Hummingbird - by T.C.Parker

Contains non-specific spoilers, but spoilers nevertheless.

I first read the start of Hummingbird in “Daughters of Darkness 2”, where the first two novelettes from the book were debuted – and fired off a message to T.C. that I loved them, and asked when she was going to make a novel from them. I figured – that can’t be all. There has to be more.

Well, I was on the mark.

It turns out T.C. had planned a book consisting of novelettes, each adding characters and plot twists to combine into a whole, each written in her hallmark eloquent voice. I’ll be upfront – this is getting a 5 ⭐review from me due to the narrative alone before we even begin to detail the superb plot, elegant world-building, exquisite tension, and exemplary structure of the novel. T.C.’s command of the English language is second to none, her educated magniloquent vocabulary (and I say that as a compliment) is remarkable, educational, and heart-warming – you just know you are going to be engrossed in the story. Reading and conversing with T.C. is like talking to a well-read, educated favorite professor who’s also cool, and ridiculously modest. Dammit.

Hummingbird is – for me – the capstone of T.C.’s publications to date. Parker seamlessly introduces characters that appeal to the reader, heads of reason in a tyrannical small-town mindset. There are both monsters and small-minded bigots here to contend with – it’s wonderful, the juxtaposition. Whilst classic monsters such as werewolves are revealed to be human, loving, defensive of their pack and pride, humans are shown to be bigoted, shameful, cruel in intent and deed. It’s so well done, a view of the world through a persecuted person’s eyes – each character comes from a background in which their humanity is questioned, mocked, scorned, yet they are shown to be the only sentient beings in play – adapting amongst the bigotry – coping with the hate and defending their right to exist. The parallels here are deliberate.

As the novel progresses, the tension ramps up, leaving the reader as breathless as the MCs. It’s just gold, within 4 or 5 novelettes T.C. manages to craft characters that bleed, that have been victimized, and come out stronger – misfits in the society they attempt to adapt to, their identities under threat for simply being – automatic heroes we feel for.

It is exceptional that we identify with them all. It is phenomenal that we do so in such a short space of time.

Hummingbird is superb. I loved every minute of it. The characters are so real – you love the small-town feel of the novel, the petty foundations of the inhabitant’s vitriol. As if they have the right to spout hate by being in the majority. It’s so well done, that sadly, it has to be based in reality. I can’t imagine this level of petty victimization to have not come from personal experience. Having it presented so devastatingly eloquently speaks volumes. Being a middle-aged white heterosexual male, the bigotry here – well – it redefines my life to be certain – makes you aware of the level of vindictiveness the LBGTQ community faces on a daily basis – a background of undeniable tension that flavors all of their interactions, the fear of simply being who you are – well, that’s something I just don’t have every single waking second of my life.

That’s horrific. Screw them all. What a bunch of dicks. Is it then wrong to say I want to read more about them to hate them all over again? I’m addicted to Hummingbird and all its warts.

I’m here for everything Parker releases.

Go buy this book, though you’ll devour it in one sitting and have a stunned, dreamy expression afterward. That alone is worth the cover price.

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Links will be active as soon as Amazon has the book for pre-sale.

You can buy Hummingbird (and I really, really suggest you do) by clicking on the link to your nearest Amazon, below:

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You can visit T.C. at her website, HERE

You can find T.C. on Twitter, HERE

You can find T.C. on Instagram, HERE