free her to spread her wings – or will it trap her in a gilded cage? Like all wild birds, she needs to fly free…
Lyrebird is a thoughtful, deeply moving love story; a story of the wild heart in us all and the quiet that lies underneath the world’s noise.
Solomon travels with his crew to shoot a documentary about twin brothers in the Cork countryside of Ireland. The filmmaker is mesmerized by the beauty and the serenity of such an amazing and peaceful village surrounded by mother nature's gifts, mountains, dense forests, exotic plants, clear blue river, and amidst this beauty of mother nature, he found a rare and striking creature hidden away in a forgotten cottage. Laura, a young and wild girl of the village, who has forever lived her teenage and adult life in isolation after the death of her grandma thus she is not quite accustomed to the city folks, the manner they talk or dress or eat. She was forever known the wildness of the forest and the mountains and the various sounds that she heard in this village. Laura is born with a rare talent of mimicking sounds, be it of any kind or type, in a natural way, that made her sound fantastically bewitching. And as soon as Solomon and his crew finds her and her talent, they offer her to take part in a reality show to showcase her talent to the world. And Laura could not say no to the offer, as just like Solomon, who was struck by her charm and quietness, she too was struck by the calm, caring demeanor of a good-looking man. Solomon is happy as Laura is traveling back with him to the city but will the world accept her rare talent of mimicry? Can Laura survive the chaotic madness of a reality TV show's pressure?
Yet once again out favorite author, Cecelia Ahern, pens an arresting tale of love that is not at all stereotypical, instead it will take the readers' breaths away, as the tale is so lush, emotional and serene like a quiet river. The readers are bound to get carried away by the intensity of love while reading this stunning contemporary romance novel. After turning the last page of the book, I was left with an aching feeling that I will miss Laura and Solomon deeply on the other hand, I was also left with a sweet lingering feeling about the story line.
The writing style of the author is eloquent and remarkable that is laced with an air of mystery and sentiments balanced well to make it an intriguing read for readers of all ages. The narrative in this book is engaging and articulate enough to keep the readers glued till the very last page of the book. The first chapter itself struck me so vehemently with its mystical powers that it captivated my mind till the very last page. The pace is smooth although there are not much layers and twists in the story, yet the author gradually peels the layers of emotions that she has painted the story with. The readers are bound to feel like swaying away with this timeless piece of love story between a city man and a quiet village girl.
The characters in this book are well crafted out by the author as she depicts them with their flaws, strongest qualities laced flawlessly with reality. Although Laura's character is highly fictional yet it somehow comes closer to reality and that will make the readers connect with her. Laura is the gem of this novel. Her charm, sheer beauty, green wild eyes, peaceful demeanor, her sing-song voice, her sounds of nature and the people around her, her grace and her naive yet careful behavior simply steals the show. Her challenge and constant struggle with the reality TV show hosts, producers and the contestants will fill the readers heart with sorrow yet somehow her fight makes her look brave in the face of the readers. Even though most of the time, Solomon protected her, still Laura will not once come across as a damsel in distress. The supporting cast are quite interesting and will leave an impression in the minds of the readers.
The love story that the author penned between Solomon and Laura is full of compassion and care that will make the readers' hearts feel the intensity of that warmth. Their love story is pure and something to be cherished forever, meaning it is promising and hopeful. While reading, I felt, like the author has poured out all the best emotions from within her soul into this story to make it so much poignant and deeply moving. Although the ending is cliched, but somehow the author managed to turn this simple love story into something spellbinding.
Verdict: Yet once again Ahern shines with another hypnotizing tale of love, hope and peace.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
July 7, 2021
Felt like a missed opportunity to write a beautiful novel. The whole reality show thing was unnecessary. Nevertheless, Laura was a unique character but if you like Ahern, skip this & read the others.
November 26, 2016
I'm going to DNF this one at 21%, at least for a while. My favourite characters are the Toolin twins, and one of them is dead.
November 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on Between My Lines
Can you imagine living your life in total isolation? And then being thrust in the craziness of a reality show? No! Me, neither but that is the intriguing premise of Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern.
First Line of Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern
“He moves away from the others, their constant chat blending into a tedious monotonous sound in his head.”
My Thoughts on Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern
Laura (aka Lyrebird) is such a unique character. Twenty six year-old Laura has been sheltered from the world and lives all alone in a cabin in an isolated park of the Cork countryside. Laura mimics sounds in a natural, effortless way, mostly she doesn’t even know she is doing it. Her squawks, and cries, and all her sounds fill the book with a whimsical energy.
I loved Laura. When she is discovered by the film crew, she makes a thoughtful, informed decision on how to change her life. Maybe influenced a little by her instant attraction to soundman Solomon. And damnit, I can’t resist the pun but he really is a sound man. Just perfect for Laura.
Lyrebird is a book with a warm feel, lots of witty conversations and an inevitable romance. Sometimes when reading a book, I love to see the character grow but here I was happy just to see Laura as she was. She had things to learn about the harsh realities of life, and she needed people to love, but I didn’t feel she needed to grow. She was already wise just from knowing herself so well.
The reality show backdrop angered me, provoked me and raised lots of interesting issues to ponder over. I won’t lie, I enjoy some reality shows but I do worry about how they can exploit vulnerable people. And this book put words around the thoughts that I already had in my mind.
Overall all this is an enchanting story with a haunting theme and likeable characters. The ending was predictable but I had such fun along the way that I didn’t overly mind. When you want the silence the noise of your everyday life, this is a perfect book to do just that with.
Who should read Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern?
I’d highly recommend this book to you if you like contemporary Irish settings, whimsical storylines and characters to root for. Fans of authors such as Carmel Harrington, Sheila O’Flanagan and Aimee Alexander should also enjoy.
Thanks to Harper Collins Ireland for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Can you imagine living your life in total isolation? And then being thrust in the craziness of a reality show? No! Me, neither but that is the intriguing premise of Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern.
First Line of Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern
“He moves away from the others, their constant chat blending into a tedious monotonous sound in his head.”
My Thoughts on Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern
Laura (aka Lyrebird) is such a unique character. Twenty six year-old Laura has been sheltered from the world and lives all alone in a cabin in an isolated park of the Cork countryside. Laura mimics sounds in a natural, effortless way, mostly she doesn’t even know she is doing it. Her squawks, and cries, and all her sounds fill the book with a whimsical energy.
I loved Laura. When she is discovered by the film crew, she makes a thoughtful, informed decision on how to change her life. Maybe influenced a little by her instant attraction to soundman Solomon. And damnit, I can’t resist the pun but he really is a sound man. Just perfect for Laura.
Lyrebird is a book with a warm feel, lots of witty conversations and an inevitable romance. Sometimes when reading a book, I love to see the character grow but here I was happy just to see Laura as she was. She had things to learn about the harsh realities of life, and she needed people to love, but I didn’t feel she needed to grow. She was already wise just from knowing herself so well.
The reality show backdrop angered me, provoked me and raised lots of interesting issues to ponder over. I won’t lie, I enjoy some reality shows but I do worry about how they can exploit vulnerable people. And this book put words around the thoughts that I already had in my mind.
