Imma be honest.. Y’all know Gayl Jones has a crazy writing style - and honestly it’s something that you have to get use to. It’s like she tells the story in so many small pieces that you really have to finish it to actually figure out the entire plot. 

🦅 

Here goes: 

Told in 1st person from the POV of a writer named Amanda. The Birdcatcher is mainly about a black couple - Catherine (a sculptor) and her husband Ernest. Amanda and Catherine are best friends - and Amanda always seems to find herself with the couple for long periods of time. Especially since Catherine is always trying to kill her husband. After the attempts, Earnest commits her and after a period of time goes by he gets her out. Only for her to try it again. 😮‍💨

Now that’s not the craziest part. The craziest part is that Amanda seems to be interested in the chaos, all trying to avoid her own problems - like her husband and daughter she up and left. And for many men she dates while away. 

After reading this story, I realized a few things. First, we see the relationship between black women, the complexities of friendship, loyalty or the lack thereof, mental health, and parenting choices. 

🦅 

So I thought about the title of the book. And Amanda asking Earnest if he called her a “pilgrim”. He replied, “I called you ‘peregrine’. Do you know what a peregrine is?” Amanda replied, “yes. It’s one of those birds that never stays in one place.” My thoughts were, she’s the bird and they’re  the Birdcatcher.. 🫨

🦅 

Gayl Jones really shaped a world here where you see the complexities of relationships, the human mind and showed ultimately how a person can be sane in one area of the life and have madness in another. 

It really made me wonder if I really know the truth of those that are around me. Or if who they’re portraying or who I see them to be is all an act. 

I’m slowly working my way through her work but baby - Gayl gonna work your damn brain.. 😮‍💨