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As a reviewer for Reedsy Discovery, I received an ARC of Devlyn D'Alfonzo's debut novel, Tethered Kites. Here is my review, which you can also read on my Reedsy Discovery page.
The weaving perspectives, slowly unravelling and character-driven plot, and sincerity with with Devlyn D'Alfonso curated the worlds of Tethered Kites are what makes this story beautiful and endearing.
Of course, the premise itself is enough to compel a reader to pick up a copy of the book—the story of a family split between the realms of life and beyond, told through the eyes of both the living and the dead, and the consequences of what happens when the two cross paths—but the more you read, the more you realize what the story is really trying to tell you. Everyone's lives are interconnected, meandering in and out of each other, influencing the course of each other's lives, and, as the book puts it, sharing energy that can neither be created nor destroyed. And that's not really a spoiler, but rather something the story begs its readers to meditate on from the very beginning.
Hard-hitting themes like lasting family secrets, the grief of loss, and overcoming the unavoidable nature of tragedy are some of the best parts of this book. Josephine was ready to meet her mom for dinner that day, but instead, their last meeting was one of sorrow. Neal has seen many tragedies unravel in his line of work, but he never thought his wife would meet a similar end so soon. Eleanor was dead, but did not cease to exist. The book deals with these big emotions delicately, and does a wonderful job of intentionally sprinkling in bits of weighty and significant redirections, or rather, expansions. It did not feel rushed at all, as each new tidbit urged the readers to look at the characters in a new lights and dimensions. One was compelled to feel tenderness, agitation, rage, and sorrow for these people. The commitment to characterization made this an emotionally-charged and moving read.
The only thing that kept me from rating this book higher is the writing itself. Although the story is paced well, sometimes the prose felt inconsistent—the characters revealed too much of their inner thoughts in the midst of angst and grief, it did not feel natural. The writing often felt flat in places where more passion was required. However, these drawbacks could easily be forgiven when one looks at the story as a whole. Tethered Kites is a wonderful masterpiece, and author Devlyn D'Alfonso receives all the flowers in my garden for this one!