Overall all this is an enchanting story with a haunting theme and likeable characters. The ending was predictable but I had such fun along the way that I didn’t overly mind. When you want the silence the noise of your everyday life, this is a perfect book to do just that with.
Who should read Lyrebird by Cecelia Ahern?
I’d highly recommend this book to you if you like contemporary Irish settings, whimsical storylines and characters to root for. Fans of authors such as Carmel Harrington, Sheila O’Flanagan and Aimee Alexander should also enjoy.
Thanks to Harper Collins Ireland for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
July 5, 2019
This was a little silly and a lot sweet. The perfect thing while lying in bed recovering from a nasty flu! Probably closer to 3 rather than 4 stars, but that cover is lovely and I'm feeling generous.
December 16, 2023
I was recommended this book by my best friend, so despite the many not-so-glowing reviews, I knew I would pick it up, and I would LOVE it since she and I have the same exact taste in books.
And I was right! I loved it so much.
Laura button is a mimic. She can mimic the sound of anything in existence like car alarms, coffee machines, a whimpering dog and much more. Laura has been living in isolation her entire life until she is discovered by a documentary film crew who immediately want to film her for their next project.
After some initial reluctance, Laura agrees. She quickly forms a bond with Solomon, the sound guy who happens to be the producer's boyfriend. When Solomon starts to develop feelings of his own toward Laura, things get sticky. Uh-oh!
The very peculiar way Laura deals with the world around her was fascinating for me to read. I enjoyed all her sounds, especially how it resulted in hilarious reactions from the people around her.
Laura and Solomon's interactions were some of my favorite parts to read. They "got" each other in a way that was difficult for others to comprehend. It was almost as if they had their own language.
Really enjoyed the progression of Laura's relationship with Bo, Solomon's girlfriend; it brought tears to my eyes.
If you're a fan of Cecelia Ahern's work, be sure to read this one!
And I was right! I loved it so much.
Laura button is a mimic. She can mimic the sound of anything in existence like car alarms, coffee machines, a whimpering dog and much more. Laura has been living in isolation her entire life until she is discovered by a documentary film crew who immediately want to film her for their next project.
After some initial reluctance, Laura agrees. She quickly forms a bond with Solomon, the sound guy who happens to be the producer's boyfriend. When Solomon starts to develop feelings of his own toward Laura, things get sticky. Uh-oh!
The very peculiar way Laura deals with the world around her was fascinating for me to read. I enjoyed all her sounds, especially how it resulted in hilarious reactions from the people around her.
Laura and Solomon's interactions were some of my favorite parts to read. They "got" each other in a way that was difficult for others to comprehend. It was almost as if they had their own language.
Really enjoyed the progression of Laura's relationship with Bo, Solomon's girlfriend; it brought tears to my eyes.
If you're a fan of Cecelia Ahern's work, be sure to read this one!
January 29, 2019
Das war definitiv das letzte Buch von Cecelia Ahern, welches ich mir „gekauft“ habe. Die ersten 150 Seiten und die letzten 50 habe ich gelesen. Die ca. 300 in der Mitte habe ich nur überflogen und jede 15 Seite gelesen. Das Buch ist so vorhersehbar....graussig. Einfach nur schlecht.
October 8, 2016
Words cannot really describe the depth of feeling that this story evoked in me. When Solomon, a sound guy in a documentary crew, sees Laura hiding in the forest, he is mesmerised by her and shocked at their instant connection. And as they discover the wonderful talent that Laura possesses, Solomon feels another link to her and falls even more in love with her, even though they can never be together. Laura has lived alone for so long, but is willing to embrace the changes that are happening to her, just as long as she can be near the one person she trusts - Solomon. With Laura's beautiful gift bringing her fame, Solomon struggles with his own feelings and opinions and detaches himself from her. And as Laura starts to understand the harshness and cruelty in this new world and secrets from the past are revealed, she finds herself more alone than ever.
Laura is a simply stunning character and I completely fell under her spell - how she is innocent and gentle, yet as we learn about her past, we also see true strength and bravery. At times I wanted to scream at Solomon for his lack of action, but like Laura figuring out her new life, Solomon has to work his way through the changes that are happening for him too. Through lyrical prose and beautiful detail, LYREBIRD by Cecilia Ahern weaves an emotional tale of love and loneliness, and what truly matters when the world is silent. My favourite Cecelia Ahern book yet!
*Book received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Laura is a simply stunning character and I completely fell under her spell - how she is innocent and gentle, yet as we learn about her past, we also see true strength and bravery. At times I wanted to scream at Solomon for his lack of action, but like Laura figuring out her new life, Solomon has to work his way through the changes that are happening for him too. Through lyrical prose and beautiful detail, LYREBIRD by Cecilia Ahern weaves an emotional tale of love and loneliness, and what truly matters when the world is silent. My favourite Cecelia Ahern book yet!
*Book received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review
April 19, 2018
Solomon returns to a farm in Ireland where he was part of the filming of a documentary of twin brothers who lived in a secluded way and just had each other. The documentary team returns when one of the twins passes away.
While on the grounds of the farm, Solomon is drawn to a noise in the forest and discovers that it belongs to a beautiful woman. Her name is Laura and she's been living on the land in secret and has the ability to mimic noises, much like a lyrebird.
Having been discovered, Laura is pushed hastily out into the world as a spectacle in a talent show. She struggles to cope with her new found attention and surroundings, while Solomon struggles to cope with his feelings for her, when he's in a relationship with someone else.
I can't say I enjoyed this all too much. I found Laura to be a bit of a strange character to like, as she was super weird. She would just make strange noises all the time and I didn't really see it as "beautiful", which is what the author was going for.
While on the grounds of the farm, Solomon is drawn to a noise in the forest and discovers that it belongs to a beautiful woman. Her name is Laura and she's been living on the land in secret and has the ability to mimic noises, much like a lyrebird.
Having been discovered, Laura is pushed hastily out into the world as a spectacle in a talent show. She struggles to cope with her new found attention and surroundings, while Solomon struggles to cope with his feelings for her, when he's in a relationship with someone else.
I can't say I enjoyed this all too much. I found Laura to be a bit of a strange character to like, as she was super weird. She would just make strange noises all the time and I didn't really see it as "beautiful", which is what the author was going for.
July 13, 2019
Beautiful, captivating and musical. The beauty of lyrebirds truly shone through.
February 16, 2021
This was quite an enjoyable, sometimes funny, emotional and thought provoking read. It wasn't as good as some of the other Cecelia Ahern books I've read and loved in the past, but I still enjoyed this quirky story.
February 7, 2017
I've read a few of Cecelia's books and unfortunately they haven't really been my cup of tea for the most part, her writing style isn't something I find enjoyable. With that in mind, when this was picked for a Book Club choice this month, I was determined to give her another go and read this with an open mind.
Once I got used to her particular style of writing I just went with it - it is what it is, it's overly descriptive in some parts and really simplistic in others, it's full of lines that will one day be found on a Tumblr post, but the storyline here was interesting.
