Book Review: Songbird by J Victoria Michael

A twentieth century woman is lost in a fantasy world with nothing but the clothes on her back and her innate humanity. This is the story of her compelling need to redefine herself.

When Irenya O’Neil suffers a panic attack and falls into the realm of Dar Orien, a world with a failed MageGate system, she finds herself unable to return home to her infant son – she is trapped in a nightmare that tests her sanity.

Confronted with evidence that she possesses a Gift of power, Irenya attempts to control her fledgling talent through music. This could be her ticket home. But Irenya becomes mired in the civil unrest that has befallen Dar Orien. Sickened by the bloodshed and fearful for her own safety, Irenya is desperate to find her way home.

CW: mental illness, violence, on-page sex, infidelity

GENRE: Portal Fantasy

PURCHASE LINKS: Odyssey Books | Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Judith Michael is a New Zealander who writes under the name of J Victoria Michael. She is a story-teller, fascinated with other dimensions, time travel and unexpected, remarkable talents. Long novels with speculative elements are her favourites, stories that take her to strange places and keep her turning the pages late at night. She has a passion for classical music and beautiful movement, from ballet to belly-dancing. As a child she made up stories told in dance, wearing out the toes of her shoes to the vexation of her parents. Later, she discovered the joy of story-telling in words. Music is her constant muse.

Review & Recommended Listening

Irenya is a refreshing protagonist. She's a mother, for one. She also battles with a history of mental illness in the family — though is it, really? — and most of all, it takes her quite a long time to grasp and believe that she's been transported to another world. I've read other portal fantasy stories and most heroes accept their new lives rather quickly. Irenya doesn't. She cycles between denial and bewilderment and anger and fear and emotional breakdowns so many times, even to the point of exasperation. But I suppose I would be the same if I'm separated from an infant son and I'm not the type who reads, thinks and breathes fiction. Her inability, and later fear, to wrap her mind around that makes for a very human contrast to her apparent Gift: bringing grandiose visions to life and coaxing emotions from other people through song.

But, yes, she can try your patience. As might the lack of answers. Dar Orien is a rich, fascinating world, yet the book closes with more questions than answers. How did Irenya get there? Why does she have a doppelganger in Tire? Is it even a doppelganger or is it another version of herself, you know, multiverse and all? What does the griffin want with her, if she's not the new MageGate? And what's the deal with the Mikey that's in Dar Orien?

It's been a fun read, and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequels!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommended Listening: As I mentioned in my open call for books to review, I’ll now be adding a song to my reviews! It’ll be one that either sums up the book for me, what I’d imagine in a trailer were it a movie, something that I associate with the story or one of the characters for whatever reason… or maybe even an original inspired by it 😉

Or are you someone out there

Who's a little bit like me?

Who knows deep down

I'm not where I'm meant to be?