Review: Stonebird by Mike Revell

Stonebird

by Mike Revell

from the author's site: 

When eleven-year-old Liam moves house to be closer to his grandma, he’s thrown into an unfamiliar place, with a family that seems to be falling apart.

Liam doesn’t remember what Grandma was like before she became ill with dementia. He only knows the witch-like old woman who snaps and snarls and eats her birthday cards. He desperately wants to make everything better, but he can’t.

Escaping the house one evening, Liam discovers an old stone gargoyle in a rundown church, and his life changes in impossible ways.

The gargoyle is alive. It moves unseen in the night, acting out Liam’s stories. And stories can be dangerous things…

But Liam’s grandma’s illness is getting worse, his mum isn’t coping, and his sister is skipping school.

What if the gargoyle is the only thing that can save Liam’s family?

my thoughts:

Oh boy did this one hit close to home for me. Like Liam, I have a grandparent who is dealing with dementia, and those scenes were some of the hardest for me to read. Nonetheless, I think it's important for people of all ages to read something like this. Revell does a great job of capturing what the family of someone with dementia goes through. 

The gargoyle mythology in the story is interesting, and something readers don't get to see often. After reading Stonebird, I think I would like to see more gargoyles. Thanks to the gargoyle, Liam learns his own version of the "with great power, comes great responsibility" lesson, an important lesson for anyone to learn. 

This is a great book for anyone who enjoys an emotional read, and doesn't mind a little bit of fantasy in their stories. I strongly recommend you read it today. 

how I acquired this book:

I borrowed it from my local library.