*The Night Owl Sings* is a hauntingly beautiful novel that delves into themes of loss, resilience, and the search for meaning in the face of darkness. The story follows a protagonist who finds solace in the quiet hours of the night, grappling with inner demons while seeking comfort in the stillness that others overlook. The writing is lyrical and evocative, painting vivid images of both the external world and the character’s internal struggles. The novel’s pacing allows readers to immerse themselves in the atmosphere, feeling every emotional twist and turn. *The Night Owl Sings* is a deeply moving exploration of the human spirit, perfect for those who appreciate reflective and introspective storytelling.

The Night Owl Sings is a collection of short stories with mostly older characters at various stages in life. I think there is certainly a need for protagonists of all ages and I particularly enjoyed the final two, Going Home and Grey Skies.

However, I didn't like a number of these stories and as much as I know there is an importance to portray characters that make us uncomfortable I did want to stop reading several times. I struggled especially with the story portraying disordered eating. It is really important to portray flawed characters and is realistic, but I feel the resolutions were poorly handled if at all. Almost every single story was wildly judgemental, which may have been a deliberate theme but felt as reductive as some of the other stereotypes this was attempting to combat.

Overall, I felt this collection sadly missed the mark and don’t feel it is one I could recommend.

DNF at 50%, unfortunately
I do appreciate the way this book not only focuses on the elderly, absent from most fiction except as side characters, never the protagonists, never the focus of the story, almost invisible. I also like the fact that they were given interesting, vibrant personalities and plot lines, challenging the stereotypes.
That being said, I really didn't enjoy this book. It was written very chaotically, the stories being at once about everything and nothing in particular, and the style was extremely inconsistent. Most of the time the language was very simple and the sentences didn't flow nicely, only to get overly sophisticated (but also repetitive) in the descriptions. A pity, because I really liked the idea and I think it could have been a really nice book.

It's rare to find short stories where the characters are older people. The Night Owl Sings is a remarkable collection of stories by Judy McConnell. She introduces us to the bombastic Uncle Basil, travelling with his sister and her passive, single 50+ daughter.

We also meet Lila, a 78 year old whose benign indignation at being sidelined by her son and his wife is concealing some unpalatable truths. I found the way she was treated quite shocking even though Lila's strict parenting had come to light.

The stories are unusual, in the true spirit of short stories, but memorable. Each one is perfectly crafted with a beginning, a middle and an end. Relationships end, characters question their past actions, some confound or delight us. Thanks to Judy McConnell for giving the over 60s a bright, shining voice when we are normally portrayed as people in decline with outdated views and nothing to look forward to.

3,5 stars.
A rich collection of short stories with elderly MCs.
Short story collections are tricky because they are like a music album, some tracks more appealing than the others, but great themes and a good balance often keeps one reading.
Uncle Basil was my favourite, and I enjoyed the writing style in most of the stories. I appreciate the concept a lot. A very much needed concept indeed.

The title itself, The Night Owl Sings, evokes the image of a person who thrives in the twilight of life, drawing a parallel to the term "night owl," historically used to describe someone active and alive during the night. This metaphor beautifully sets the stage for a narrative that celebrates the vitality, complexity, and rich inner lives of its elderly protagonists.

This is the second collection of short stories I’ve read recently and it is a genre that is definitely growing on me. I liked that these were slightly longer than most short stories giving more plot, character development and space to engage with the story. I found my interest peaked by some more than others and maybe one or two I’d happily skip altogether but the subject matter and perspective was interesting and something different to my usual stuff.

Thanks @netgalley for my ARC copy. Publication date May 2024