Bo, Solomon and Rachel are a trio of documentary makers. Having previously made a prize-winning documentary featuring a pair of elderly bachelor brothers, they return to the area for an update. While there, they discover a strange young woman named Laura living in the forest. She has the ability to mimic any sound she hears, just like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew immediately see the potential for another documentary, and so begins their quest to discover who Laura is and why she has this talent. How would Laura cope if she was taken out of her natural environment and dragged right into the busy world of television?
The scene where Solomon was essentially paralysed at the sight of Laura reminded me of this:
I found the instant attraction/hypnotism laughable, and thought that Bo was made intentionally difficult and awkward as time went on just to suit the plot (the woman's name literally means cow in Irish, COME ON, give her a chance). Solomon was incredibly rude to her on more than one occasion.
I liked the first part and the last part. I liked hearing about Laura's family, and about why she was there. I didn't quite buy that she would be as familiar with some aspects of modern life as she appeared to be (for someone who spends her day foraging in the woods she knows a hell of a lot about celebrities). I also didn't feel like we needed half as much detail (checked shirt would have done, no need to tell us where she got it and how she accessorised it). Laura has long legs and green eyes? Remind me of that regularly, thanks.
I absolutely hated the reality TV angle. I thought it was a really strange direction to go in and that it almost split the book in two. I liked Rachel, I thought she was very much underused. I didn't like the subplot with Rory, that was unnecessary (the hare thing - WHO DOES THAT?), it seemed to be there to purely establish Solomon's feelings (which were already crystal clear).
I'm sure if you're a fan of Cecelia's work then you'll really like this - I gave it a chance, but her style of writing just is not to my liking and this hasn't done anything to change that. I really like her ideas, I think they're really creative and different, but unfortunately the execution doesn't do it for me.
Once I got used to her particular style of writing I just went with it - it is what it is, it's overly descriptive in some parts and really simplistic in others, it's full of lines that will one day be found on a Tumblr post, but the storyline here was interesting.
Bo, Solomon and Rachel are a trio of documentary makers. Having previously made a prize-winning documentary featuring a pair of elderly bachelor brothers, they return to the area for an update. While there, they discover a strange young woman named Laura living in the forest. She has the ability to mimic any sound she hears, just like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew immediately see the potential for another documentary, and so begins their quest to discover who Laura is and why she has this talent. How would Laura cope if she was taken out of her natural environment and dragged right into the busy world of television?
The scene where Solomon was essentially paralysed at the sight of Laura reminded me of this:
I found the instant attraction/hypnotism laughable, and thought that Bo was made intentionally difficult and awkward as time went on just to suit the plot (the woman's name literally means cow in Irish, COME ON, give her a chance). Solomon was incredibly rude to her on more than one occasion.
I liked the first part and the last part. I liked hearing about Laura's family, and about why she was there. I didn't quite buy that she would be as familiar with some aspects of modern life as she appeared to be (for someone who spends her day foraging in the woods she knows a hell of a lot about celebrities). I also didn't feel like we needed half as much detail (checked shirt would have done, no need to tell us where she got it and how she accessorised it). Laura has long legs and green eyes? Remind me of that regularly, thanks.
I absolutely hated the reality TV angle. I thought it was a really strange direction to go in and that it almost split the book in two. I liked Rachel, I thought she was very much underused. I didn't like the subplot with Rory, that was unnecessary (the hare thing - WHO DOES THAT?), it seemed to be there to purely establish Solomon's feelings (which were already crystal clear).
I'm sure if you're a fan of Cecelia's work then you'll really like this - I gave it a chance, but her style of writing just is not to my liking and this hasn't done anything to change that. I really like her ideas, I think they're really creative and different, but unfortunately the execution doesn't do it for me.
August 4, 2020
Really grateful to Emily for giving this book to me! Enjoyed it a lot - maybe would've liked a little bit more romance content? Not sure. It was really great, just nothing I'd typically give higher than a "good" rating for!
May 31, 2020
I do love Cecelia's stories.. I have been reading her since she started publishing her work.. however I can't connect with this one..
I have found recently that Ahern's latest books unlikely her earlier works have been a bit flat.. though have magical twangs to them but unlike some of her more joyous works Lyrebird for me was disappointing, flat and dull.. when was the story going to begin? And why all the daft names? I don't understand why so many people have found a connection with this one when I really think it is a flop.
Where's all the adventure? Where's the love? The magic and exhillarition of putting a book down and finding it so sensual and wonderful you have to pass it on with a great review..
Well, I haven't found it in this one, sorry guys.
I have found recently that Ahern's latest books unlikely her earlier works have been a bit flat.. though have magical twangs to them but unlike some of her more joyous works Lyrebird for me was disappointing, flat and dull.. when was the story going to begin? And why all the daft names? I don't understand why so many people have found a connection with this one when I really think it is a flop.
Where's all the adventure? Where's the love? The magic and exhillarition of putting a book down and finding it so sensual and wonderful you have to pass it on with a great review..
Well, I haven't found it in this one, sorry guys.
March 12, 2018
Even though this book was very original and Cecelia is a pro, I was very disappointed.
I couldn't really get into it, the character Laura seemed far too... weak, wimpy. I just didn't like her.
Fine, she lived in the forest and wasn't used to society. But come on!! She could've been a bit tougher.
Anyway, to me this book was a huge, MEH!
I couldn't really get into it, the character Laura seemed far too... weak, wimpy. I just didn't like her.
Fine, she lived in the forest and wasn't used to society. But come on!! She could've been a bit tougher.
Anyway, to me this book was a huge, MEH!
December 20, 2018
The concept of the story was cool. I'd say I love the book, but there were some elements that didn't really sit well with me. When they discovered the existence of Laura Button, Solomon's first instinct was to protect, but Bo's first thought was to make yet another documentary. A naive and unique 26yo woman with the ability to mimic exactly the sounds that she'd listened to, Bo already had ideas. It's gonna be yet another masterpiece by her, another story to be documented. But once they brought her to the surface, things got out of hands and Solomon and Bo were starting to wonder if they have both made a mistake. Bo only wanted to set the Lyrebird free into the world but they both were caught by surprise when she appeared to be more trapped than ever.
Now, from the blurb of the story, you'd already know that Solomon would fall for Laura. And I was fine with it until I actually read the book and a few chapters in I was already not liking how the romance of the story would turn out. It's not that I don't believe in love at first sight but I was really annoyed with how the man in his 30s handled the situation. The story didn't center around their romance, mostly it was about Laura and her conflicted life, but I was annoyed with the romance element so I'm gonna talk about that. When Sol met Laura, he was all ready to defend her, even if that would mean hurting the woman he's dating, which was Bo. I think she was being painted as an insensitive person, rude and had no empathy, but I saw her as an awkward person, who had trouble communicating well with people. Sol's family hated Bo and when Sol brought Laura back to the house, everybody in the family loved her instantly. It was heartbreaking. I was so glad Bo didn't join the family gathering because if I were her, I'd be really sad knowing my boyfriend's family hated me for being an awkward introvert and already shipping him with a complete stranger that he just brought home.
