When We Were Birds is a beautiful journey of magic and emotions that dives into the messiness around love and inheritance due to death and loss.

I couldn't get through this title. It ended up not being for me, but I hope it finds a hope with other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Yejide is the next woman in her family line to take on the role of escorting the souls of her Trinidad and Tobago city’s residents to the afterlife. Darwin has broken from his family’s Rastafarian tradition of avoiding death by taking a job as a gravedigger. When Yejide and Darwin meet at the gates of their city’s largest cemetery, they must reckon with restless spirits and their own destinies.

This is a lush, magical, atmospheric tale of death and destiny. I loved the prose style and rich setting. It takes a while to situate yourself in the characters and plot, but the dramatic ending is totally worth the wait.

The sadness I felt when I realized that I had gotten to the end of this book caught me by surprise. And as perfect an ending as it was, I still yearn for more. And I understand why. Lloyd Banwo incorporates so many of the elements that usually captivate me. I'm a sucker for stories with a matrilineal focus. Then there's the folklore, the fact that the story is narrated in dialect, that it is set in the Caribbean...and the writing is so vivid that it convinces my senses that I too, am looking down at the city from the mountainside.

"A mythic love story". Also an unlikely one between Darwin, a Rastafarian, who has broken his Nazarite vow not to interact with death and now works as a gravedigger in Fidelis (the largest cemetery in the fictional city of Port Angeles) and Yejide, who comes from a line of women who help usher souls into the afterlife. We are told their stories in parallel and see their histories unfold.

Death, then, is a central theme and is written so tenderly, I may dare say beautifully. I love the way that grief is written and how Lloyd Banwo shows that life can be honored and celebrated even through death; how we show care for the dead through ritual and how the ancestors offer their care and protection in return. And even as this story unfolds in the cemetery, in the vast city, on the mountainside, in the home that was rebuilt on the burnt foundation of a plantation house, Lloyd Banwo navigates themes of class, corruption, duty and tradition.

A compelling read. I was satisfied to simply sit with the characters, the setting, the history before even considering the plot. And when it all unraveled, I simply wanted more. I would love a sequel or a prequel but will gladly settle for whatever it is Lloyd Banwo publishes next.

Do you ever read a story with a great premise but the writing style distracts you too much to enjoy the story itself? At first I thought this book just needed to be edited but after a while, I realized it was because it was written in Trinidad English. Is this bad? No. But my brain struggled. This is one I want to try on audio because I think I would like it better then.

This book was beautiful. It tells a story of love, family, duty, legacy, the living, and the dead. Emmanuel and Yejide separately search for their place in this world while wrestling with the legacies given to them from their mothers. And when they finally meet, it is clearly destined. The story is tragic yet uplifting. Hauntingly beautiful.

4 spirited stars

“Digging graves and lowering coffins in the ground is like watching whole lives fast-forward beginning to end.”

Vivid, poetic, unique – words I don’t often use to describe published books today. When We Were Birds started out a little slow, but once Darwin and Yejide met, there were thunderstorms. Banwo’s writing appeals to all the senses. The reader feels the rain, tastes Caribbean food, hears sounds in the graveyard. The book has a mystical quality. The Trinidadian dialect can be a bit difficult to understand at first (‘eh’ means not) but spices up the local flavor.

Fly with me, fellow readers. When We Were Birds soars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is beautifully written. It started a little slow for me but once I felt that connection with the characters, especially Darwin I just couldn't get enough! The magic. The emotion. The sights and sounds of the country. Death. Life. And dreans unfulfilled and then realised. I want to know what happens next in their lives. This is definitely my favourite book for #ReadCaribbean month.

When We Were Birds is a sort of coming of age story for both our main characters (Yejide & Darwin). Darwin is discovering what he will do to provide for his family, even touching the dead, which he is sworn not to do. Yejide is coming into her own power as a long line of women who can see and hear the dead. What happens when their two lives collide.

I loved the voice of this book. It had powerful imagery attached to it. The first half of the book was a bit of a slow burn, however once the two main character met it was nothing but fireworks. What a great new literary fiction book to devour.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Highly recommend.

Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's debut album is beautifully written with just the right about of history and mystical elements that I love. The story brings two young people together, both at points in their lives where they are trying to figure out who they are along with the challenges and duties of their families. I really enjoyed the mystical elements and connected history in this story. The thing I struggled with the most is that the way they connected just didn't seem strong enough to me. Other than the fact that Darwin works at the cemetery where Yejide is burying her mother, there isn't much there besides this innate attraction to each other. With Yejide being surrounding by death, Darwin exudes nothing but life to her. I know that they both have visions of each other before actually meeting, so it seems that in the story, life partners seem to be chosen in a way. There's a strong element of knowing in the book. This also brings me to Yejide's relationship with Seema. I feel like there was a lot to possibly unpack there that we left open-ended. I could go on and on, but this is a strong debut novel .

This book was extremely well written and executed. It did start out a little slower than I like but I became invested in the story. It was interesting!

"You were never the smartest child, but even you should know that when a dead woman offers you a cigarette, the polite thing to do would be to take it. Especially when that dead woman is your mother."

