Book Review and Giveaway: The Bird Room

The Bird Room
By Chris Killen
Harper Perennial
Publication date: January 19, 2010
ISBN: 9780061905902

Will is incredibly introverted and self-conscious; more comfortable at home, he quits his job just because he doesn't want to work.  Sometimes he forgets what his voice sounds like. Regardless of his awkwardness, he finally finds a girl - Alice. Alice is outgoing, an ultimate force with a cloudy past. Alice loves him, but like most relationships, trouble looms around the bend and its name is also Will (the first Will's best friend). And this trouble puts Will in a place even he never thought he'd go.

Meanwhile, Helen (or, Clair - her real name) is an actress, or, she hopes to be someday. For now, to make money, she "acts" and "models" for whoever finds her online profile. Desperate to be more than the Clair she grew up as, she covers up who she is and learns how to act her way through life.

The Bird Room is a dark comedic love story that bounces back and forth in time to show how Will and Helen's lives come together. Sharp and funny at times, it's a truthful look at relationships, and how far someone will go to be loved/liked/seen.

As Chris Killen's first novel, The Bird Room is a strange and interesting look at the lives of four people. With no exact details given, minus a few physical characteristics, these people can be anyone in a painful look at motivations and life. Killen is incredibly honest and blunt in his writing, not shying away from any topic or thought. I blushed quite a few times when reading.

The book is very good, if not jaw dropping at times. It was as if Miranda July wrote Closer and packaged it as a 20-something novel. The characters are jarring. Will (#1) is troubled from the beginning, as he notices his girlfriend's interest start to wander. Not knowing how to react, he shies away and holds on to whatever hope he has. Meanwhile, his best friend Will (#2) is someone EVERYONE knows. That outgoing, lewd, pompous artist-type who isn't incredibly attractive, but manages to get every girl he sets his sights on. In a Will vs. Will battle, it's interesting to see who comes out on top. And although it may sound hard to follow, with two Wills, this only enhances the whole blurred identity theme.

On the other side of London is Clair/Helen who's done a number of risque online movies. Just trying to live a glamorous life, she takes what she can and creates intricate scenarios in her mind. Young and fragile, she's like a delicate piece of glass that's constantly falling down the stairs.

The characters aren't incredibly likable, and I think that's what interested me most about the book in the end. Regardless of my distaste for them, I still wanted the best for them. I still wanted them to find what they wanted and I think that's Killen's best strength. He makes these dark characters who you really want to hate, but part of you still cheers them on, if only to see them get past what they're dealing with. Because with each dark side has a reason.

The book is daunting, yet memorable. Dark, yet funny. It's a fast-paced read that I read in a day. It's a little bit of everything wrapped into one and I'm definitely excited to see what Killen has in store next.

And now for the best part: 

The lovely people at Harper Perennial have given me one copy of The Bird Room to giveaway!

Leave one comment below to enter to win. Tweet about the book/contest to earn a second entry (#HDSBirdRoom). I'll choose a winner on the 14th at midnight.

Good luck!

The book's official website
Chris Killen's blog
Small sampling at The Guardian