Review of The Aviculturist
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Rajnee Varma
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Review of The Aviculturist
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Aviculturist" by Ann Smythe.]
The Aviculturist is an engaging mystery novel written by Ann Smythe. When Lily Sanders returned to Lostmor after 24 years, she had no idea what awaited her in that small town. After the tragic deaths of her father and her sister Alice, her mother sold her large estate and the huge mansion and took her to Bristol. She was 9, and Alice was 6 then. She came to Lostmor when she received a call from Timothy, her mother’s solicitor, after her mother’s death. She learned that the property was never sold; she had inherited the estate, and Joe, the groundsman, was to be given a cottage and some land. It was a night of raging storms when Alice and her father fell to their deaths from the roof of the turret of their mansion. Lily always had nightmares of that fateful night, and the deaths remained a mystery to her as her mother had forbidden any talk about the incident. She had settled in Bristol as an artist and was all set to sell the property and return to her studio and her apartment, now as a very wealthy woman. However, she met Oliver through his dog, befriended the vet, Janet, and was intrigued by the mystery of the mansion. She remembered her childhood days, her time with Joe and Alice, and learned about her mother’s aviary, now flourishing under the loving care of Joe. She learned many secrets from the past, looked at Joe from a different perspective, and tried to recall what exactly had happened on that stormy night.
The story is all about unknown secrets and lost and found loves, and female characters dominate the story. Elizabeth, Lily’s mother, had been secretive about her life until her death after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Her life depicts the story of love, betrayal, and suffering, but she emerged as a strong woman, protecting her daughter from scandal. Her role is not described much in the story, but the readers learn about her through Lily’s memory. Lily lived a secluded life in Bristol, painting and selling her art, but she had no friends and felt lonely. She was content in her successful profession, but her nights were haunted by nightmares of her father’s and sister’s deaths. She was a caring and compassionate woman struggling with her unanswered questions. She never knew about her mother’s enormous wealth, but when she inherited it, she remained unaffected by it, as humble and compassionate as before. The author has created and developed the characters quite skillfully.
Oliver is one of the main characters, and his mother’s story is compelling and an integral part of the main story. There is the story of Marcus and his daughter that runs parallel to Lily’s story, although unrelated to the mansion or Lily. Douglas and Luke, the petty but dangerous criminals, add elements of crime and suspense to the story. The bar, the kennel, the vet, and the aviary are important parts of the story that are integrated beautifully. The dogs, Horace, Flynn, and Bella; the seagull; the crow; and the peacock—all the animals are fascinating. But most of all, I liked Joe’s character. He had been a caring and loving friend for Lily and Alice, and he looked after the estate single-handedly for 24 years after Lily and Elizabeth left for Bristol. And he loved the aviary and its birds, always rescuing wounded birds and looking after them, extending his love to them.
The novel is quite amazing in its simplicity and beautiful narration. The author has portrayed the simple life of a small town in the UK, the beauty of the seascape, the grandeur of the mansion and the estate, the severity of the storms, and the beauty of the birds quite eloquently. The story also prompts the reader to contemplate what it takes for a marriage to be happy and under what circumstances a man or woman seeks a relationship outside of marriage. There is nothing about the book I would criticize, and there is nothing negative in the book. I am happy to rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
The novel will definitely be liked by people who love to read meaningful stories that give an insight into human behavior and the complexity of life.
******
The Aviculturist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
The Aviculturist is an engaging mystery novel written by Ann Smythe. When Lily Sanders returned to Lostmor after 24 years, she had no idea what awaited her in that small town. After the tragic deaths of her father and her sister Alice, her mother sold her large estate and the huge mansion and took her to Bristol. She was 9, and Alice was 6 then. She came to Lostmor when she received a call from Timothy, her mother’s solicitor, after her mother’s death. She learned that the property was never sold; she had inherited the estate, and Joe, the groundsman, was to be given a cottage and some land. It was a night of raging storms when Alice and her father fell to their deaths from the roof of the turret of their mansion. Lily always had nightmares of that fateful night, and the deaths remained a mystery to her as her mother had forbidden any talk about the incident. She had settled in Bristol as an artist and was all set to sell the property and return to her studio and her apartment, now as a very wealthy woman. However, she met Oliver through his dog, befriended the vet, Janet, and was intrigued by the mystery of the mansion. She remembered her childhood days, her time with Joe and Alice, and learned about her mother’s aviary, now flourishing under the loving care of Joe. She learned many secrets from the past, looked at Joe from a different perspective, and tried to recall what exactly had happened on that stormy night.
The story is all about unknown secrets and lost and found loves, and female characters dominate the story. Elizabeth, Lily’s mother, had been secretive about her life until her death after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Her life depicts the story of love, betrayal, and suffering, but she emerged as a strong woman, protecting her daughter from scandal. Her role is not described much in the story, but the readers learn about her through Lily’s memory. Lily lived a secluded life in Bristol, painting and selling her art, but she had no friends and felt lonely. She was content in her successful profession, but her nights were haunted by nightmares of her father’s and sister’s deaths. She was a caring and compassionate woman struggling with her unanswered questions. She never knew about her mother’s enormous wealth, but when she inherited it, she remained unaffected by it, as humble and compassionate as before. The author has created and developed the characters quite skillfully.
Oliver is one of the main characters, and his mother’s story is compelling and an integral part of the main story. There is the story of Marcus and his daughter that runs parallel to Lily’s story, although unrelated to the mansion or Lily. Douglas and Luke, the petty but dangerous criminals, add elements of crime and suspense to the story. The bar, the kennel, the vet, and the aviary are important parts of the story that are integrated beautifully. The dogs, Horace, Flynn, and Bella; the seagull; the crow; and the peacock—all the animals are fascinating. But most of all, I liked Joe’s character. He had been a caring and loving friend for Lily and Alice, and he looked after the estate single-handedly for 24 years after Lily and Elizabeth left for Bristol. And he loved the aviary and its birds, always rescuing wounded birds and looking after them, extending his love to them.
The novel is quite amazing in its simplicity and beautiful narration. The author has portrayed the simple life of a small town in the UK, the beauty of the seascape, the grandeur of the mansion and the estate, the severity of the storms, and the beauty of the birds quite eloquently. The story also prompts the reader to contemplate what it takes for a marriage to be happy and under what circumstances a man or woman seeks a relationship outside of marriage. There is nothing about the book I would criticize, and there is nothing negative in the book. I am happy to rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
The novel will definitely be liked by people who love to read meaningful stories that give an insight into human behavior and the complexity of life.
******
The Aviculturist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Inside Passage: by Burt Weissbourd
