The Family Fortuna by Lindsay Eagar
Published by Candlewick Press on March 7, 2023
ISBN: 0763692352
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Fiction
Goodreads

The youngest of three siblings in a travelling carnival, Avita has always had a special bond with her father, Arturo. Arturo looked at her as an infant and saw not a monster, but a show-stopping circus act. While she is human, Avita was born with a large black beak, black feathers, jagged black teeth and black eyes. Arturo soon puts her to work biting the heads off of chickens to illicit screams from the audience.

But what if there’s more to life, and to Avita herself, than decapitating birds? Can Avita prove to Arturo that she is more than a horrific sideshow act?

This book had potential but it was very hard to get through. Forced language, particularly the swearing, and odd narrative choices weigh it down and detract from the story.  The intended audience is unclear, so it is not a must-buy.

(Note: Fans of carnivals and large, black birds will be drawn to the excellent cover art.)

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten free Library, Bath