Will can't believe his luck when Alice not so subtly worms her way into his life. At most, Will is expecting a drunken one-night stand so is surprised when the relationship becomes something more. It's also something more than he is used to and so in his desperation he turns it into more of an obsession. After introducing Alice to his one and only friend, also called Will, he becomes certain that their relationship is at an end and that Alice just wants to go and be with the other Will. After all, he's a successful artist that never struggles to get the girls.

Meanwhile, in another part of the story we have Helen who was once called Clair but wants to forget that part of her life so re-invented herself by quitting her job at Boots and becoming an actress. Unfortunately, the only jobs she's had in her new role are for the more adult entertainment area of the market. But what's a girl going to do when she has her share of the rent to pay?

The narration skips between first person for Will and third person for Helen and skips about a bit over the timeline. The writing is quite sparse but does come up with a lovely turn of phrase on occasion. An interesting debut novel but one to avoid if you like your naughty bits shown off camera or want a linear plotline (or even a plotline at all). ( )

The Bird Room follows the uncertain course of love of two separate individuals. Will, who has never had a steady girl, finds love when Alice spends the night and doesn’t leave. Claire reinvents herself as Helen, an actress, or so she dreams, in the meantime she’ll take what comes.

This is a strange yet alluring novel. First impression is it will be a slight and flippant tale, yet it is hard not to be drawn following Will’s witty first person narrative. He can’t quite believe he is living with a steady girl, but the course of love is never that easy and there are troubles ahead, and Will’s solution is far from conventional. Helen’s path to potential love is equally unusual, if she chooses to follow it.

The two intertwining stories are told with economy, humour and candour, occasionally being quite explicit. What makes Will’s story particularly touching perhaps is that it is so very easy to relate to him. He is very ordinary, he lacks confidence, his life is far from perfect, decision do not come easily to him, he is the antithesis of everything he would like to be; which if we are honest with ourselves is perhaps many of us feel at times. He would like to be able to go back and start all over again, avoid all the mistakes, who of us would not like that chance? So we easily identify to him, and consequently his story is all the more touching and ultimately (perhaps?) sad.

The Bird Room is not a long novel, it can easily be read in one sitting, yet it is a perceptive story full of insight, one which is bound to make an impression on the reader, to leave one thinking about the nature of relationships, and about oneself. ( )

Rubric:

When Will meets Alice, he can't believe his luck. She's smart, sexy and, much to Will's surprise, in love with him. Alice brings meaning to his urban existence. But true love never came easy and soon devotion leads Will to something darker.

The Bird Room is a candid, funny and joyous portrait of love and desire in the modern age.

My comments:

I got this book as part of the LibraryThing early reviewers programme. Killen's use of language is very deft and clever and his characters well painted, but I was ultimately disappointed that something billed as a comedy wasn't really that funny; most of the humour derives from the increasingly psychotic way Will behaves as he becomes increasingly secure about his relationship, but ultimately I found that that made me cringe rather than laugh.

So not a book that suited me then, but equally not a bad book. The right person would probably enjoy it immensely— it's just that that person wasn't me. ( )

I received The Bird Room as part the First Reads giveaways and I found that it was sort of bizarre. At first look, you think you get a humorous love story. But then it delves into something depressing and a tad bit profound.

While reading this, I found myself amused at first, and then deeply confused as to where exactly this story was going. It has two separate plots: one of Will and the other of Helen/Clair and then you see how those two plots weave together (and when it did, I found myself laughing at the absurdity of it all).

One thing that the book accomplished was making me feel for the characters. I was interested in where exactly Helen/Clair's story was going. As for Will, I felt extremely sorry for him. Yes, he was pathetic, but in a kicked puppy sort of way and you can't help but like him for his flaws. He just didn't know where to draw that relationship line (and let's face it, I think everybody has had that problem once in a while).

This was a pretty good book. Admittedly, it did have it's flaws. Half the time I had no idea where the story was going or what exactly was the point in some instances, but not knowing what exactly is happening had me flipping the pages faster. It was an incredibly quick read that can be read in one sitting. Highly recommend it. One of the better First Reads books I've read. ( )

the synopsis of this book (and the cover) really drew me in. a smart and sexy debut book with the unexpected relationship, it promised to be a dark and modern love story. and although the writing was good and the raw and graphic portrayal of their relationship was quick and easy reading, the book just fell flat for me in the end. it’s not that it was bad, but it just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, like i’d just thrown up or eaten something that was rotten.

the story cent...more the synopsis of this book (and the cover) really drew me in. a smart and sexy debut book with the unexpected relationship, it promised to be a dark and modern love story. and although the writing was good and the raw and graphic portrayal of their relationship was quick and easy reading, the book just fell flat for me in the end. it’s not that it was bad, but it just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, like i’d just thrown up or eaten something that was rotten.

the story centers on Will, our narrator, and Alice, a couple who are in a challenging relationship. when Will introduces Alice to his friend, also named Will, the dynamic shifts drastically. our narrator begins a downward spiral of doubt and remorse for his inability to react normally in any exchange of emotions, all while watching himself lose Alice but inable to react appropriately. full of lies and deceit and second guessing, this definitely isn’t a feel good book.

"She’d been stood up, she said. I realise now how contrived that sounds. I guess it was. She contrived it. She approached me, asked if I was alone and sat down. (Maybe she was lying. But at the time, both of us piss-drunk, it seemed pretty plausible.) And I was left thinking, She has decided to like me, now I must decide to like her, too.

So I sat there, squinting at her, trying hard to like her, too."

the writing was fast paced and quick witted, very reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho (which i also did not like all that much), but very readable. the characters were wary, realistic and very flawed, and the interactions between them were very intense, though i think it all could have been developed better. what i thought was going to be a smart and sexy love story was more just a satire on love, with a lot of sex instead. you know, i’ve read weird books that really delivered before, but in the end, i think The Bird Room was just weird and twisted.

maybe it had to do with the fact that it sort of reminded me of porn in a book, or that the characters weren’t meant to be liked, but i didn’t find myself enjoying it, particularly towards the end. i liked the characterization and writing style, but the overall presentation and packaging left me unsettled and sort of put off. i understand that some people may love this style, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

i think just on writing alone, i’d be willing to pick up another Killen book in the future, but it definitely would be with caution. ( )