I would like to believe that Laura was really that naive but she was clearly aware of what her presence had done to their relationship. So to me she wasn't all that innocent. But it's hard to hate her. She didn't really do anything wrong. I mean, from the start you could see that Sol and Bo had very little chemistry together so it was no surprise that when Laura came along, the weak bond between them was easily shaken. But like I said, I didn't like how Sol handled it. He lashed out at Bo, acting as if he had such high moral value when all he really cared about was how he had to share Laura with the outside world. The whole story was Sol being conflicted with his attraction towards the Lyrebird. But he had the audacity to be jealous when Bo was working close with her ex boyfriend. I had to give it to Bo for being so mature and accepting though. I could never. She didn't even bother to argue. She just packed her things and left.
But otherwise, putting their love triangle aside, the story of Laura as Lyrebird was actually pretty cool. It could have been a pretty empowering story about a woman who had to go through so much shit just to get her story known, to break free from the fear that get her trapped inside for her entire life. It was a little bit draggy and repetitive in the middle but overall it's an alright read for me (minus the romance lol).
Now, from the blurb of the story, you'd already know that Solomon would fall for Laura. And I was fine with it until I actually read the book and a few chapters in I was already not liking how the romance of the story would turn out. It's not that I don't believe in love at first sight but I was really annoyed with how the man in his 30s handled the situation. The story didn't center around their romance, mostly it was about Laura and her conflicted life, but I was annoyed with the romance element so I'm gonna talk about that. When Sol met Laura, he was all ready to defend her, even if that would mean hurting the woman he's dating, which was Bo. I think she was being painted as an insensitive person, rude and had no empathy, but I saw her as an awkward person, who had trouble communicating well with people. Sol's family hated Bo and when Sol brought Laura back to the house, everybody in the family loved her instantly. It was heartbreaking. I was so glad Bo didn't join the family gathering because if I were her, I'd be really sad knowing my boyfriend's family hated me for being an awkward introvert and already shipping him with a complete stranger that he just brought home.
I would like to believe that Laura was really that naive but she was clearly aware of what her presence had done to their relationship. So to me she wasn't all that innocent. But it's hard to hate her. She didn't really do anything wrong. I mean, from the start you could see that Sol and Bo had very little chemistry together so it was no surprise that when Laura came along, the weak bond between them was easily shaken. But like I said, I didn't like how Sol handled it. He lashed out at Bo, acting as if he had such high moral value when all he really cared about was how he had to share Laura with the outside world. The whole story was Sol being conflicted with his attraction towards the Lyrebird. But he had the audacity to be jealous when Bo was working close with her ex boyfriend. I had to give it to Bo for being so mature and accepting though. I could never. She didn't even bother to argue. She just packed her things and left.
But otherwise, putting their love triangle aside, the story of Laura as Lyrebird was actually pretty cool. It could have been a pretty empowering story about a woman who had to go through so much shit just to get her story known, to break free from the fear that get her trapped inside for her entire life. It was a little bit draggy and repetitive in the middle but overall it's an alright read for me (minus the romance lol).
June 22, 2020
Cecelia ha vuelto. No se me ocurre otra forma de expresarlo. Después de que mis últimas tres lecturas de novelas suyas fueran una decepción total, la había dejado algo apartada, a pesar de que siempre fue una de mis autoras favoritas. Pero con esta novela tan absolutamente valiente me ha vuelto a conquistar. Y digo valiente porque la trama es arriesgada, mucho. Original, atrevida y actual, con críticas veladas (o no tanto) hacia determinadas formas de consumo de ocio actuales. La narración es espectacular, a pesar de que el narrador en tercera persona presente siempre es complicada y, sobre todo, a pesar de que la traducción de la edición que yo he leído es pésima (no me imagino cuánto me podría haber gustado con una traducción en condiciones).
December 19, 2019
Urghhh!! What a frustrating book. Usually I really LOVE Cecelias Books, I have all of them and really enjoy reading them. But Liarbird was a catastrophy. Never have I ever disliked characters this much.
I HATED Solomon. "ohhh I really like this person even though I am in a relationship. Ohh but I am going to EXPLODE if my girlfriend DARES to look at a male person". Arrogant, ignorant, aggressive. Thats basically Solomon.
Laura is so annoying oh my god. Like she's that little birdy that cant look after herself. She is goddamn 26 years old.
The only Person I really liked was Bo.
I hated this characters with such a passion that it was hard for me to finish the book.
I HATED Solomon. "ohhh I really like this person even though I am in a relationship. Ohh but I am going to EXPLODE if my girlfriend DARES to look at a male person". Arrogant, ignorant, aggressive. Thats basically Solomon.
Laura is so annoying oh my god. Like she's that little birdy that cant look after herself. She is goddamn 26 years old.
The only Person I really liked was Bo.
I hated this characters with such a passion that it was hard for me to finish the book.
March 17, 2023
What a totally different book from what I read I have constantly just looked over this book and now that I’ve read it it’s amazing to read totally. I should have known that Cecelia Ahern wouldn’t write any old stuff. It’s most certainly worth reading. A brilliant read.
November 7, 2016
This book is beautiful. Full review to come on the blog next week.
(I received this book from the publisher with the hope of an honest review)
Okay! Full review can be found here: http://trishajennreads.com/2016/11/04...
A beautiful, lyrical read.
Lyrebird is a stunning reminder to stop and take a look at the abundant beauty that surrounds us. It is an ode to the ordinary that hides the extraordinary. It is reminiscent of the sweetness of a love based on mutual respect and appreciation and comfort.
When I saw the cover and the synopsis of this book, I was intrigued. It looked like it would be an interesting read. What is so special about this girl that these documentary makers want to film her? What goes wrong that this Solomon guy is unsure about sharing or protecting something precious. Is this girl, who they’ve named Lyrebird, the precious thing? Why?
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy from HarperCollins Canada and thought I would share my thoughts with you.
And boy, are there a lot of those thoughts.
I devoured this book.
I could not put it down. Or, at least, I didn’t want to. But, with a job and life, I had to. I greedily reached for it during my morning and evening commutes. I snarled for it on my lunch break. I stayed up late to finish it, to dwell in it, despite being emotionally drained from a family emergency needing to go to work the next day.
The characters, especially Solomon, Laura, and Bo, are so interesting. They are layered. They are complex. They have internal struggles and external struggles. They have real personalities, relationships, and idiosyncrasies. Even Jack and each member of the Fallon family are intriguing and layered, albeit not as much as the three main characters. I only wish I could have seen more of Rachel and learned more about who she is and how she ended up in the mix.
The concept of this story is so, so interesting too. I’m not a huge fan of documentaries or reality television. But the two collide in this novel and I loved it. It was an interesting juxtaposition – telling the truth as it is versus creating the reality that makes the best entertainment.
