Angie Vancise’s “Cry of an Osprey” is ultimately an emotional roller coaster. Although the main theme appears to be an alternative love story, this is just the backdrop to a larger picture that every reader can relate to to some degree. It is a story about family ties, solidarity and the loss of a loved one.

At the center of the story is Jax Vanbeerman, who at the age of 48 suffers from a stroke. This is the trigger that unites a scattered family, a current and a former lover and many more people to share a couple of agonizing days in closed spaces. At that moment there is a time fork, on the one hand we are in the present with Jax in the hospital with loved ones, but also in the past, reliving memories of the good old days. It is in this process of recollection that regret creeps in as the characters wonder about alternative decisions and actions, about what could have been. In fact, as Jax fades from the living, he grows stronger and stronger in the hearts and memories of the people who loved him. Perhaps this is the most important lesson of the book.

One of the novel’s interesting stylistic features is the approach the author takes. She allows readers to learn about Jax only through other characters; his sister Amelia and his ex-lover Ben. Each chapter is presented from the perspective of one or the other as we become familiar with and approach them. Jax represents the overlap between two very different people and stories; it is interesting to explore the different facets of him, but also the constants of his character from the point of view of the most important people in his life.

The book should attract a large audience, especially since the story is told from the point of view of both genders, but especially because of the themes it deals with. It is about much more than an alternative lifestyle, the LGBT community and its struggle, covers the colorful spectrum of human relationships, difficulties and solidarity. However, it must be said that the novel contains some explicit content and language, so it is not appropriate for readers of all ages. All in all, Angie Vancise’s debut novel “Cry of an Osprey” is a highly personal piece with a strong gravitational pull. There are many noteworthy aspects, but above all it is the sincerity and vulnerability that seduces the reader and makes him resonate with the characters. In addition, the cover of the book is painted by the author herself, wrapping her writing in a purple haze.