As a fan of short stories and story collections, it was so lovely to receive an advanced reader’s copy of this new book, Let Birds Fly. Just from the title, it seemed like this was going to have stories that encourage freedom, and that’s true. Not in a literal sense. No actual birds are set free, but each of the characters finds a new direction in their life—whether that involves a new job in a field that they have always wanted to work in, a new place to live, or finding the courage to pursue a lifelong dream.

That daring to do what’s in one’s heart is a theme present in each story, and by the time I was halfway through the book, I was pleased to see my initial theory play out in such varied stories with such interesting people.

In some ways, this collection is presented in a writing style often used for sharing anecdotes rather than short stories; it lacks those fictional elements that explore character development deeply. Think of works like those of Alice Munro, who creates characters so textured and moments so precise that the reader feels like they know them on many levels.

The characters in Let Birds Fly are all interesting, mainly due to some quirkiness in each one that makes them endearing, and there is a bit of character arc in that they all face a moment when they must decide to change their life. And they are happier for making that choice. But that arc lacks some of the deep contemplation and emotional reactions that are often found in other works of fiction.

To counter that is this wonderful sense of fun and magic contained in all the stories. There are talking avocados, smiling statues, images that dance on mugs, a talking tea kettle, and magical paintbrushes. At first glance, that whimsical magic could come across as too silly, making it unbelievable, but Rhea Thomas makes it work within the context of the stories, primarily because the reader is eager to see if each new character we meet is going to take that leap into “flying.”

Because of that sense of fun and enchantment, each story is a joy to read, and one of my favorites is Casa Dos Luna. Matilda, a photographer, goes to a small adobe house in the mountains of Santa Fe to recover after an emotional and mental breakdown. During the visit, she recalls the times she was there with her twin sister, Melinda. How those memories are woven into the story is sweet and touching: “When they were in high school, Mellie and Matilda always talked about their compasses pointing true north, that it was their creativity and imagination that kept them going…”

Casa Dos Luna also has nice descriptions of the beauty of the area and the house: “Muted red and gold carpets covered and softened the tile floors. Wooden beams lined the ceiling and all the door frames.” That is a room that can easily be seen through the reader’s eyes.

As the book progresses through the stories, the connections the characters have to each other—from family to friendships to the place where they work—are revealed, which is another nice element of the storytelling.

And what fun to see a side of the Greek goddesses Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena, who appear in the story Too the Fairest to claim ownership of a magical apple. They squabble like teenage sisters fighting over a favorite sweater, and there are scenes that make a reader laugh out loud. Such as when Aphrodite first arrives and announces, “‘I made it.’ Athena rolls her eyes. Hera sniffs loudly and looks away.” So much more fun than how they are portrayed in The Odyssey.

There’s a nice wrap-up at the end, where the magical elements and the characters from all the stories play a part in a delightfully surprising grand finale. I’ll admit, I didn’t see some of it coming.

Even though there’s a bit too much telling, not showing, throughout—such as, “Lucy looked impressed”—the stories are engaging enough that there never was a point where I wanted to abandon the read.

Let Birds Fly is a good book to stash in a satchel to read while waiting to pick up kids or sitting in the waiting room at a doctor’s office. It’s fun. It’s entertaining. And the stories are short enough to get one or two read in ten or fifteen minutes.