The Codger and the Sparrow

A quirky journey with surprising smiles. Thanks for the ARC copy to explore.

You won't read another like this. At once a celebration of friendship and an elegy for loss, The Codger and the Sparrow unreels improbable surprises that ride along in a hearty road story. The mashup of aging alcoholic and rising teen artist is only the start of the tension in this swift novel. Besides the generational gap, there's a bridge to be built between these characters' race and culture. Away this spirited book travels, searching for the duo's desires while it keeps a close eye on the details that would spark a careful artist's eye. The images it captures are extraordinary poetry.

Community service after skirmishes with the law is the device that brings this pair together, seeking a return to love and a fresh start at happiness. We travel along with curiosity across these chapters, guided sometimes by the nostalgia of paper maps and at other times the spot-on steps of a smartphone. There might be peace at the end of these pages, but I won't give away that spoiler here. In this novel, the journey is the destination. Enjoy this ride.