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Birds of Wonder Cynthia Robinson 9781641365260 Books

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Birds of Wonder Cynthia Robinson 9781641365260 Books

Beautiful writing, such a strong sense of place and I found it hard to put down after the first couple chapters. Read it in two days! Well rendered characters, rich back story and intriguing if sad mystery at the core of a complex novel. Brava. So glad I noticed this writer on Insta! Turns out we were both Squaw writers but different years. Looking forward to more from her.


Tags : Birds of Wonder [Cynthia Robinson] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Fiction. One August morning while walking her dog, high-school English teacher Beatrice Ousterhout stumbles over the dead body of a student,Cynthia Robinson,Birds of Wonder,Standing Stone Books,1641365269,General,Murder;Investigation;Fiction.,New York (State);Fiction.,Women detectives;Fiction.,FICTION General,FICTION Women,Fiction,FictionWomen,TEXT,United States

Birds of Wonder Cynthia Robinson 9781641365260 Books Reviews

I read Birds of Wonder very quickly, in less than two days. I found the novel to be engrossing, salty, and sad. The characters are woven together in a beautiful tapestry that depicts such real, heartfelt issues that all of us can relate to the disapointment in the flaws of a once-beloved parent, the fear of being alone, the heartbreak of a lost marriage, the loss of a favoured student with talent, and (for me personally) the sheer helplessness and hopelessness of being a child in the foster care system. Each character had their own distinctive "voice" and was charmingly present in each scene as well as being flawed in heartfelt ways.

I'm not usually a fan of books written from multiple perspectives as it tends to feel choppy to me, but Ms. Robinson succeeded in giving this story a flow that didn't jar me from being immersed. It was very well done.

It was more than; and simultaneously less than; a murder mystery. It is more of an exploration of one interconnected town that just happened to start with the discovery of a body. I also found it fantastic how Ms. Robinson still showed us who the dead girl was and made her a real person, even though we never saw her "on-stage" as it were.

I was made quite uncomfortable by the amount of child abuse going on, but that is because of my own history and it didn't detract from my desire to finish the book.

Overall, a good read if you don't mind getting to know some very flawed and, in one case, a deeply disturbing, character(s).

