Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
It is the late '70s in Manhattan and God is dead. A group of people come together to explore the void left behind. New York mongrels of the spiritual, as brash and defiant as their chaotic, bankrupt city, they embark on what seems like a journey described in the 12th century Persian poem that gives this powerful novel its title. Among them are the shy and sweet-natured Bobby, a gifted cartoonist and the group's mascot; Maisie, the acid-tongued rich girl who is fighting a two-front war against mental instability and Hodgkin's disease; the narrator Louie, a very nearly accidental pilgrim torn between his friends and the purpose that has engulfed him; and their austere leader Joe, a saint to some, a pervert to others. An ordinary, half-finished loft in downtown Manhattan is the scene of the group's last, harrowing efforts to make sense of the words of the ancient Persian poem that seem to mock them: "Thirty birds set out on a perilous journey to reach the Mighty Simurgh, whose name means thirty birds." Is it self-discovery they seek, or oblivion? As thoroughly as any in recent fiction, the characters of The Conference of the Birds take the measure of a de-stabilized age, and wring from it not only tragedy, but dignity.
The Conference of the Birds: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This adult literary novel deals with existential themes, mental illness, terminal disease, and the spiritual void left by loss of faith in 1970s Manhattan. Contains mature thematic content including depression and potential self-destructive behavior.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include self-harm, death, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers interested in philosophical fiction about spiritual seeking will find a layered, literary exploration of meaning in a fractured world.