“Blessings don't come when you decide they must come, but they does come when you need them the most.”


This novel starts out a bit of a slow burn and cycles between reality and myth, life and death, and other contrasts in ways that can at times feel disarming, but also pretty brilliant. I was bored in the beginning with its slow pacing and waiting for Darwin and Yejide to finally meet. But the descriptive writing style was so vivid and well done, I was able to keep on. This book was a beautifully written narrative of a magical version of Trinidad and Tobago, infused with folklore and the history of the island. The rhythm of the prose was very immersive, as were the descriptions of the island. I loved Darwin and just wanted the best for him, despite the constantly difficult circumstances he must face. I enjoyed the dialect, the imagery, and the characters. It may not be a novel you pick up when you want a quick and easy read, but don’t pass it over if that’s what you usually read. This debut is worth your time.

When We Were Birds reads like an Island fairytale. You can almost hear the stories / characters / backgrounds playing out together in your mind. The story takes you away to a different world where magic and death feel normal. There's loads of emotion and atmosphere.

This is an incredible debut book. I look forward to her next novel.

Rich with magic and lush descriptions, the stories of Darwin and Yeliji are told. They both have something the other needs. Darwin, who’s lack of money forces him to take a job in the Port Angeles, Trinidad as grave digger in the old Catholic cemetery. He has no connection to his mother and is convince he can find the father he never knew. Yejide’s mother is dying, and she introduces Yejide to the family legacy of talking to the dead. While American reader may have difficulty in adjusting to the Trinidadian English dialect, it’s worth reading to the end. It will be a roller coaster of a ride, from depression and loss to triumph and an affirmation of hope.

“Fair don’t always mean good. Exchange don’t always mean peace. Power don’t always mean free.”

~ “Petronella” Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, When We Were Birds


What if you found out that your inheritance would tether you to a way of life that you were never prepared for?

How about if the only work you could find went against EVERYTHING you were raised to live and be?

What would you doooo for a Klondike Bar?

If you are me – NOTHING – because you don’t eat them. But for Yejide and Darwin … fate is about to impose a twist that not only changes their lives individually, but as a unit.


This story is set in a mythic version of Trinidad. Written in the deep dialect of the West Indies, this story grounds you in the sway of island life almost instantly. Because I have been to the actual island of Trinidad, reading this book made me yearn for another passport stamp.

Emmanuel Darwin is a man who has gown up as a Rastafarian Nazarite. Hair loc’ed and long, veggie diet, no alcohol, pure heart, and no dealings with the dead. Absolutely none. The Nazarite vow requires one to only deal with the living and let the dead to deal with the dead. Ironically, that plays out later. Darwin is also a man who has a deep hurt in the tragedy of not growing up with his father. He sees his mother’s grieving heart, even though he only catches snatches of details as he overhears the grownups talking. He grows up hearing that the city is devilish and that that’s what swallowed up his father. But when the only job available is work in a cemetery he’s got to make a move.

Yejide is a young woman with a peculiar heritage. One that comes on the heels of a creation story that ties her heritage to birds and the dead. One woman in each generation becomes a custodian of a responsibility that is larger than life. It’s also a deeply heavy burden, one that just about took her mother out. Speaking of mothers, Yejide and her mother have one of the most interesting relationships I have seen in a long time. Even as the storm brews, there is still a dissonance and minor chord clash between mother and daughter. Even this “music” matters when Yejide learns what her heritage really means for her.


These two unlikely individuals have a destiny meeting at the oldest cemetery in the city, in a storm no less. The story unfolds with love, loss, grief, and ultimately resolution. We might not want our responsibilities, but the wise learn to respect them.

Note to the reader – this story has romance but it’s not a romance novel. It is a mythic young adult story where a couple develops rather uniquely. I wish it was this easy in real life to identify your soul mate by the way, seemingly color by numbers easy. It’s their love, as fast as it develops, that empowers them both to make difficult decisions. These decisions drive the storm and the plot.

Anybody passing out happy endings? Actually, yes!

Compulsively readable and hard to put down. I loved these complex characters and their stories.
Many thanks to Doubleday and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fantastic read that really surprised me! I’m so excited for this to release! This was a lovely story about the changes we go through to become ourselves, talking about uncomfortable things, and accepting ourselves and those around us as they are. I didn’t know what to expect when I started and I am so glad I got to experience this story. This feels like it should be required reading in high school truly.
Full review to come on YouTube.

Ayanna Lloyd Banwo has one of the most unique and resonating voices I've seen. When We Were Birds brought back a lot of memories of my childhood in Jamaica and it was great to connect so closely with the text. This is something that I'd love to reread and take my time to enjoy again! I would recommend this to anyone looking for Caribbean literary fiction and/or unique storytelling.

Very intriguing book with some mystical elements. It took me a beat to get use to the style of writing/dialect, but once I was used to it, I was able to really get into this great novel.

To begin with, the cover of this book is stunning and the words within are just as beautiful! I did have a rough start getting into it but I came to fall in love with the main characters and I loved joining them on their journey.