Introduction

Caught up in the turmoil of her own problems, Fez is oblivious to the struggles of her family members, who each face serious challenges—and things are only getting more complicated.

Fez, now fifty-two, never knew she had a sister—until one day, sixty-four-year-old Penny, a woman with special needs, has nowhere else to go and must move in with Fez and Fez’s teenage daughter, Hazel. But Penny hasn’t had to deal with change for a long time, and neither sister is sure how this new life will affect her. With her estranged husband living elsewhere, Fez is too distracted to notice the changes in Hazel, who has been falling into dangerous patterns of substance abuse.

The reunited sisters delve into family history to gain closure on a dark past, but before they find a satisfying answer, tragedy strikes—and their priorities finally start coming into focus.

Told from the varying perspectives of the three women, Seven Birds illustrates how complicated family issues and shared pain can forge stronger links among its members. If they can find compassion—for each other, for themselves, and for a mother’s past mistakes—then moving forward toward reconciliation and peace is possible.

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

1. "Seven birds" represents secrets in the novel. Do you think families are ever
justified in keeping life-altering secrets from one another?

2. Was Fez justified in her anger toward William? At what point is someone's mistake irrevocable?

3. What tangible thing in your life connects you to your family? How hard would it be to let it go?

4. If a long-lost sibling suddenly appeared in your life and needed a home, would you take him or her in? Do you think Penny's circumstances made it easier or harder for Fez?

5. After reading about Penny, have you changed the way you think about adults with special needs?

6. Fez, Hazel and Penny all manage their stress and emotions in different ways: Fez by losing herself in chaos, Hazel with mind-numbing drugs and alcohol and Penny by rocking and self-soothing. How did these characters change the way they handled stress as the book progressed?

7. The stress children feel these days is often overwhelming; Hazel felt extremely overwhelmed and anxious. If you have adolescents in your household, how do you help them manage their stress?

8. Of the three women narrators (Fez, Hazel, and Penny), who do you think evolved the most in the story? Was there a point in your life when you experienced a profound change, either through experience or just by the passage of time?

9. In what ways did you admire — or disapprove of — the characters and their decisions?

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