The Bird That Nobody Sees (FRUGALITY: Book 2) [Kindle Edition]

A story of angels and anger of alienation and friendship. A novel with a serious message but which also contains plenty of good humour. The Bird That Nobody Sees is very much a book of contrasts. Stuart Ayris has wowed this cynical old heart yet again with his unique narrative style. He tells of unfortunate events and of how small, everyday actions have consequences. He draws attention to the beauty and cruelty all around us in everyday life.

Rod Langford finds himself as an innocent man in prison due to an unfortunate event. Already embittered due to his short stature, this darkens his heart and he plots revenge against the world and plans events that may take him far beyond the grasp of redemption. Throughout the novel Ayris plays with words and our emotions like a master puppeteer. Upon release from prison Rod begins to make a record of his plans and his darkest early morning thoughts. It seems Rod will be walking the darkest of paths. However, a chance encounter leads to friendship and there is hope for our hero yet.

Ayris speaks truths throughout his narrative, truths that we all know but never speak of. There is bravery to his writing and you feel that this author is putting his heart into his novel. If you are unsatisfied with the world or this modern age and are seeking something with depth and a hint of spirituality (not religion) then this book will strike a chord with you. I could ramble on all day about this beautifully affecting novel but I'll end it here and give it the five glowing stars it deserves. The Bird That Nobody Sees - A ray of light in the darkness.

Once, I walked into Perranporth in Cornwall from the place I was staying.It was about 7 miles away across undulating, rocky North Atlantic cliff-top. Despite it being only April, the day warmed up considerably. Apart from when I had a bad headache, I didn't drink water often at the time and I hated my only drink of Perrier. On that walk, however, came a craving for sparkling water and when I got into the town, the first thing I bought was a sparkling water. I drank it and was cooled and refreshed-without suspecting it, the water had been just what I needed.

I mention this, of course, as reading 'The Bird that Nobody Sees' was the literary equivalent to that drink. As I read, I felt that same sense of cool refreshment as the ideas and situations unfolded. This book spoke to me like few others I have read before.

Its breadth is mind-blowing and staggering. Stuart has once again shown that an adventurous concept and a surreal element to the plot does not need to make reading a dry, pedestrian affair. It is a thrilling book but splashed liberally with a human and humane warmth. At times, it makes you laugh out loud, at others want to whoop and cheer as the characters develop. The dark secret at the core is so full of pathos that tears are never far away as it is revealed.

I feel the testament to a great read is that you want to carry on but that you never want the book to finish. This was so true with this book.

The ending promises some unresolved issues from the the first two FRUGALITY stories might be tied up. I hope this is the case (because I want to know) but as each book is a marvel on its own I am quite prepared for the end of this story to be the end of Rod and Erin-Rose.

So, if you are wondering if you should buy, then do. Please do. This is a book that will live with you forever, and a small amount spent here is a far wiser investment than anything you can buy on Chelmsford High Street....

Stuart's poeticism continues in the second installment of FRUGALITY (which I can only think of in capital letters, nowadays). This novel takes you to a place which is so familiar and yet so fantastic in its strangeness; the main characters are at once both believeable and esoteric. There is no point in trying to explain Stuart's work to anyone, and believe me I have tried, you just have to plunge in yourself and enjoy.