The Yellow Bird Sings is a truly phenomenal representation of hope, love, and the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter. An engaging, yet heart-breaking read, centering around a mother and daughter forced apart for their protection in the midst of the Holocaust. This novel explores a myriad of rather dark themes such as separation, the hardship and suffering of the Jewish population, as well as the constant danger and fear Jews had to live in during this horrific time period. It delves into the dehumanization they were faced with as well as the inhumane conditions they had to endure.
Curiously, it does so from two very disparate, contrasting perspectives. On one hand, we have Roza, the mother, that understands their situation and the outrageous atrocity they are faced with. She acts as the reliable narrator that we trust to communicate the storyline in a thoughtful, insightful manner, conveying her emotions and simultaneously justifying them. From her perspective, we can clearly understand the difficulty and hardship they are put through; in the barn and later, in the woods. Her descriptions are perhaps even more negatively biased because of them: her miscarriage, the starvation, and having to care for Shira even through these horrendous conditions. Through Roza, we receive the despondency, fear, and frailty she feels. Ironically, this is what shows the reader the strength Roza has to be able to face such conditions, trauma and prevail.
On the other hand, we have Shira, her young daughter, which despite her age, is very precocious and as we discover, a musical prodigy. Shira acts as the unreliable narrator as we have to create our own conclusions as to what she is describing. She doesn't understand their situation, the hardship, or why they have to hide in the barn. Simultaneously, she also describes things as they are, with no narrative bias; this lack of specific emotion and bias from a child, creates an almost interactive experience with the novel: it projects emotions onto the reader to work through and understand. Since this is from a child's perspective, her honesty is also what makes the reader instill trust in her, making her a very likeable character.
In general, the characters in Jennifer Rosner's debut novel are all as developed as they should be in proportion to their role in the plot. Rosner carefully creates interesting and captivating backgrounds for each character(when necessary) and therefore manages to create 3-D, realistic, and relatable characters to show us that those affected by the Holocaust were people as well, therefore creating a stronger bond between the main characters and the reader. However, Rosner also ensures that her characters also have both good and bad sides. While reading, you're almost unsure of whether you hate a character or respect them for what they've done. One example of this is Henryk. He took advantage of a horrific situation to exploit, and yet he also helped Roza and Shira survive for over a year. It is these complex emotions that convey how well-developed and intricate the novel is, especially when dealing with such a sensitive topic. Lastly, Rosner also manages to apply to the Bildungsroman of Shira which was a beautiful subplot to follow. We can see the way that she develops her thinking, her opinion on her situation and her mother, as well as the importance of music in her life.
As for the plot, it is engaging, and made monotonous intentionally at times (such as in the barn) to create a stronger connection between the reader and the character being subject to these difficulties. It helps the reader understand their situation better. It humanizes the victims portrayed and accentuates the atrocious and outrageous injustice during this time period. Rosner also creates a heart-breaking narrative from the fact that Roza cannot seem to find Shira and cannot be reunited with her daughter. This is the most painful, heart-wrenching part of the novel: that after all they have been through, mother and daughter cannot be reunited. Thankfully, Jennifer Rosner creates an implied ending that the Roza and her daughter do in fact reunite 20 years after their separation. A truly beautiful, satisfying ending to a beautiful, heart-breaking novel.
Lastly, I would like to discuss the themes of the novel, which although quite sensitive, Jennifer Rosner handled them magnificently. One of the central themes is the Holocaust, which Rosner describes accurately and respectfully, humanizing the victims portrayed and sharing their emotions of fear, danger, and despondency. A lot of planning and thought has clearly been put into this book, ensuring that the result is a simply breath-taking representation of the atrocious injustice of the Holocaust as well as a beautiful commentary on love and the relationship between mother and daughter. To wrap it up, I would like to draw attention to the yellow bird in the novel, which has acted as a token of Roza and Shira's relationship and of their connection. This yellow bird is the sign that they will once reunite, a sign of hope against the despondency of the rest of the world.
A truly magnificent novel.
❝Only in this music, wistful and defiant, can she find something of her own without giving herself away.❞
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