And then, there was probably my favourite part of this novel–Solomon and Laura’s relationship. I love the depiction of how one person, that one person, can make someone feel safe, secure, comfortable. No matter the situation, having that person around makes you feel okay. Cecelia Ahern portrayed this in a beautiful way. It was subtle enough that I wasn’t one hundred percent sure where she was going to go with it. But it was still authentic and felt right.
The story, alone, is intriguing and fun and entertaining and heart-wrenching and honest.
And the writing… I loved it too.
I’ve never read anything else by Cecelia Ahern. Now, I realize that I need to.
The writing flows. It is seamless. The story takes centre stage. The point-of-view transitions perfectly, smoothly, without any confusion.
The language Cecelia uses is lovely. Her description creates the scene, coerces the reader to notice what she wants you to notice. The characters’ dialogue and thoughts and feelings and actions are written uniquely for each. There is no overlapping. Each character’s voice and presence is just right, just them.
I already want to reread this book. I want to read it over and over again.
I want to be able to write like this.
I can’t remember the last time I loved a contemporary novel this much.
I’m rambling. And I’m okay with that.
This is one of those novels that sticks with you. It makes you think. Makes you notice the sounds, the images, the smells that surround you. It makes you think about why you notice what you notice and why you don’t notice what you don’t notice. It makes you wonder why some things are important to you. And whether or not they should be.
I’ve been reading a lot of YA lately. This book makes me want to read more adult and general fiction. It is elegant. It is full of the struggle to understand yourself and your feelings. It is honest. It is beautiful.
Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book from HarperCollinsCanada in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinion of the book.
(I received this book from the publisher with the hope of an honest review)
Okay! Full review can be found here: http://trishajennreads.com/2016/11/04...
A beautiful, lyrical read.
Lyrebird is a stunning reminder to stop and take a look at the abundant beauty that surrounds us. It is an ode to the ordinary that hides the extraordinary. It is reminiscent of the sweetness of a love based on mutual respect and appreciation and comfort.
When I saw the cover and the synopsis of this book, I was intrigued. It looked like it would be an interesting read. What is so special about this girl that these documentary makers want to film her? What goes wrong that this Solomon guy is unsure about sharing or protecting something precious. Is this girl, who they’ve named Lyrebird, the precious thing? Why?
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy from HarperCollins Canada and thought I would share my thoughts with you.
And boy, are there a lot of those thoughts.
I devoured this book.
I could not put it down. Or, at least, I didn’t want to. But, with a job and life, I had to. I greedily reached for it during my morning and evening commutes. I snarled for it on my lunch break. I stayed up late to finish it, to dwell in it, despite being emotionally drained from a family emergency needing to go to work the next day.
The characters, especially Solomon, Laura, and Bo, are so interesting. They are layered. They are complex. They have internal struggles and external struggles. They have real personalities, relationships, and idiosyncrasies. Even Jack and each member of the Fallon family are intriguing and layered, albeit not as much as the three main characters. I only wish I could have seen more of Rachel and learned more about who she is and how she ended up in the mix.
The concept of this story is so, so interesting too. I’m not a huge fan of documentaries or reality television. But the two collide in this novel and I loved it. It was an interesting juxtaposition – telling the truth as it is versus creating the reality that makes the best entertainment.
And then, there was probably my favourite part of this novel–Solomon and Laura’s relationship. I love the depiction of how one person, that one person, can make someone feel safe, secure, comfortable. No matter the situation, having that person around makes you feel okay. Cecelia Ahern portrayed this in a beautiful way. It was subtle enough that I wasn’t one hundred percent sure where she was going to go with it. But it was still authentic and felt right.
The story, alone, is intriguing and fun and entertaining and heart-wrenching and honest.
And the writing… I loved it too.
I’ve never read anything else by Cecelia Ahern. Now, I realize that I need to.
The writing flows. It is seamless. The story takes centre stage. The point-of-view transitions perfectly, smoothly, without any confusion.
The language Cecelia uses is lovely. Her description creates the scene, coerces the reader to notice what she wants you to notice. The characters’ dialogue and thoughts and feelings and actions are written uniquely for each. There is no overlapping. Each character’s voice and presence is just right, just them.
I already want to reread this book. I want to read it over and over again.
I want to be able to write like this.
I can’t remember the last time I loved a contemporary novel this much.
I’m rambling. And I’m okay with that.
This is one of those novels that sticks with you. It makes you think. Makes you notice the sounds, the images, the smells that surround you. It makes you think about why you notice what you notice and why you don’t notice what you don’t notice. It makes you wonder why some things are important to you. And whether or not they should be.
I’ve been reading a lot of YA lately. This book makes me want to read more adult and general fiction. It is elegant. It is full of the struggle to understand yourself and your feelings. It is honest. It is beautiful.
Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book from HarperCollinsCanada in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinion of the book.
February 7, 2017
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher HarperCollins NZ in exchange for an honest review.
Before we even jump into the story, can we all just take a second to appreciate how beautiful this cover is? My overflowing bookshelf is glad to have this glorious cover taking up residence on its shelf.
What a premise for a book.
Laura aka the Lyrebird was such a wonderful character; I fell instantly for her. Living a reclusive life in the mountains, Laura is a mysterious lead from the outset and her ability to mimick the natural sounds of the world around her makes her all the more interesting. When a documentary crew stumbles upon Laura thanks to their sound man Soloman, they begin to learn about her history and after realising that she is a sound making queen, they decide to make her the focus of their work.
So begins a heartwarming tale that none of the characters, or myself as a reader, could’ve anticipated.
Every character in this book serves a purpose. They are complex and full of personality and while we don’t get to delve deep into all the characters, the little areas of their being that Ahern does touch on is enough to give you a well rounded look at this cast of misfits.
Like any book, this story isn’t without its faults (predictable ending) but for me, the true enjoyment of this book was Ahern’s lyrical writing. With ease, she has created these dynamic characters and a soulful story that has you laughing, crying and gritting your teeth in anger at various points.
Do yourself a favour and get swept up in Laura, Soloman and this strange little world.
Before we even jump into the story, can we all just take a second to appreciate how beautiful this cover is? My overflowing bookshelf is glad to have this glorious cover taking up residence on its shelf.
What a premise for a book.
Laura aka the Lyrebird was such a wonderful character; I fell instantly for her. Living a reclusive life in the mountains, Laura is a mysterious lead from the outset and her ability to mimick the natural sounds of the world around her makes her all the more interesting. When a documentary crew stumbles upon Laura thanks to their sound man Soloman, they begin to learn about her history and after realising that she is a sound making queen, they decide to make her the focus of their work.
So begins a heartwarming tale that none of the characters, or myself as a reader, could’ve anticipated.
Every character in this book serves a purpose. They are complex and full of personality and while we don’t get to delve deep into all the characters, the little areas of their being that Ahern does touch on is enough to give you a well rounded look at this cast of misfits.
Like any book, this story isn’t without its faults (predictable ending) but for me, the true enjoyment of this book was Ahern’s lyrical writing. With ease, she has created these dynamic characters and a soulful story that has you laughing, crying and gritting your teeth in anger at various points.
