The Serendipity of Flightless Things

Twelve-year-old Finn lives in a fairy-tale world all her own. Raised by her storytelling grandmother, Nuala, amidst the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1971, Finn spends her days playing make-believe in the forest with her friend Darcy, longing to go to Inis Eala to see the swans, and waiting for her father's return from the war. While Nuala revels in the safety and routine of their simple life, Finn craves adventure.

But when disaster strikes, Finn finds adventure more quickly than expected. She's shipped off to Virginia to live with her long-lost mother, Aoife, Excited to meet her newfound family, Finn can't help but notice that things are a bit unusual. The town is encircled by thorn trees, and swan feathers and heads decorate her mother's house.

Finn has a sinking feeling that something's not right, and she starts to believe that what's happening isn't just coincidence. Could it be that one of her grandmother's famous stories is actually coming true? But those are just childhood folktales, aren't they?