The Nature of Small Birds

Starred review from May 1, 2021

"Turns out that the nature of small birds is to fly," Bruce Matthews realizes as his three daughters, Sonny, Mindy, and Holly, test their wings and get ready to leave the nest. Told in three different timelines, the story of the Matthews family is a deep dive into a white Middle American family profoundly impacted by the Vietnam War and their decision to adopt a baby from Vietnam through the Operation Babylift program. In 2013, Bruce looks back at a life well-lived and encourages his grown daughters to pursue their dreams. In 1988, Sonny fights with her adopted sister and struggles to look beyond her own teenage needs. In 1975, Linda yearns for another child and learns hard lessons about parenting her new multicultural family. VERDICT Finkbeiner (The Stories That Bind Us) has deftly written this narrative of ordinary people finding their way, set against a backdrop of global upheaval and war; the characters are realistic and vibrant. Readers looking for realist family stories with a subtle thread of faith, like Erin Bartels's All That We Carried or Katie Ganshert's No One Ever Asked, will want to read Finkbeiner's latest.--Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 21, 2021
In this enjoyable inspirational, Finkbeiner (All Manner of Things) chronicles the travails of an American family and the efforts of their adopted daughter to understand her early life. In 1975, Linda Matthews’s marriage to Bruce includes struggles with a controlling mother-in-law, money, and infertility while trying to have a second child. They end up adopting a five-year-old Vietnamese girl through Operation Babylift, and soon find themselves teaching Minh (Mindy) English, comforting her fears, and addressing racial prejudice in her school. Jumping to 1988, their eldest daughter, Sonny, prepares for college as the family welcomes a third, unexpected child, and Mindy, now in her teens, begins wondering about her Vietnamese heritage. In the final section, set in 2013, the aging Bruce and Linda support their adult children and commit to aiding in Mindy’s search for her biological family. While faith elements are subtle, Finkbeiner strikes a nice balance between exploring the long-term changes to the Matthews clan and the minor dramas of each family member. Readers who enjoy the work of Karen Kingsbury will want to take a look.