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Jennifer's Reviews > The Paper Birds
The Paper Birds
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I picked up this novel as part of a "read local" book challenge as it's based in Mimico, a former small town (now incorporated into Toronto) and centres around the low-tech female codebreakers who worked in secret there during WWII. I've read similar novels about codebreaking before, but it was neat to read about a codebreaking effort and POW camp being so close. I enjoyed the local history like learning about the meaning of the pigeons and everyday occurrences like the streetcar along Lakeshore road.
My enjoyment of the book unfortunately ended there because I couldn't buy into the characters or the plot. Main character Gemma, freshly graduated from high school and a certified rule follower in desperate need of a job, immediately gives up all her qualms to meet well-spoken German-Canadian Toby in a POW camp near her secret office. The real kicker is when he asks for a book and she smuggles him her aunt's poetry book (one of her aunt's most beloved possessions, ANNOTATED with messages from her dead fiancé that she lost in the first war!). This is the aunt who raised her when her parents died and gave up everything for her. They live extremely frugally and are saving up to buy her aunt new glasses (so she can work) but Gemma is literally giving away their stuff to someone she just met and is feeding his stray cat when they barely have enough food from their rations. Coincidentally, EVERY person in Gemma's life encounters the prisoner and he makes enough of an impression to tell her about it. Is there one young man in all of Mimico? I understand dramatic license, but all the coincidences, from Toby's prolific presence, to the girls' "hunches" solving coded messages, to the cursory touches on social issues of the time like teen pregnancy and anti-semitism that magically no one is offended by; make for a shallow story. My favourite character was actually elderly Aunt Wren, just trying to take care of her girls, make hats, and get a second chance at love. It's not the worst WWII book, but I wouldn't say it's good. 1.5 stars
My enjoyment of the book unfortunately ended there because I couldn't buy into the characters or the plot. Main character Gemma, freshly graduated from high school and a certified rule follower in desperate need of a job, immediately gives up all her qualms to meet well-spoken German-Canadian Toby in a POW camp near her secret office. The real kicker is when he asks for a book and she smuggles him her aunt's poetry book (one of her aunt's most beloved possessions, ANNOTATED with messages from her dead fiancé that she lost in the first war!). This is the aunt who raised her when her parents died and gave up everything for her. They live extremely frugally and are saving up to buy her aunt new glasses (so she can work) but Gemma is literally giving away their stuff to someone she just met and is feeding his stray cat when they barely have enough food from their rations. Coincidentally, EVERY person in Gemma's life encounters the prisoner and he makes enough of an impression to tell her about it. Is there one young man in all of Mimico? I understand dramatic license, but all the coincidences, from Toby's prolific presence, to the girls' "hunches" solving coded messages, to the cursory touches on social issues of the time like teen pregnancy and anti-semitism that magically no one is offended by; make for a shallow story. My favourite character was actually elderly Aunt Wren, just trying to take care of her girls, make hats, and get a second chance at love. It's not the worst WWII book, but I wouldn't say it's good. 1.5 stars
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Reading Progress
July 17, 2025
–
Started Reading
July 17, 2025
– Shelved
July 21, 2025
–
Finished Reading
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Yvette
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rated it 2 stars
Aug 28, 2025 07:35AM
I agree completely. There was so much depth lacking here. I also listened to the audio book that was very poorly done, places where the reader as clearing their throat and making ‘notes’ to themselves and lack of local understanding, lakeshore referred to as ‘lake shore’ like the shore of a lake and not the road/area as is common locally, and referring to McLeans magazine as ‘Mac leans’ like it was a diet book or something lol just further put me off the whole thing. I did listen to the end only to have the ‘end’ feel like an afterthought. A very meh read for sure.
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