Synopses & Reviews
From the author of andlt;iandgt;The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivorsandlt;/iandgt;, which andlt;iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/iandgt; called, and#8220;ripe for Oprah or fans of Elizabeth Berg or Anne Tyler,and#8221; comes a magical novel about a family of women separated by oceans, generations, and war, but connected by something much greaterand#8212;the gift of wings.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;On March 29, 1973, Prudence Eleanor Vilkas was born with a pair of wings molded to her back. Considered a birth defect, her wings were surgically removed, leaving only the ghost of them behind.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;At fifteen years old, confused and unmoored, Prudence meets her long-estranged Lithuanian grandfather and discovers a miraculous lineage beating and pulsing with past Lithuanian bird-women, storytellers with wings dragging the dirt, survivors perched on radio towers, lovers lit up like fireworks, and heroes disguised as everyday men and women. Prudence sets forth on a quest to discover her ancestors, to grapple with wings that only one other person can see, and ultimately, to find out where she belongs.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Above Us Only Skyandlt;/Iandgt; spans the 1863 January Uprising against Russian Tsarist rule in Eastern Europe to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Lithuania gaining its independence in 1991. It is a story of mutual understanding between the old and young; it is a love story; a story of survival, and most importantly a story about where we belong in the world. This and#8220;is a raw, beautiful, unforgettable bookand#8221; (Lydia Netzer, bestselling author of andlt;Iandgt;Shine, Shine, Shineandlt;/Iandgt;).
Review
and#8220;andlt;iandgt;Above Us Only Skyandlt;/iandgt; is a raw, beautiful, unforgettable book that folds unfathomable horrors and unfathomable love into a story of incredible power. Young-Stone is a master writer, and her deft control of this novel's many moving pieces puts her in the highest echelon of our craft. Yet at the center, literal and figurative, of this novel is a story so brilliantly simple and deeply moving, you'll forget you are reading a book. This story shook me to my core, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to experience it.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Lydia Netzer, bestselling author of andlt;i andgt;Shine Shine Shineandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;i andgt;How to Tell Toledo from the Night Skyandlt;/iandgt;
Review
"Rich with themes of love and loss. Young-Stone has spun a beautiful tale on the cusp of magical realism, but with 100% pure magical prose."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Heidi Durrow, andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; bestselling author of andlt;iandgt;The Girl Who Fell From the Skyandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;The beautiful prose in Michele Young-Stoneand#8217;s andlt;iandgt;Above Us Only Skyandlt;/iandgt; flies off the page. A stirring meditation on resilience, the ties that bind us to our past, and what it means to have wings.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Tracy Guzeman, author of andlt;iandgt;The Gravity of Birdsandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Young-Stone has written a novel that's both fanciful and brutally realistic, soaring as it does between angelic beings and heartless dictators. From America to Lithuania, from past to present, this is a heart-wrenching tale for literary fiction fans and particularly for readers interested in World War II.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Imaginative and vivid storytellingand#8221; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Young-Stone paints a surreal world of modern fantasy and tragic history. . . . A daring, imaginative work.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Milepostandlt;/iandgt; magazine
Review
and#8220;A gripping, heartwarming tale that affirms the strength of family connections despite tragedy, time and separation.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Bookpage andlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Stunning . . . a deeply moving experience.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;bandgt;and#8212;andlt;/bandgt;Literary Hoardersandlt;iandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;A beautifully layered tapestry.and#8221;and#8212;Bookslut
Review
"There are many excellent books that came out this year so far, but andlt;iandgt;Above Us Only Skyandlt;/iandgt; made the most lasting impression on my reading heart."and#8212;Book Riot
Review
"Beautiful. . .I gobbled this book up."and#8212; House of Prince
Synopsis
From the author of The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, which Library Journal called, "ripe for Oprah or fans of Elizabeth Berg or Anne Tyler," comes a magical novel about a family of women separated by oceans, generations, and war, but connected by something much greater--the gift of wings.
On March 29, 1973, Prudence Eleanor Vilkas was born with a pair of wings molded to her back. Considered a birth defect, her wings were surgically removed, leaving only the ghost of them behind.
At fifteen years old, confused and unmoored, Prudence meets her long-estranged Lithuanian grandfather and discovers a miraculous lineage beating and pulsing with past Lithuanian bird-women, storytellers with wings dragging the dirt, survivors perched on radio towers, lovers lit up like fireworks, and heroes disguised as everyday men and women. Prudence sets forth on a quest to discover her ancestors, to grapple with wings that only one other person can see, and ultimately, to find out where she belongs.
Above Us Only Sky spans the 1863 January Uprising against Russian Tsarist rule in Eastern Europe to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Lithuania gaining its independence in 1991. It is a story of mutual understanding between the old and young; it is a love story; a story of survival, and most importantly a story about where we belong in the world. This "is a raw, beautiful, unforgettable book" (Lydia Netzer, bestselling author of Shine, Shine, Shine).
About the Author
Michele Young-Stone is the author of the novels andlt;iandgt;Above Us Only Skyandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivorsandlt;/iandgt;, which andlt;iandgt;The Boston Globeandlt;/iandgt; called andldquo;an exceptionally rich and sure-handed debut.andrdquo; She lives in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with her husband and son.