Book Review: Black Sparrow by A.J. Griffiths-Jones
Black Sparrow by A.J. Griffiths-JonesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Black Sparrow is a thrilling adventure that completely surpassed my expectations… and that’s only because the plot was so tightly woven and the characters were so incredibly complex, it just floored me in a super positive way. This was the second book I’ve read by A.J. Griffiths-Jones, and while I really enjoyed the first one, this was truly a fantastic and memorable read of a different level. I definitely recommend this to those who like international connections, religious beliefs buried in character’s logic, and tons of surprises in the story.
There are several main characters that connect to two primary travelers on a flight to Paris. One is a young Muslim girl who longs to be with her French boyfriend and to escape the clutches of her very religious and overprotective parents. Another is a man nearing retirement who must finish one last contract before he can decide where to spend the remaining years of his life. They notice one another at the airport and again on the plane, but what they don’t know at the time is how connected their lives will be for the subsequent week. Throw in a hotel owner, the young French boyfriend, the extended Muslim family, and a couple of other people who fill out the story, and you will truly not know what to expect. This is an adventure I will not forget anytime soon!
This wouldn’t be a proper review if I didn’t tell you how much the Muslim girl’s family thoroughly annoyed me beyond any reasonable expectation. I understand different religions have different beliefs, and I respect it. I recognize that there are extremists who fail to understand the delicate balance to a successful life. I get that there are still men in this world today who think they can control women. But all of it can still develop an intense hatred for the way some of these people behave — and thanks to the phenomenal style of delivering these character’s emotions and motives, Griffiths-Jones successfully pulled that utter frustration and anger from me. She created such tension and drama, I wanted to leap into the book to hurt these people.
As if that wasn’t enough, the torture of some characters was simply brilliant. After several chapters of thinking someone will suffer a certain type of pain — BAM — you’re thrown for a loop and down a different awful pathway. I hated it and loved it at the same time. Hated it because of the end result, loved it because I didn’t want to put the book down. All-in-all, this story will take you up and down several peaks only to slap you with the truth in the end. It’s often difficult to keep things under wraps for voracious readers, but this time I didn’t see the end coming.
Part of me believes that I was so engrossed in the story and the wonderful writing tone that I didn’t want to think about what would happen… I just wanted to experience it as the words hit each page. That’s the kind of story and book that makes you thrilled by an author’s talent. A strong recommendation for me on this novel. Be prepared, there are some extremes, and while the author is merely choosing characters and beliefs that aren’t always the reality, it definitely happens and represents the truth of what some people experience even in today’s modern society. Sit back and enjoy it… and let your passion develop for a multitude of reasons. It’ll be the kind of read that prompts you to shake the book or tablet like a madman at times!
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About Me
For those new to me or my reviews… here’s the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My stand-alone novels, Watching Glass Shatter and Father Figure, can be purchased on Amazon as electronic copies or physical copies. My new book series, Braxton Campus Mysteries, will fit those who love cozy mysteries and crime investigations but with a twist. There are five books: Academic Curveball, Broken Heart Attack, Flower Power Trip, Mistaken Identity Crisis, and Haunted House Ghost. I read, write, and blog A LOT on this site where you can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators. Follow my blog with Bloglovin.
June 25, 2019 at 1:59 PM
This sounds like a must read!
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June 25, 2019 at 6:47 PM
most definitely!
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June 25, 2019 at 8:35 PM
Wow, sounds like an intense, emotional read!! I am sold!
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June 25, 2019 at 11:01 PM
Definitely. Really connected with it.
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June 26, 2019 at 4:36 AM
This is an interesting angle to write story on. I do hope that the author has tackled it responsibly as we don’t need more material that incites islamophobia. That being said, I’d be wholly incensed by fundamentalists and controlling people like these family members in the story, too.
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June 26, 2019 at 6:35 AM
I agree. I think the author handles it well, as there are both good and bad characters who come from this culture and/or religion. It’s less about hurting another culture and more about an individual who believes certain things versus another in similar circumstances who doesn’t.
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June 26, 2019 at 2:34 PM
I’m glad to hear of that 😊
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June 26, 2019 at 6:37 PM
Great review. (As always!)
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June 27, 2019 at 8:20 AM
Thank you so much! How are you doing?
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June 27, 2019 at 9:39 PM
GOOD! and even better than good today is how I’m doing. Thanks for asking.
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June 28, 2019 at 7:29 AM
Excellent, love to hear that!
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June 28, 2019 at 2:58 AM
Extremists of pretty much every type are disconcerting in their inability to see life from a different viewpoint.
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June 28, 2019 at 7:31 AM
Absolutely true. I often wonder how in today’s society, this still happens, but I am probably very removed from it having lived in NY most of my life.
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July 9, 2019 at 11:58 AM
It sounds like this book provides a lot of food for thought, Jay. Some African women suffer from the same sort of patriarchal societal issues.
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July 9, 2019 at 4:59 PM
It truly was eye-opening. And I can only imagine what it’s like in Africa too. Ugh… I try to be respectful of all differences, but never when they push someone down for not being equal for the wrong reasons.
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July 10, 2019 at 11:42 AM
Yes, that is still common. I must say that Father Figure is terrific, Jay. You are really excellent at writing drama.
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July 10, 2019 at 5:37 PM
Thank you… I love this genre, so it means a lot to me – you made my night! 🙂
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