The Texture of Layers

by Kristin Friel

A story within a story, The Texture of Layers follows a novelist’s journey across Europe that ultimately forces her to reconsider killing the heroine of her popular young-adult trilogy called Bird Girl at the end of the series.

When first-time author Cassandra Gorman finishes the last manuscript in her Bird Girl trilogy, she sets off to write a new book even though her editor and publisher are furious over the beloved heroine’s demise. After the premiere of the first “Bird Girl” movie, a fling with the director, and a knee-jerk reaction to her bothersome family, Cassie takes off to Europe to write in peace, but her stateside problems follow her.

Interspersed throughout Cassie’s story are excerpts from the first two Bird Girl books that tell the tale of the unlikely love between a teenage girl, who lives alone in a sacred forest where she converses freely with the birds, and the farm boy who discovers her and her Otherworld hidden under the lush green hills of twelfth-century Ireland.

Cassie’s jaunt across Europe morphs into an odyssey that shoves her out of her comfort zone—making her rethink her views on love and friendship, her relationship with her family, and how she choose to end the trilogy. Maybe, just maybe, she’ll let her Bird Girl live.

289 pages, Paperback

Published November 26, 2019

About the author

Kristin Friel is the author of The Texture of Layers, her first novel. She is a graduate of Marquette University. After years in New York City and Chicago, she now lives in her hometown of Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a completely engaging story. I loved how the author gave us a story within a story. There are essentially two books in this book. The story of an author struggling with her own fantasy series. Friel cleverly weaves this fantasy series into the book so we get intriguing snippets of the fantasy series. Not too much, but enough to enjoy that story too. The fantasy series gives us a nice history of Irish mythology and some characters that I really cared about.

I also enjoyed the details and settings as the "author" traveled around Europe. It was entertaining and interesting. The characters were fun and the story moved along nicely.

And then there is the dialogue. Wow. Loved it. Made me laugh, felt real.

Nice read for a first time author and I look forward to reading more from Friel.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! A truly unique story— a writer, Cassie, has just finished the last book of a trilogy where she decides to kill off a beloved heroine and her publisher is begging her to change the ending. She escapes her crazy family, her publisher and her potential new love and heads to Europe. Interspersed throughout the book are excerpts from the first two books in the trilogy—such a creative, interesting way to tell the story! This is a new author and I would LOVE to see more from her!!

[Erin Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read! With a set of endearing characters and humor sprinkled throughout, the story draws you in as you travel across Europe with the main character, Cassie. I got excited with each new location and the anticipation of what adventure/drama/excitement awaited us there. Also, I loved that excerpts from Cassie's book are sprinkled throughout the story and the way they support - and almost mirror - Cassie's own journey. Beautifully done! Thanks for the read :)

[Peter Loftus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this original novel that marries Irish mythology with a modern-day, free-spirit writer's jaunt around Europe as she navigates old and new connections with family, friends, partners. It explores obsessive fandom and the realms of nature that are all around us but which we too often don't sense.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this over a recent snowboarding vacation and nothing better than cozying up with a good book in the lodge! Thoroughly enjoyable read, thoughtfully and intelligently written ... and a very creative approach to weaving a story within a story.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was beautifully written and I had a hard time putting it down. I wanted to know what happened next with Cassie as she moved throughout Europe. I also really enjoyed the story within a story aspect of this book.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a terrific story within a story. Written beautifully with some wonderful humorous moments.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! A story within a story, Friel gives us two engrossing tales: Cassie the author’s narrative, involving love, family drama, and career friction; and that of Bird Girl, the heroine of the young adult trilogy that Cassie has written. When the story opens, book three is about to be published. The Bird Girl series has gone viral in an epic, Harry Potter-kind of way, so Friel’s choice to tell the Bird Girl story by way of a “top ten countdown” of excerpts from the novels on a fan fiction website was a really nice touch. So too were the many fabulous European locations (from Tuscany to Bordeaux and the British Isles) that Cassie runs to in an attempt to escape first her family and then her publishers. She is looking for peace and quiet so she can work on her next novel, which she is calling "The Texture of Layers" over the objections of pretty much all of the characters in the novel. But instead, she gets adventure, and while Bird Girl's fate hangs in the balance, we get to come along on the very fun ride!