The Colours of Birds
A Book Review
“The Colours of Birds” by Rebecca Higgins is a collection of stories that are bound to touch the chords of every person in some way. The stories represent me, and they also represent you. They let us feel the reality of life from an inch closer than we sometimes dare to. There are no happy or sad endings. Things just are the way they are — because that’s how life is.
Some stories highlight our awkward selves, because that’s how we sometimes are, even though we try hard to fit in socially. Some stories demonstrate perspectives, reminding us of the complications of our co-existence with others. The stories, just like the real world, are full of a variety of characters — some we avoid, others we admire, some we appreciate, others we empathize with, some we want to emulate, others we cannot stand, some intrigue us, others are like an open book.
Higgins’ stories are intuitive, emotional and realistic. She explores how our differences make us experience family, work, relationships, friends, neighbours and community in different ways. She has not added any extra mustard sauce to her stories, because the world contains enough zing already!
