Lost Birds

Inspired by her own birth in a displaced persons camp after WWII, Putrius’s enjoyable debut novel follows multiple families from Lithuania who immigrate to Chicago after the war. Irena Matas was born in a DP camp in Bavaria. When her parents aren’t allowed to return to Lithuania, they start a new life in Chicago. Antanas Balys was torn from his farm, his wife, and his four children during the war and never saw them again. Magda Vitkus suffered brain damage from being buried under rubble during a bombing. Following them for 40 years, Putrius shows how long the shadow of war can be. The history and insight into American and Lithuanian culture is wonderful and Putrius does a marvelous job of illustrating the longing that the old exiles have for home. However, the point of view switches often and the large cast of characters can make for confusing reading. An abundance of clichés (“squealing like a stuck pig” and “like a sore foot finds its worn slipper”) detract from the storytelling. Stints of magical realism delightfully showcase Lithuanian folklore, but they’re rare, making it seem out of place with the rest of the novel. [em](BookLife) [/em]