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Sil is a rising star among tuis; a brilliant singer and talented composer. For him the annual singing competitions loom large.
Daredevil Bron is Sil's best friend who tells it like it is. They've got a good thing going. But a sense of menace closes in as magpies plot to devastate the valley.
The tui way of life - flying free and singing in the dawn - is about to be destroyed.
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Review by: tigger (Bonita)
Dated: 24th of November, 2005
Sil is a suspense-filled and emotional tale of tuis besieged by magpies.
The author observed birds in her own garden and the bush surrounding her home, and her research and observations come through very well in the book. The characters are well developed and draw you into the emotional and dangerous world the tuis face, as well as the terribly thuggery and viciousness of the magpies.
Sil is a promising young singer, passionate about winning the annual singing contest, with a new and daring song choice. His main rival, Tor, at first seems to be the enemy but Tor is quickly revealed as the true leader and hero he is with the arrival of the deadly magpies. Sil too, faces challenges, fears and disappointments, and both fails and succeeds in showing himself a bird of great character.
This exhilarating and classic tale of good versus evil is written in an interesting style with chapters devoted to both tui and magpie viewpoints. The perspective of the tuis is well developed and endearing, with likeable characters and much dialogue, while the magpie chapters are fewer, shorter, and written in a darkly poetic style.
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