The Bird Hotel Audiobook By Joyce Maynard cover art

The Bird Hotel

A Novel

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Bird Hotel

By: Joyce Maynard
Narrated by: Joyce Maynard
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Enter the magical world of La Llorona with New York Times best-selling author Joyce Maynard.

After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano.

The Bird Hotel tells the story of this young American who, after suffering tragedy, restores and runs La Llorona. Along the way we meet a rich assortment of characters who live in the village or come to stay at the hotel. With a mystery at its center and filled with warmth, drama, romance, humor, pop culture, and a little magical realism, The Bird Hotel has all the hallmarks of a Joyce Maynard novel that have made her a leading voice of her generation.

The Bird Hotel is a big, sweeping story spanning four decades, offering lyricism as well as whimsy. While the world New York Times best-selling author Joyce Maynard brings to life is rendered from her imagination, it’s one informed by the more than 20 years of which she has spent a significant amount of her time in a small Mayan indigenous village in Guatemala.

As the New York Times said, "[Maynard] has an unswerving eye, a sharply perked ear, and the ability to keep her readers hanging on her words." People Magazine said of her: "Maynard’s spare prose packs a rich emotional punch.”

©2023 Joyce Maynard (P)2023 Audible, Inc.
Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Latino American Magical Realism Small Town & Rural United States World Literature Heartfelt Witty Hotel Village
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
Beautiful Storytelling • Vivid Descriptions • Soothing Voice • Captivating Characters • Emotional Depth • Perfect Tone
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
What a wonderful story of love lost, emotional trauma, emotional growth, and forgiveness. The setting, in a. Small village in Central America, was so well described that I might have been there myself. The story is narrated by the author and was sooo well done. Just terrific.

Review of ‘The Bird Hotel’.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The author has created a world
that we would all want to share
A piece of. The book is filled
with many imaginative characters,
all so interesting to read about.
It will always be one of my most
best loved books.

A most beautiful story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

although it was dark in the beginning, I stayed with it long enough to find the light and then was hooked. a very good listen.

very real, unusual work of fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Once I started listening to this book, I could not stop. The writing is gorgeous. There are many stories and characters in this book and they are all beautifully told. I will definitely listen to this again.

I loved this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Beautiful,magical story, writing and characters! I was transported to this very special paradise! Loved this book!

Loved this book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I loved this book. I loved hearing about NYC, where I lived for some years, and the San Francisco area, where I lived for more years. Now Joyce's gorgeous writing has me yearning to go explore Central America to find some hippy-fied natural area to live out the remainder of my days. Listen to this book. You will not be disappointed.

And as for her remarks in her Acknowledgments about the cultural appropriation warriors, bravo! Where would our literature be without those writers who have travelled the world and brought back tales of its fascinating denizens? There is room in the literary pantheon for all writers who bring imagination, sensitivity and non-judgmental intelligence to their work.

Gorgeous, Evocative, Tender, Superbly Paced

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I felt like the author did a great job of developing all the characters for the good and the bad of the story. I’d like the idea of the main character finding a family and a home in an unlikely place.

Interesting characters

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I've listened to at least 100 books this years and I'm never compelled to write a review. I love this book, excellent author with perfect narration. I'm going to find her other titles now!

Storytelling at it's best!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Wonderful story with rich characters and real emotions. The author did an excellent job narrating her book. The description of landscapes, nature, and culture were brought to life. This book will stay with me forever. Thank you.

I needed this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I loved this audio book! I especially enjoyed listening to Joyce Maynard read her own words. The characters were fully developed and multi-faceted. Ms. Maynard paints a detailed picture of the setting… the hotel, the beautiful gardens and the lake. I was totally immersed in the story and even though it is not a short book (about 480 pages) I was sorry it ended.

Interesting, engrossing story & many well developed characters

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews