The Butterfly Ryan — James Robinson

In the tradition of the acclaimed film The Red Violin, The Butterfly by Ryan James Robinson tells the tale of one special element, the migrating Monarch butterfly, as she weaves towards her destiny across landscapes as varying as the characters she meets, touching each with her beauty and grace.This butterfly, born to a very special generation, embarks upon a monumental voyage from the glistening blue shores of Lake Superior on Michigan's Upper Peninsula to the ancient Oyamel forests of Michoacán, Mexico. Join Emmeline on her 2,500-mile journey across this grand continent, and the lives she encounters along the way, in this heartwarming tale full of optimism, redemption, and hope.At times humorous and ironic, other times filled with despair and love; Jim, a lost soul at the depths of his barrel learning about grace from an unexpectedly wise nomadic hobo; Culver Thornbriar, a disgraced artist seeking redemption on the wing; Paul, a minuteman unaware of his own immigrant past. The narratives woven together through Emmeline's travels will leave you with an unforgettable memoir of this remarkable natural journey.If you enjoyed Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman, you'll love The Butterfly by Ryan James Robinson.A fresh and heartfelt approach to a natural phenomena we all know about (the migration of the Monarch Butterfly) but have not explored, and the stories of people it encounters as it stops along the migratory path. Beautiful verbal imagery. – DTThe story is thought provoking, captivating, and has diverse characters. It has a lovely compassion that runs throughout the story...a breath of fresh air. – Niloo