Maggie Stiefvater's Reviews > The Hummingbird

Ah, I thought this book was great—it made me feel the way I did after reading SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU by Peter Cameron. I read it in 1.5 sittings, which is the way to do it, I think; I would have been happier with a single sitting, but my plane ride was 25 minutes too short.

Like SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU, this book is largely about nothing. No, let me back up and 'splain. HUMMINGBIRD dives so deeply into the details of a Marco Carrera's life that it forms a naturalistic snapshot rather than a plotty page turner. Letters from a childhood friend/ possible flame offer some delicate structure, but the real propulsive pleasure is in meeting Marco and getting to know him better and better and better, through Veronesi's careful observation. Marco's a kindly, durable soul, and we want the best for him. Unfortunately, he doesn't always get the best. That's pretty much the only point of the novel. For me, that was enough.

I offer this recommendation in much the same way I offer recommendations for THE NEW POPE (another piece of media that is both full of Italians and often about nothing), knowing it's not for everyone, but also knowing it was only a recommendation that made me pick it up in the first place. Don't judge it by book jacket copy; try the first few pages. Nothingness might be just what you're after.