Other Birds

Zoey is the initial point-of-view character in Other Birds and arguably the novel’s protagonist. Her move to Mallow Island and her subsequent curiosity about Lizbeth’s life set the plot into motion. As the youngest central character in the book, Zoey exhibits wide-eyed wonder about the world and willingness to trust in its mysteries. This makes her a stand-in for readers, who experience the story alongside her.

Zoey is on the verge of adulthood, moving between the lackluster support of her family and true independence. She is very kind and empathetic toward others, even though has been brought up with only minimal love in her own life. When she arrives at the Dellawisp, she hopes that remnants of her mother’s past will help her reconnect with Paloma—not understanding that her mother has been by her side as the invisible Pigeon the entire time. When she finds Paloma’s apartment a blank slate with no personal mementos, Zoey is initially disheartened; however, this blank slate offers her the opportunity to recreate herself instead. Instead of finding the family homecoming she was searching for, Zoey uses the opportunity to build a new family (this becomes the basis for the novel’s theme of