Do yourself a favour and get swept up in Laura, Soloman and this strange little world.
February 24, 2018
So klingt dein Herz // Lyrebird!!! german and english review
Mein letztes Cecelia Ahern Buch ist schon eine Weile her und nachdem ich es einfach nicht fertig gebracht habe, eins meiner aktuellen Bücher fertig zu lesen, hab ich mir einfach mal eine Pause gegönnt und habe mich in Richtung Hörbücher umgesehen. Auf Spotify hab ich dann das hier gefunden, von dem ich vorher noch garnichts gehört hatte, dass ich dementsprechend auch garnicht auf meiner Liste hatte.
Inhalt: Die junge Laura lebt im Verborgenen im Westen Irlands. Niemand weiß, dass sie eine ganz besondere Fähigkeit besitzt: Sie kann jede menschliche Stimme, alle Tiere und jedes Geräusch der Welt nachahmen. Als der Toningenieur Solomon im Wald auf Laura trifft, fühlt er sich sofort magisch von ihr angezogen. Doch auch Solomons Lebensgefährtin, die Regisseurin Bo, ist fasziniert: Sie möchte einen Film über die geheimnisvolle Laura drehen. Über Nacht findet sich Laura in unserer lauten, modernen Welt wieder. Kann ihre Gabe ihr dabei helfen, das Glück zu finden – und die Liebe?
Als allererstes vorweg, die Leserin war wirklich klasse und hatte eine richtig schöne angenehme Stimme, die mir zu keiner Zeit zu viel wurde, das war ein großer Vorteil, denn ich hab das Buch hauptsächlich an einem Tag gehört, an dem ich mit fürchterlichen Kopfschmerzen im Bett gelegen hatte und einfach garnichts ging.
Von dem letzten Cecelia Ahern Buch das ich gelesen hatte, war ich ja nicht so sehr begeistert, deswegen bin ich froh, dass ich das hier so viel mehr mochte. Es hatte wieder das bisschen Magie, das ich an ihren Büchern einfach so besonders gerne mag. Der Schreibstil war einfach wunderschön und magisch und hach, einfach ganz besonders.
Die Charaktere haben mir außerdem sehr gut gefallen. Ich mochte Laura sofort. Stellenweise hat es mir wirklich das Herz gebrochen wie naiv sie war und wie überfordert sie mit der realen Welt da draussen war, als sie zum allerersten Mal ihr zu Hause verlassen hat und wirklich von so vielen fremden Erfahrungen überfallen wurde und dann alles noch im Blitzlicht stattgefunden hat. Bo mochte ich auch total. Hier kommt der Teil, weshalb das Buch nur 4 Sterne statt 5 Sterne von mir bekommen hat. Ich mochte es absolut nicht wie Bo im Buch behandelt worden ist. Sie wurde schon gleich zum Anfang in die Schablone des 'egoistischen Miststücks' gesteckt, wahrscheinlich nur, damit Solomon sich später von ihr trennen kann um mit Laura zusammen zu sein. Das hat mir absolut nicht gefallen, im Gegensatz hat es mir eher Solomon verdorben, denn ihn konnte ich überhaupt nicht leiden. Ich mochte absolut nicht, wie er Bo behandelt hat und einfach seine ganze Art, ich mochte ihn einfach wirklich nicht. Wahrscheinlich der einzige Moment in dem ich ihn mochte, war der kleine Moment als er sich Rory vorgeknöpft hat. Ansonsten, nein danke.
Deswegen, dass Buch war für mich nicht wirklich eine Liebesgeschichte. Jedenfalls ging es mir darum überhaupt nicht, erstens weil ich mit Solomon und Laura absolut als Paar nicht warm geworden bin und zweitens, weil für mich Laura viel mehr im Vordergrund gestanden hat. Ihr Leben. Wie ist es ihr bis jetzt gegangen, was ist alles in ihrer Vergangenheit passiert, wie geht es ihr jetzt und vor allem, wie wird es mit ihr weitergehen. Mir ging es in dem Buch wirklich nur um Laura's Entwicklung.
***
My last Cecelia Ahern book has been a long time ago and after I couldn't seem to finish a book these last couple of days, I decided to take a little break and turn my attention to audiobooks. On Spotify I have found this one, I never heard of it before and didn't have it on my list at all, obviously.
Summary: Life is in two parts: who you were before you met her, and who you are after.A documentary crew discover a mysterious young woman living alone in the mountains of West Cork. Strikingly beautiful she has an extraordinary talent for mimicry, like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew, fascinated, make her the subject of her story, and bestow the nickname upon her.When they leave, they take Lyrebird with them back to the city. But as she leaves behind her peaceful life to learn about a new world, is she also leaving behind a part of herself? For her new friend Solomon the answer isn’t clear. When you find a rare and precious thing, should you share it – or protect it…
First thing first, I love the girl who read the book, she was great and had such agreeable voice, that never got too much, especially on the day I listened to the biggest part of the book, when I was in bed with a terrible headache and couldn't do anything.
The last book I read by Cecelia Ahern wasn't my favorite, well, let's actually come out and say it, I didn't like it at all, it was probably my least favorite book by her. So I'm actually relived that I loved this one. It had that magical feeling that I just love so much in her books. The writing was so beautiful and just magical and just something really special.
I also really liked the characters. I loved Laura right away. There were some parts it really broke my heart how naive she was and how overwhelmed she was with the real, harsh world as soon as she left her home and had to deal with all these unfamiliar situations and also all of this happening to her in the spotlight. I also really loved Bo. And here we get to the part that I hated and why the book got a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star one. I really didn't like how Bo was treated in the book. Right from the beginning, she was forced into the role of the selfish bitch, probably only because then Solomon could break up with her and get together with Laura. I didn't like that at all, on the contrary, it made me really dislike Solomon, couldn't stand him at all. I didn't like how he treated Bo and overall, eeverything about him irked me. I think the only moment I kinda liked him, was when he confronted Rory. Other than that, no thanks.
This book really wasn't about the love story. At least for me, it didn't work at all, firstly I didn't really feel it, I didn't see Solomon and Laura as a couple and secondly, Laura was the only thing that stood out to me in the story. Her life. How her life went for her until this point, what happened to her in the past, how is she doing and most of all, how things will be for her from here on out. The book, for me, was about Laura's journey.
Mein letztes Cecelia Ahern Buch ist schon eine Weile her und nachdem ich es einfach nicht fertig gebracht habe, eins meiner aktuellen Bücher fertig zu lesen, hab ich mir einfach mal eine Pause gegönnt und habe mich in Richtung Hörbücher umgesehen. Auf Spotify hab ich dann das hier gefunden, von dem ich vorher noch garnichts gehört hatte, dass ich dementsprechend auch garnicht auf meiner Liste hatte.
