Kathleen Jennings

Transformation, enchantment, and the emotional truths of family history teem in Kathleen Jennings’ stunning debut, Flyaway. "Kathleen Jennings' prose dazzles, and her magic feels real enough that you might even prick your finger on it."—Kelly Link "Half mystery, half fairy tale, all exquisitely rendered and full of teeth.”—Holly Black In a small Western Queensland town, a reserved young woman receives a note from one of her vanished brothers—a note that makes her question memories of their disappearance and her father’s departure. A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights and uncanny family horror can live—and even thrive—under a burning sun, Flyaway introduces readers to Bettina Scott, whose search for the truth throws her into tales of eerie dogs, vanished schools, cursed monsters, and enchanted bottles. Flyaway enchants you with the sly, beautiful darkness of Karen Russell and a world utterly its own. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Flyaway

Beautiful writing and rich folklore wrapped around a central mystery. Things were a little confusing at first, but came together in the end. Jennings has gifted us a stunning gothic fairytale. 

Alli

In a small Western Queensland town, a reserved young woman receives a note from one of her vanished brothers - a note that makes her question her memories of their disappearance and her father's departure. A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights and uncanny family horror can live-and even thrive-under a burning sun, Flyaway introduces readers to Bettina Scott, whose search for the truth throws her into tales of eerie dogs, vanished schools, cursed monsters, and enchanted bottles.

Janice Hopper

I think this story about an unusual Australian family with an unusual history was probably better than 3 stars, but I think I'm gonna need to make another pass through to know for sure. I wasn't quite sure what was happening in the beginning.

Didi Chanoch

I am, to be frank, quite upset. Not because of the many ways in which this beautiful novella is intentionally upsetting. No. I am upset because no one who is as good at illustration as Kathleen Jennings should be this good at writing. It's genuinely unfair to the rest of us, who can't draw a stick figure and still aren't this good at writing!

This is a deeply disturbing, deeply beautiful novella, weaving in myths and fables of various origins. It's dark and gothic, but not quite horror. At least, not to my eyes, as someone who is too much of a scaredy cat to read actual horror.

Lydia White

“Don’t remember limping home through the trees, believing them empty.
They were always full of ghosts.
You were already becoming one.”

Bettina Scott has spent the past few years living a relatively simple, some may say "mundane" life. After her father and brother left suddenly one night she has been attached to her mothers side, trying to be the perfect daughter and perfect lady, as her mother has taught her. One day, Bettina receives a letter, and a sign that makes her realize that her brothers and father may be out there, and they may need help. Bringing along two old friends, Gary and Trish, they seek out answers to what happened that night her family disappeared and find out that not everything, or everyone, is as it seems.

The story of Flyaway unravels through the first person perspective of Petunia, with inserted short stories about the legends and creatures that haunt their town. Jenning's prose are excellent and easily suck you into the haunting landscape that is the Inglewell bush. The legends/stories that are told set continue to build on that atmosphere with tales that would be told around the campfire, or by parents to keep their children out of the woods. 

This set-up is both a fault and a merit of the story. It certainly adds to the creepy atmosphere, but in the beginning can be very confusing. There are quite a few names that need to be remembered for the story to really make sense and properly unfold. I found myself getting lost pretty easily and having a hard time linking the stories to current day people/events. I listened to the audiobook for this one, and at the end felt like I had definitely missed something. I went back and re-listened to the stories and the last few chapters and was then able to fully grasp the story. This may have been different if I had actually read it instead of listening to it... 


The characters are ok; I wasn't particularly attached to any of them. This book is definitely more plot/atmosphere driven than character development. 

If you are in the mood for quick (4 hour audiobook, <200 pages book) read with a haunting atmosphere steeped in legends of the monsters that watch you from the forests at night, definitely check out Flyaway.

Chelsey

"Kathleen Jennings' prose dazzles, and her magic feels real enough that you might even prick your finger on it."—Kelly Link "Half mystery, half fairy tale, all exquisitely rendered and full of teeth.”—Holly Black In a small Western Queensland town, a reserved young woman receives a note from one of her vanished brothers—a note that makes question her memories of their disappearance and her father’s departure. A beguiling story that proves that gothic delights and uncanny family horror can live—and even thrive—under a burning sun, Flyaway introduces readers to Bettina Scott, whose search for the truth throws her into tales of eerie dogs, vanished schools, cursed monsters, and enchanted bottles. Flyaway enchants you with the sly, beautiful darkness of Karen Russell and a world utterly its own.

Paige Morgan

This wasn't quite what I was expecting when I began it -- I thought it would be more contained, and instead, the prose and plot are, as the title suggests, flyaway -- but lyrical and atmospheric and compelling, once you relax into what Jennings is trying to do. And what is that, exactly? Well, I would say that she sets out to do two things: 1), transplant some traditional western European fairy tales into the arid Australian outback, and 2), capture both the sense of wonder and disorientation that would accompany being in the midst of a fairy tale, rather than just reading about it in the book. And what's the likelihood that only one fairy tale would be involved? After all, the "originals" frequently feature similar character types. The result in Jennings' novel is both horrifying and thoughtful -- a little bit The Pied Piper, a little bit The Wild Swans, a little bit The Island of Dr. Moreau. It made me think of trust - the trust between siblings, and the trust between children and their parents, and how the latter can be developed, changed, and not infrequently, betrayed.

Flyaway

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