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Birds of Wonder
Sometimes events happen that change your life and bring it to a different level. Walking your dog in the morning should not yield tragic results. Beatrice Ousterhout is walking her dog and never expects to almost fall over Amber Inglin’s dead body. Even more traumatic, Amber was one of her students who was cast as the lead in Beatrice’s production of John Webster’s Jacobean tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi. Fortunately for Beatrice her daughter Jes is a detective on the police force and rather than calling them directly she phones her on her cell. From the moment you meet Jes and she reaches the crime scene you can feel a total emotional disconnect between mother and daughter. Jess is a detective with only two years experience who has been with many men along the way including the owner of the field where Amber was found. This book will bring to light the issue of foster care, Child Services and how they find proper homes for young teens and whether they investigate the foster parents and how the interact with these teens on a long range basis. Liam Walsh, owns the house and field where Amber was living with other teens and he is a Child service lawyer and owns the vineyard where Amber other teens who had problems dealing with the foster system, was an intern.
There are six distinct voices that you hear within this novel as the plot unfolds, we get to know each one until we learn which voice is the loudest and which one silenced Amber. Jes takes charge of the murder scene and although she is professional, deal with her partner who resents that she has been named primary on the case, she seems dispassionate, cold and clinical. Beatrice is distraught and cannot cope with losing the star of her play and this young girl and is having trouble dealing with her death. Pushed to the side and told not to contaminate the crime scene, at times Beatrice feels isolated and alone.
There are many other teens that lived in the same house as Amber, Megan and Connor who were brother and sister yet Connor seemed isolated at times. Megan and Amber had a special relationship and seemed closer than most. Their foster parents were into religion and although saddened by her death, as you hear Connor’s voice you realize that they were more concerned about running an evangelical church than supervising their foster children. Connor and Megan love being together but Amber posed a third.
While Beatrice decided to go to the home of the foster parents and bring them a special cake and offer her condolences, when Jes learns about it she is angry. Yet, not returning her mother’s call she never related she wanted her to stay away from the Wilburs and as you hear the dialogue between them you can tell that it is strained. Beatrice is now concerned with the play that she needs to recast and Jes does not like that her mother’s home is filled with theatrical props and the ornithology work of her late father. She seems angry, hostile and never open to opinions of others. It’s like a tug of war between mother and daughter. The past haunts them both and although Jes was closer to her father things changed rapidly when she decided to become a detective.
Edward is a startling character that is delusional and wants to paint anyone that he feels is perfect. Within the communities features we meet the rich, perfectly decorated homes, those that thrive on wearing what is current and Basia Walsh and her art gallery and showings.
Jes never seems to smile and Beatrice is still trying to find a place for herself even though she teaches and seems enveloped in her career and although Amber is gone she appears to be moving ahead but slowly. Jes is resentful and never seems happy and is unforgiving of anyone that does not meet her expectations. When interviewing Edward he barely hears the questions, focuses on Jes, wants to paint her and has created his next masterpiece but who is the next girl in this portrait and why is he bent on hiding what he’s created?
The title Birds of Wonder fits that Charlie, her father did which was create paintings of exotic birds and this knowledge about ornithology might help her solve the case as the killer left two special feathers in the shape of a cross under her fingers.
Liam Walsh thinks of Jesca as a Kestrel an independent bird that is a loner expect when the bird has the urge to mate. Since the bird trusts no one and she is suspicious of everyone yet in the men’s department her choices are not always credible or right.
Making women look perfect is Edward Friss’s mantra as he takes pictures of young girls, downloads porn on someone else’s computer and when found out and questioned by Jesca he’s brought into the station thinking he’s Amber’s killer. But, Jesca does not think, follow procedure and although she is right about him being a pervert and sick, he’s released to go back and to even more and create his own delusional world of perfection. Going to her mother’s house and watching her clean out her father’s belongings she learns more about the truth behind her father and that repels her even more as she dives into something else. Megan and Connor have been dealing with pornography and Megan decided to phone Jesca to help her escape her brother. Liam and his wife are separating knowing he’s cheated on her with Jesca. Lives are changed, people have hidden secrets and when the final reveals are given just how killed Amber, whose lives will never be the same?
When Jesca gets fired she explains it to her mother who is in total denial of her actions and seems bent on honoring Amber’s memory and creating one for Charlie, Jesca’s father. Then the truth about what happened to Amber comes out and Jesca has to make a judgment call and decide on the fate of one person.
Lies, betrayals, unsettled endings, Liam finds his path but who will be by his side? Jesca makes a life changing decision and Megan joins Waldo at the vineyard. But, what is the significance of the two feathers and the owl? What is the meaning of Bird of Wonder as eluded to in one of Shakespeare’s works? “As when the bird of wonder dies a reference to the phoenix, rising from the ashes.” Beatrice tries to find something from Webster and creates her next production on paper and in her head.
The ending will leave readers wondering what the fate of each character will be. Jesca makes a life changing move. Connor decides where he needs to go but what direction will he take? Megan and Waldo seem to be a team and what will happen when they realize someone close to them is gone?
The author leaves us with many unanswered questions both moral and ethical. The story is told over a period of time and the Friday in November will enlighten you as the Megan, Liam, Waldo and Jesca but the ending will have twists and surprises that the readers will have to decide for themselves the truths, lies and deceptions that each character is keeping as secret but for how long? Jesca is hardnosed and at times unfeeling and cold. Liam is a foster parent and Child Services lawyer will he be more vigilant and own up to his responsibilities? What about Conner and Megan where will live take them and why are the bird feathers so special to Waldo? Will Edward ever paint again?
This first novel by a professor of art history, Cynthia Robinson, offers the reader a collection of six characters, ranging from teenagers to a doting English teacher who seems to be declining in her cognitive ability. The setting is around Cayuga Lake in New York and the teacher, Beatrice Ousterhout, stumbles upon the lifeless body of Amber Inglin, the star in Beatrice's annual theater production. Beatrice calls her daughter, Jes, who is a police detective and the saga begins.

The novel's narrative comes from six points of view including Beatrice and Jes. There is a sharp divide between the wealthy citizens, the educator, the cop, and teenagers who have the misfortune of being placed with foster parents who thrive on running an evangelical church. Amber's best friend, Megan, and her brother, Connor all live with the same family. The brother and sister thrive by being together, and Megan and Amber's closeness gives their life some comfort.

Jes has a difficult time dealing with her mother who lives in the cluttered family home amongst all her theatrical props and the detritus of her husband's ornithology work. The father has passed away, and as Jes works to distance herself further and further from her mother, Beatrice keeps trying to find ways to hold onto her. Jes was very close to her father, majored in theater in college but abruptly changed to graduate work in criminology, disappointing her mother. Jes' knowledge of ornithology comes in handy as she searches for clues surrounding Amber's death. The memories of her father's work also cause problems for Jes that unfold in the narrative.

BIRDS OF WONDER is a suspenseful, intricate look at relationships between family members, and those that we choose to make our family. It is a hard look at the reality of life today. No amount of scenic beauty, architecturally perfect homes, designer clothes, and sophisticated art galleries can wipe away what we do with our hearts, who we love and those we betray.
Beautiful writing, such a strong sense of place and I found it hard to put down after the first couple chapters. Read it in two days! Well rendered characters, rich back story and intriguing if sad mystery at the core of a complex novel. Brava. So glad I noticed this writer on Insta! Turns out we were both Squaw writers but different years. Looking forward to more from her.