It all starts in France with the Roux family. The modest family, which is composed of two parents and their three children, Emilienne, René, and Margaux, goes off to find prosperity and happiness in America. However, America soon turns out to be the land of disillusion; the path of the family is filled with pain from passionate love and hardships.
The strange and beautiful sorrow of Ava Lavender does not only follow principally the story of Ava who was born special, but the story of Emilienne and Viviane too. The title is kind of misleading. The reader is drawn into the extraordinary and fantastic universe of these characters and visits their moments of happiness and sorrow. We live vicariously through their lives. Emilienne’s character is not static. As she ages, she gains maturity. Some aspects of her personality fade away while other traits develop. Like Emilienne, Viviane’s character changes during the narrative. It is a book with a “multitude of interconnected stories”.
Leslie Walton has succeeded in putting together an exceptional book. The originality is astonishing. I adore the French references used to implement the setting and environment in which the protagonists develop. I was subjected to their charms and dynamics. The fact that they undergo major changes makes them interesting. As they climb the valleys of their lives, readers accompany them in their experience of love and pain. They empathize with them. The narrative is captivating as it makes each major event vivid and that arouses emotion. Walton’s writing is poetically lyrical, realistic and descriptive. We have a clear picture of the mystical environment with subtle fantastic elements. The story line focuses on perception and on how each character views the world and other characters. I like the idea of a family tree to allow the narrative to have a panoramic view of their world and bring about a rich background to the story.
It is so beautifully written that it makes the book fast paced. For those who share an interest in French culture and a love for the fantastic genre, this novel is a must.
Cover book design by Matt Roeser
The book cover is a piece of art. It is just breathtaking.

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