Reviews
The Last Bird of Paradise has been out for a couple of months now and I’ve been pleased with the reaction, although I’m still trying to get the word out about the book. It hasn’t really been flying off the shelves, but the people who have read it seem to like it a lot.
I’ve received feedback in various forms. There have been a couple of book reviews published in magazines so far. Interestingly, both reviewers were writers who had some familiarity with Singapore, where the book is set.
Danielle Hanson reviewed the book in Tupelo Quarterly. Her conclusion: “The Last Bird of Paradise is two stories of women from different periods of time and of different circumstances, but it serves to illuminate gender politics, geopolitical forces, and the results of power imbalance in many forms. Garstang gives us characters and settings that are microcosms of these forces, so the book doesn’t become didactic, but instead, offers complexity and nuance.”
Bill Preston reviewed the book in Peace Corps Worldwide. His review also manages to incorporate impressions of two of my other books, Oliver’s Travels and House of the Ancients and Other Stories.
Reviews in magazines are helpful in reaching readers, and I’m looking forward to the appearance of a few more in the coming weeks. Online reviews by readers can also be very helpful. One common site where readers post their reactions to books is Goodreads:
- “Part mystery, part historical, part suspense, Garstang wraps it all in a literary prose that weaves a spell for our unsettling times.”
- “A well-crafted, engaging, and thought-provoking read.”
Most reader reviews appear on Amazon.com:
- “This is a page-turner of a novel, with depth and layers, struggles with identity and power, and fascinating parallels to 9/11 in New York and the various terrorist attacks in surrounding SE Asia.”
- “The Last Bird of Paradise is a beautifully written novel that follows two women whose lives intersect in Singapore, despite living in different centuries.”
- “Couldn’t put it down.”
If you’ve read the book, please consider leaving a reaction on Goodreads or Amazon or both. I would really appreciate it! It’s helpful to widen the book’s reach. And don’t forget to tell your book-reading friends about it. I also think it would be a terrific book club selection.
Interviews
Then there are interviews, where I get to respond at length to questions I’m asked about the book or writing in general. Another writer and I interviewed each other in the Southern Review of Books, and a second interview appeared at Atmosphere Press. Most of my interviews, however, have been in the form of podcasts or videos, which have been a lot of fun to record. Here are links to some of them.
Please check out these wonderful sites that are so supportive to writers!
Appearances
Finally, now that I’m done with the initial flurry of post-publication events and interviews, I’m scheduling appearances for the rest of the year, including talks, readings, and seminars. The list below is complete as of today, but for details and links to the actual events, which will continue to be added, check out the Events page on my website.
