I like my thrillers to be more of a puzzle than a simple who-dun-it, when the main character has to solve and research and follow the clues to more clues, and The Language of the Birds delivers a mystery ripe with puzzles. The protagonist, named Arizona, (not sure if this was an homage to "Indiana" Jones) is a unique seventeen year old. After loosing her father, she discovers her mother was kidnaped and the ransom is the solution to a chain of puzzles that, seemingly, only she can solve and set her on an adventure of discovery and self-discovery. We follow her through her exploits as she chases down the solutions, luckily she has the family airstream to travel in. The book was written in an easy to read and easy to follow style and told in third person mostly from the viewpoint of Arizona, but also her mother, and one of the kidnappers. It was an enjoyable quick read and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the Robert Langdon style thriller.
I received access to this ARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I remember the magic and excitement of reading Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code when I was in my 20s, and I feel like KA Merson captured similar magic in THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS. Filled with puzzles, codes, cyphers, U.S. history, conspiracy theories, danger and adventure, this book is sure to capture the imagination of YA readers in search of a smart mystery rooted in US history and lore.

Seventeen year-old Arizona thinks differently and sees patterns and meaning in things others may not. Homeschooled since she was young, Arizona is well traveled, well read, and struggles in social situations. Her superior skill in deciphering puzzles is something she likely inherited from her beloved father, who recently passed away. When Arizona’s mother is kidnapped while on a family trip in their Airstream, Arizona is shocked to discover that her father may have been more than a cartographer who worked for the USGS: he might have been researching a secret the kidnappers are desperate to uncover.

Arizona’s quest to rescue her mother takes the clever teen on great adventures across the western U.S. I enjoyed that the history here is real and many of the clues are hidden in plain sight. Those who live in the western states, and those who have visited some of the monuments and sites featured (including Hoover Dam) will enjoy the story even more.

I am not the target audience for this book, as my tastes have changed greatly since my 20s and I wasn’t aware THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS was YA when I requested it. That being said, I do think this book will appeal to readers of smart YA. I am not sure it’s believable that a 17 year-old - even a neurodivergent one who has a difficult time connecting with others - would put their life on the line to solve the mystery without trying a bit harder to report her situation to the authorities. In addition, a touch more character development would have roped me into the story a bit more, but overall THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS is a fun read.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

I appreciate having had an opportunity to read and review this book. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

I think this unpublished draft needs serious editing to be marketable. The beginning isn’t too bad, but after the first few chapters I think most people will lose interest.. The unhinged psycho who leads the cult that has captured the mom is just boring and while there is some degree of empathy with the daughter and mom, the whole backstory about the dad who may have been a covert operative is just not written well enough to catch your interest. In short, while there are a few hooks that should if done well. Would have drawn in a Reader, but in its current form this book as written is not engaging.

Arizona isn't your typical teen and she certainly isn't living a typical life. We meet her during a time of turmoil - her father has recently died. Arizona and her mother are in a National Park when her mother disappears and their Airstream is ransacked. She is alone with only her very concrete way of thinking.

It takes a bit to get used to Arizona. She has no one to count on and the stakes are quite high! The men that have kidnapped her mother do not realize they are dealing with a neurodivergent teen and thus begins a whirlwind story. This thriller captures the brilliance of different thinkers and the plotting keeps you breathless!
#thelanguageofbirds. #thelanguageofthebirds #kamerson #randomhouse #ballantine

If you're not like everyone else, you won't expect the same things of life. And if you're a teen on top of it, anything can happen. This mystery, thriller, growing up novel takes you on a wild ride. Add to the mix a kidnapped mom and a dead dad who might or might not have had a missing document or paper, and you've got the makings of a gripping adventure. Hang on.

(How many kids know their parents? My own sure didn't know me in their teens, and I was just starting to understand my parents when I hit my 20s. That twist made it more interesting for me, too.)

Recommended for a nail-biting commute or break at work. Maybe tuck it into your tote bag when you hit the beach or mountain cabin.