Seven Blackbirds

By Helen Winslow Black

How do you extricate yourself from an abusive marriage? Law student Kim MacLean steers through a world that is funny, sad, ironic and absurd in pursuit of freedom for herself and her newborn son. Along the often bumpy but never dull road, she discovers that finding her own voice is the sine qua non for success.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FP3ZF7GS
• ISBN13: 9798990418028
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Four Elk Press
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An atypical heroine- or not?

Seven Blackbirds is the story of a young woman who finds herself in an unworkable situation and has to make some difficult choices in order to reclaim her life. Elegantly written and with lots of depth to the characters. Can't wait to see the movie! and to read Ms. Black's next book.

A Captivating Story

Seven Blackbirds is a well written, exciting story about a certain point in a young woman's life. It is full of the questions many people face as a young person, but there is not the angst and trauma drama that you find in so many stories about people that age. This is a thoughtful, mature book about a difficult chapter in someone's life. It is funny, exciting, and captivating. I loved it!!

Compelling read

I picked up this book on the recommendation of a friend and was immediately captured. The characters are compelling and story is one that I felt part of even though I seemingly had not much connection to the situations described. I picked up on a Tuesday and finished it by Saturday. A great beach read or really any time. A good gift, even to yourself. Ms. Black is a terrific writer and I eagerly await her next book.

True, funny, moving

This novel, while it focuses on a heroine reclaiming herself from abuse, is more than the typical story of a woman rising above terrible circumstances to prevail. Kim Baltakis has the attributes of a real person, not a super-heroine. She steers through a world that is ironic, funny, absurd, and believable. She finds her way through and out of abuse the way anyone would, by picking up one piece at a time. The novel is nicely paced, a good mix of suspense, entertainment, and reflection. Kim's struggle is punctuated by humor and by beautifully written lyrical passages that reveal the truths Kim must rediscover. I strongly recommend it as a good read, and as an affirming story for anyone who has had to reinvent her or himself.

A pleasure to read!

This is the perfect book to settle into on a rainy afternoon - I loved it on so many levels. First, I have a strong affinity for stories that convey a strong sense of place, and here you feel like the author brings you along as she travels from Tulsa to Chicago, and on to a family property in Wisconsin. I felt the same about the characters, and was completely immersed in the story - at times I felt like I was so pulled in that I could just pop around upstairs to the neighbor's house for a cup of coffee. Next, despite the fact that some of subject matter is dark, the book avoids becoming too depressing. Like life, it's sometimes sad, sometimes stressful, but it's also sexy, and joyful, and funny all in different measures. Finally, it's simply a beautifully written story of a woman leaving an abusive marriage following the birth of her infant son. I ended this book ready to read the next chapter in the character's life!