Inhalt: Die junge Laura lebt im Verborgenen im Westen Irlands. Niemand weiß, dass sie eine ganz besondere Fähigkeit besitzt: Sie kann jede menschliche Stimme, alle Tiere und jedes Geräusch der Welt nachahmen. Als der Toningenieur Solomon im Wald auf Laura trifft, fühlt er sich sofort magisch von ihr angezogen. Doch auch Solomons Lebensgefährtin, die Regisseurin Bo, ist fasziniert: Sie möchte einen Film über die geheimnisvolle Laura drehen. Über Nacht findet sich Laura in unserer lauten, modernen Welt wieder. Kann ihre Gabe ihr dabei helfen, das Glück zu finden – und die Liebe?
Als allererstes vorweg, die Leserin war wirklich klasse und hatte eine richtig schöne angenehme Stimme, die mir zu keiner Zeit zu viel wurde, das war ein großer Vorteil, denn ich hab das Buch hauptsächlich an einem Tag gehört, an dem ich mit fürchterlichen Kopfschmerzen im Bett gelegen hatte und einfach garnichts ging.
Von dem letzten Cecelia Ahern Buch das ich gelesen hatte, war ich ja nicht so sehr begeistert, deswegen bin ich froh, dass ich das hier so viel mehr mochte. Es hatte wieder das bisschen Magie, das ich an ihren Büchern einfach so besonders gerne mag. Der Schreibstil war einfach wunderschön und magisch und hach, einfach ganz besonders.
Die Charaktere haben mir außerdem sehr gut gefallen. Ich mochte Laura sofort. Stellenweise hat es mir wirklich das Herz gebrochen wie naiv sie war und wie überfordert sie mit der realen Welt da draussen war, als sie zum allerersten Mal ihr zu Hause verlassen hat und wirklich von so vielen fremden Erfahrungen überfallen wurde und dann alles noch im Blitzlicht stattgefunden hat. Bo mochte ich auch total. Hier kommt der Teil, weshalb das Buch nur 4 Sterne statt 5 Sterne von mir bekommen hat. Ich mochte es absolut nicht wie Bo im Buch behandelt worden ist. Sie wurde schon gleich zum Anfang in die Schablone des 'egoistischen Miststücks' gesteckt, wahrscheinlich nur, damit Solomon sich später von ihr trennen kann um mit Laura zusammen zu sein. Das hat mir absolut nicht gefallen, im Gegensatz hat es mir eher Solomon verdorben, denn ihn konnte ich überhaupt nicht leiden. Ich mochte absolut nicht, wie er Bo behandelt hat und einfach seine ganze Art, ich mochte ihn einfach wirklich nicht. Wahrscheinlich der einzige Moment in dem ich ihn mochte, war der kleine Moment als er sich Rory vorgeknöpft hat. Ansonsten, nein danke.
Deswegen, dass Buch war für mich nicht wirklich eine Liebesgeschichte. Jedenfalls ging es mir darum überhaupt nicht, erstens weil ich mit Solomon und Laura absolut als Paar nicht warm geworden bin und zweitens, weil für mich Laura viel mehr im Vordergrund gestanden hat. Ihr Leben. Wie ist es ihr bis jetzt gegangen, was ist alles in ihrer Vergangenheit passiert, wie geht es ihr jetzt und vor allem, wie wird es mit ihr weitergehen. Mir ging es in dem Buch wirklich nur um Laura's Entwicklung.
***
My last Cecelia Ahern book has been a long time ago and after I couldn't seem to finish a book these last couple of days, I decided to take a little break and turn my attention to audiobooks. On Spotify I have found this one, I never heard of it before and didn't have it on my list at all, obviously.
Summary: Life is in two parts: who you were before you met her, and who you are after.A documentary crew discover a mysterious young woman living alone in the mountains of West Cork. Strikingly beautiful she has an extraordinary talent for mimicry, like the famous Australian Lyrebird. The crew, fascinated, make her the subject of her story, and bestow the nickname upon her.When they leave, they take Lyrebird with them back to the city. But as she leaves behind her peaceful life to learn about a new world, is she also leaving behind a part of herself? For her new friend Solomon the answer isn’t clear. When you find a rare and precious thing, should you share it – or protect it…
First thing first, I love the girl who read the book, she was great and had such agreeable voice, that never got too much, especially on the day I listened to the biggest part of the book, when I was in bed with a terrible headache and couldn't do anything.
The last book I read by Cecelia Ahern wasn't my favorite, well, let's actually come out and say it, I didn't like it at all, it was probably my least favorite book by her. So I'm actually relived that I loved this one. It had that magical feeling that I just love so much in her books. The writing was so beautiful and just magical and just something really special.
I also really liked the characters. I loved Laura right away. There were some parts it really broke my heart how naive she was and how overwhelmed she was with the real, harsh world as soon as she left her home and had to deal with all these unfamiliar situations and also all of this happening to her in the spotlight. I also really loved Bo. And here we get to the part that I hated and why the book got a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star one. I really didn't like how Bo was treated in the book. Right from the beginning, she was forced into the role of the selfish bitch, probably only because then Solomon could break up with her and get together with Laura. I didn't like that at all, on the contrary, it made me really dislike Solomon, couldn't stand him at all. I didn't like how he treated Bo and overall, eeverything about him irked me. I think the only moment I kinda liked him, was when he confronted Rory. Other than that, no thanks.
This book really wasn't about the love story. At least for me, it didn't work at all, firstly I didn't really feel it, I didn't see Solomon and Laura as a couple and secondly, Laura was the only thing that stood out to me in the story. Her life. How her life went for her until this point, what happened to her in the past, how is she doing and most of all, how things will be for her from here on out. The book, for me, was about Laura's journey.
July 18, 2019
Es una lectura rara, ya que no la deteste por completo, pero tampoco la disfrute como me hubiese gustado.
Salomón es un personaje odioso, no puedo creer la cantidad de pensamientos que tenía sobre Laura teniendo una relación con Bo, además de que esa química me pareció muy falsa, la mitad del libro lo odio por él, pero la otra mitad me pareció interesante, ver a Laura compitiendo en un reality show y estando en la civilización después de todos los años que vivió alejada fue interesante.
No creo volver a leer a la autora, porque ya me di cuenta que sus libros no son para mí.
Salomón es un personaje odioso, no puedo creer la cantidad de pensamientos que tenía sobre Laura teniendo una relación con Bo, además de que esa química me pareció muy falsa, la mitad del libro lo odio por él, pero la otra mitad me pareció interesante, ver a Laura compitiendo en un reality show y estando en la civilización después de todos los años que vivió alejada fue interesante.
No creo volver a leer a la autora, porque ya me di cuenta que sus libros no son para mí.
February 15, 2023
Laura ist fern von der Stadt aufgewachsen, denn ihre Mutter und Großmutter, sowie auch später ihr Vater, haben sie von der Welt versteckt. Sie hat gelernt, fast alleine klarzukommen und hat sie Gabe entwickelt, Geräusche nachzuahmen. Meistens macht sie es auch völlig ohne es zu bemerken und um Emotionen oder Gedanken auszudrücken.
