Blackbirds: (Angry Robot): 1 [Paperback]

Blackbirds has a fair amount of hype circulating around it. There is a lot of expectation here. The cover alone promises the reader multiple things and for the most part Blackbirds delivers. I was intrigued by this book long before I requested it for review but I was scared that it would just not do it for me but in the end I really, really liked it.

The best thing about this book for me is that it dares to be different. This book takes the Urban Fantasy genre and turns it on its head. If you took every urban fantasy book you have ever read mix it with some Sin City and add a splash of Tarantino, Blackbirds is what you would create. It is smart and engaging yet manages to be philosophical at the same time. Behind all the violence and swearing Blackbirds actually asks some pretty big questions about death and fate, about good and evil.

The characters in this are full of life (which is funny considering this book is essentially about death) and at the centre of it all you have Miriam. Miriam is a fighter, a survivor. I think as a reader you don't exactly like Miriam. She is the type of person you wouldn't associate with, a person you would look down your nose at. She is white trash, an alcoholic and a criminal. She is unlikable. But it doesn't matter because in some way you admire her. She is strong and sassy. She can hold her own and there is something to appreciate in that. Yet, behind all the sarcasm, and nonchalant attitude you can see a glimpse of who she really is underneath all the layers of hurt and grief and you know that inside she is not a bad person.

Then there is Louis. He looks like a criminal he is a scarred hulk of a man. But really he is soft, caring and kind and he just might be the one to show Miriam that life doesn't have to be as dark and dreary as she makes it. He is instantly likable, he is someone you can root for and to be honest I wish there was a little more of him in this book.

The other characters are great but are mostly dislikeable (apart from Frankie who, despite everything, turns out to be impossible to dislike) they are villains of the most disturbing kind.

I have heard a lot of fuss about how this book would have been better if it had been written by a woman. I could not disagree more strongly. Some have said `don't read this book unless you are a guy' well, I am a girl and I really liked it. I have heard that this book is just to `man.' Well, so what? There is nothing wrong with a male voice in fiction, and just because the story is about a girl it doesn't mean that it has to be less gory or about love. I don't think this is book every woman should run out and buy, it is just that there are a lot of generalizations being made about women (as a whole) not liking this book and it is simply not true.

But I should warn you that this book is not for the faint hearted. It is grim and grimy (something I imagine you will hear a lot in reference to this book). It is violent and gory. There is sex (not the swoon worthy, erotic kind) and swearing. There is also a decent amount of characters (mostly male) that you want to drop kick. Be warned if that is not something you can handle then this book, unfortunately, is not for you.

But if you can handle that and you feel like you like could use a little darkness in your life then I strongly recommend this book.

I came across this book on Netgalley the other day. The cover instantly caught my eye, so I did a bit more research and the book itself sounded fantastic and very original. I requested it and that night I received it. I started reading it and within a few sentences I was hooked. The first chapter is brilliant it really claws at the reader until they are waiting for more. It definitely pulled me in straight away and instead of just reading one chapter, I read about eight. The book really does keep your attention until the very end.

Blackbirds follows Miriam Black, who has the ability to know when a person will die just by touching their skin. She sees visions of every type of death possible and each vision is crudely described so the true horror hits the reader head on. Her life is unpredictable one moment she could be watching someone having a heart attack and the next a car crash. On her journeys she meets Louis, a trucker who gives her a lift, but when she shakes his hand she sees that she will be the cause of his death. Miriam knows that fate gets what it wants and there's nothing she can do to stop it but she has to try doesnt she?

Miriam was a mega kick ass heroine, she had a sharp tongue and quick fists. She could easily hold her own, after all living pretty much on the streets toughens a women up. She has a cold hard persona because she sees things that no one else will ever know. She sees the true horrors of death. Her character was harsh and incredibly real. She has so many flaws and makes many mistakes but you stick by her until the end. She understands the harsh reality of the world and how no matter what your life is already planned out by fate, nothing can change that. She tries to make sense of the harsh world but it seems it's just throwing itself back in her face. Life's dirty and brutal and no one knows that better than Miriam. The other secondary characters were all solid and real, their own back stories showing the harsh realities of the world which is normally hidden behind closed doors.

Blackbirds is a dark novel, the writing is sharp and intense, even brutal. It doesn't mess around with silly prose instead it creates shocking horrors which hit straight home. Its one tense ride but it's incredible. There is a lot of violence in this book and lots of gory detail, so if your squeamish I would probably leave this book. It's because of the fine detail and harsh reality and prose that makes this book so good. Blackbirds is a truly intense ride. A roller coaster of bends and bumps that you'll never be prepared for. I loved it, it was so so much better than I expected.

As a fan of Chuck Wendig's blog, i have wanted to read this novel for quite some time. I'm glad i finally have.
Sharp, witty prose, with not a word wasted, this is urban-fantasy at its very best.
Recommended for anybody who a, enjoys fast-paced fiction, and b, doesn't mind a lot of cuss words thrown at them. And there's a lot in Blackbirds. (if you don't believe me, check out 'The Collected Profanity Of Blackbirds And Mockingbirds' on YouTube -- you'll see what i mean).
If, like me, you don't mind a girl with a dirty mouth, give this book a go. You wont regret it.
(also check out the sequel 'Mockingbirds')