Review Detail

There are few works that strike me as truly beautiful stories, and Homeless Bird is one of them. Gloria Whelan's new novel touches your heart and your soul. And, not only will it touch you deeply, it will transport you directly to India.

You meet Koly, a thirteen year old living in India, while she is still living at home. She is happy with her parents and brothers, though her life is strictly controlled by tradition. Soon her parents scrape together a dowry and she finds herself married.

The bridegroom's parents had lied to her family in order to get enough money together to take their son, who is very ill, to the great Ganges River. Their motives are good (they want to save their son's life) but their deception changes Koly's life forever.

When her husband dies, her life goes from bad to worse. Her mother-in-law (her Sass), abandons her alone in Vrindavan, the holy city, where many widows are sent to live by families who do not want to support them.

Even with this unexpected turn of events, Koly makes a life for herself and finds true happiness. Her character is a very strong one and deserves a lot of credit for the future she carves out for herself. No matter what, she is always true to herself.

As an American living in the suburbs, the description of Koly's life was completely foreign to me. That's part of the beauty of this book. India and her people are dealt with honestly and delicately. This book doesn't make any judgements about right or wrong or even different, for that matter. Ms. Whelan's writing truly made India (and Koly) come alive for me.

I recommend this book for anyone aged 10 and up. Teachers would also find this an excellent book to discuss in class.