Und plötzlich reißt man dieses schüchterne und absolut ehrliche Mädchen mit all ihren Unsicherheiten aus ihrer gewohnten Umgebung und bringt sie in eine andere Extreme, die sie ziemlich überfordert und eigentlich auch nicht dem entspricht, was sie sich wünscht. Nach ihrer Isolation und auch Abhängigkeit von so wenigen Personen will sie nun Fuß in der Welt fassen und ihren eigenen Weg gehen.
Bo und Solomon sind mit Kamerafrau Rachel das Team, das nun eine Doku über Laura machen will - das hat sich so ergeben - und beide sind auf ihre Art fasziniert von dem ungewöhnlichen Mädchen. Bei Solomon ist es wie Liebe auf dem ersten Blick, bei Bo eher professionelles Interesse. Die beiden sind ein Paar, aber nach Lauras Erscheinen haben sie oft mal Meinungsverschiedenheiten, weil Solomon Laura beschützen will, Bo aber will eine gute Geschichte für ihre Dokumentation.
Was ich etwas anstrengend fand waren Solomons ausführliche Auseinandersetzungen mit Lauras Geräuschen, weil er sie so sehr analysiert, obwohl es vor allem zu Anfang eher willkürlich wirkt und man kein wirkliches Muster sehen kann, da wirken seine Spekulationen total aus der Luft gegriffen. Ihre Fähigkeiten sind aber trotzdem wirklich faszinierend und machen Laura eben zu etwas besonderem, aber nicht allein wegen ihrer Möglichkeit, die Laute zu erzeugen, sondern auch wegen ihrer Art, die alle berührt und Lauras sanftes Wesen ergänzt.
Die Geschichte löst sich recht schnell von den wenigen Informationen im Klappentext und so weiß man nicht, was man vom Rest der Geschichte erwarten kann, und das mag ich ja immer sehr gerne, wenn da nicht schon zu viel verraten hat. Auch wenn man die Handlung gut nachvollziehen konnte, fand ich es dann schon etwas übertrieben, wohin Lauras Weg dann geführt hat.
Fazit
"So klingt dein Herz" bietet eine schöne Geschichte über ein Mädchen, das extremen Situationen ausgesetzt ist und nun lernen muss, sich in der Welt zurechtzufinden und sich selbst trotzdem treu zu bleiben.
Und plötzlich reißt man dieses schüchterne und absolut ehrliche Mädchen mit all ihren Unsicherheiten aus ihrer gewohnten Umgebung und bringt sie in eine andere Extreme, die sie ziemlich überfordert und eigentlich auch nicht dem entspricht, was sie sich wünscht. Nach ihrer Isolation und auch Abhängigkeit von so wenigen Personen will sie nun Fuß in der Welt fassen und ihren eigenen Weg gehen.
Bo und Solomon sind mit Kamerafrau Rachel das Team, das nun eine Doku über Laura machen will - das hat sich so ergeben - und beide sind auf ihre Art fasziniert von dem ungewöhnlichen Mädchen. Bei Solomon ist es wie Liebe auf dem ersten Blick, bei Bo eher professionelles Interesse. Die beiden sind ein Paar, aber nach Lauras Erscheinen haben sie oft mal Meinungsverschiedenheiten, weil Solomon Laura beschützen will, Bo aber will eine gute Geschichte für ihre Dokumentation.
Was ich etwas anstrengend fand waren Solomons ausführliche Auseinandersetzungen mit Lauras Geräuschen, weil er sie so sehr analysiert, obwohl es vor allem zu Anfang eher willkürlich wirkt und man kein wirkliches Muster sehen kann, da wirken seine Spekulationen total aus der Luft gegriffen. Ihre Fähigkeiten sind aber trotzdem wirklich faszinierend und machen Laura eben zu etwas besonderem, aber nicht allein wegen ihrer Möglichkeit, die Laute zu erzeugen, sondern auch wegen ihrer Art, die alle berührt und Lauras sanftes Wesen ergänzt.
Die Geschichte löst sich recht schnell von den wenigen Informationen im Klappentext und so weiß man nicht, was man vom Rest der Geschichte erwarten kann, und das mag ich ja immer sehr gerne, wenn da nicht schon zu viel verraten hat. Auch wenn man die Handlung gut nachvollziehen konnte, fand ich es dann schon etwas übertrieben, wohin Lauras Weg dann geführt hat.
Fazit
"So klingt dein Herz" bietet eine schöne Geschichte über ein Mädchen, das extremen Situationen ausgesetzt ist und nun lernen muss, sich in der Welt zurechtzufinden und sich selbst trotzdem treu zu bleiben.
June 28, 2019
This book is AWFUL. I only finished it (by skimming it) because I have a real problem with not finishing a book.
The main characters - Laura and Solomon - are 2 of the most insipid and self serving characters I've come across.
Solomon spends most of the book fantasising about Laura even when he's in bed with his girlfriend. I think we're supposed to feel his desperation/passion but he just comes across as sleazy.
His issues with one of his brothers merely adds to his petulant behaviour and, honestly, I just wanted someone to take him down a peg or two.
Laura is unbelievably dull. She whines on for over 400 pages about how confused she is about life, love and sounds. Virtually every chapter has her "never needing anyone more" or "never feeling so alone". Ugh.
I don't know what Ahern was thinking when she wrote this but I'm tempted to ask for my money back.
The book claims to be a "story of a quite extraordinary love" but "self indulged claptrap that will make you angry you read it" would be a better tagline.
Do yourself a favour and skip it.
The main characters - Laura and Solomon - are 2 of the most insipid and self serving characters I've come across.
Solomon spends most of the book fantasising about Laura even when he's in bed with his girlfriend. I think we're supposed to feel his desperation/passion but he just comes across as sleazy.
His issues with one of his brothers merely adds to his petulant behaviour and, honestly, I just wanted someone to take him down a peg or two.
Laura is unbelievably dull. She whines on for over 400 pages about how confused she is about life, love and sounds. Virtually every chapter has her "never needing anyone more" or "never feeling so alone". Ugh.
I don't know what Ahern was thinking when she wrote this but I'm tempted to ask for my money back.
The book claims to be a "story of a quite extraordinary love" but "self indulged claptrap that will make you angry you read it" would be a better tagline.
Do yourself a favour and skip it.
August 21, 2018
This wonderfully written book absolutely captivated me. The story --about a woman who has lived in seclusion for most of her life and is suddenly thrust into the public eye-- is crafted in a way that makes this improbable tale almost plausible. Ahern masterfully guides the reader into thinking that a situation has no way out, then surprisingly finds a resolution! Multiple surprising moments throughout the novel kept me engaged even during the sappier moments (i.e. there is quite a bit of crying in the book).
The book also has a didactic side, since it goes into great detail about the enigmatic real-life lyrebird. Anytime I can learn about the world from fiction is gratifying. I did not give it five stars because several passages were unnecessarily long, but it was still terrific.
The book also has a didactic side, since it goes into great detail about the enigmatic real-life lyrebird. Anytime I can learn about the world from fiction is gratifying. I did not give it five stars because several passages were unnecessarily long, but it was still terrific.
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