Birds of Wonder

by Cynthia Robinson

One August morning while walking her dog, high-school English teacher Beatrice Ousterhout stumbles over the dead body of a student, Amber Inglin, who was to play the lead in Beatrice's production of John Webster's Jacobean tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi. Barely able to speak, Beatrice calls the police. That is to say, she calls her daughter. Jes is a detective with two years of experience under her belt and a personal life composed primarily of a string of one-night-stands, including the owner of the field in which Beatrice has found Amber. In addition to a house and a field, Child Services lawyer Liam Walsh owns a vineyard, where Amber Inglin, along with a handful of other teens who've had difficulty negotiating the foster system, was an intern. Set among the hills and lakes of upstate New York and told in six vibrantly distinct voices, this complex and original narrative chronicles the rippling effects of a young girl's death through a densely intertwined community. By turns funny, fierce, lyrical and horrifying, Birds of Wonder probes family ties, the stresses that break them, and the pasts that never really let us go.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Adult Fiction

329 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2018

About the author

Cynthia Robinson is a writer and art historian based in Ithaca, New York. Her short fiction has been published by The Arkansas Review, Epoch, The Missouri Review, Slice, and others. She is Mary Donlon Alger Professor of Medieval and Islamic Art at Cornell University. Her debut novel, BIRDS OF WONDER, published on 20 February 2018, is a finalist in the fiction category for this year's CNY book awards, sponsored by the Writers' Center at the Syracuse YMCA. She is currently at work on another novel.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the author attempted to give this book an artistic and unique spin to the over saturated murder/mystery genre. What I first thought would be a standard murder/mystery ended up something different altogether. I’m not entirely sure I enjoyed all aspects of this book though. It seemed to me the whole town was full of seedy unsavoury people that made you dislike/suspect everyone of evil wrong doings that by the end you had no idea where the story was leading. The second half of the book was by far a more enjoyable read as it wasn’t your typical whodunnit mystery but a dissection of a town uncovering a host of murky characters and as you got deeper you got a better picture of the people in it and how everyone fit into the storyline. It was interesting with all the different narrators but sometimes the writing veered off track making it an uneven read overall. I’d give this book 3.5 stars as I was curious to see how the whole plot would unfold.

Thanks to Netgalley and Smith Publicity for my advanced copy.

Pub date: 20th Feb 2018

[Janelle Janson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Smith Publicity for providing my free copy of BIRDS OF WONDER by Cynthia Robinson- all opinions are my own.

This is an original and lovely debut with interesting characters and an intriguing plot. The story starts off when a teacher, Beatrice, stumbles across the dead body of the star of a high school play, and it just takes off from there. This is a very character driven story that focuses primarily on relationships and secrets. It is not a thriller by any means, but rather a work of literary fiction with elements of mystery and suspense.

There are six different point of views but the story is told primarily from two perspectives: Beatrice, and her detective daughter, Jes. Beatrice comes off as confused and disorganized and Jes isn’t very kind towards her. I was most intrigued by their relationship as Jes harbors a lot of animosity towards her mother, which in the end, the reason why becomes VERY clear.

One of my favorite aspects of the book are the creative and artistic details from Robinson. From the beautiful birds to the Shakespearean references integrated throughout, it’s these details that make the story unique. I really enjoyed BIRDS OF WONDER and look forward to what Robinson comes out with next.

My rating is 4.5 / 5 stars!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review soon.

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first opened this book, I saw the table of contents and thought, "WOW, that's a lot of different POVs!" And we do get a variety of them: Jes, Beatrice, Edward, Liam, Connor and Waldo. There are times when too many POVs are introduced and it can get muddled and confusing. I'm happy to report that this does not happen here. It's easy to follow along with and I always find it interesting to be able to be inside the mind of the main players of a story.

Mostly this focuses on Jes. As an officer of the law, she clearly has issues with her relationship with her mother, Beatrice, leads her sex life in a variety of "drive-bys" and doesn't much care what anyone else thinks. I do enjoy a character with some sass. I felt myself getting irritated in her attitude towards her mother but then we find out why she is this way and wow. GOT IT.

This isn't so much a police procedural or even really a thriller ... it is more character driven as we see the relationships between each of them. Mother/daughter, sisters/brother, husband/wife, co-workers, etc. The uniqueness of this story are all the bird references. While this isn't a subject that normally piques my interest, I did find it intriguing in the story line.

A solid debut novel from Cynthia. This isn't a book that will shock you with some crazy twist or throat punch you into a WHAT THE moment. However, it does all come together at the end nicely and the author does keep you intrigued in the need to know. Sometimes it takes a tragic event to muddle up the waters and move you from that stationary point in your life.

3.5 stars rounding to 4

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will appear early next year— I read it in proofs. So... wait for it!

What I like: I love the genre of detective novels with wayward women setting the pace (V. I. Warshawski). And I live in Ithaca. So a wayward woman who transgresses in the vineyards along Cayuga Lake would appeal to me already.

The cuts between characters as the central character chases leads in the death of a lovely teenager — she clashes with her doting (but in her dotage) mother and fights off memory flashbacks of her ornithology childhood with her deceased father — can sometimes be hard to follow, but overall this is an excellent novel that both inhabits and transcends the genre. I know that it’s tempting to notice the university that’s on the hill over the town where the action mostly takes place, but I also like it that the novel pretty much ignores it in favor of the local story.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hauntingly beautiful, page-turning debut.

Cynthia Robinson tells the story of a murdered young girl through the eyes of six very different characters. With poetic prose, complex characters, and artistic details, Robinson weaves a witty, dark tale of community, family and consequences.

I loved this book from the first page. Robinson managed to make something unique in a genre where you rarely find something original. The writing is intelligent but incredibly readable. The story is character driven with twists and suspense. The end result is something that will stay with you.

I can’t wait to read what Robinson writes next!

[Ana Cortils · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank Cynthia Robinson for writing BIRDS OF WONDER. I really enjoyed the thriller aspect—everyone’s a suspect, which is a great hook, and I sensed that part might have been done with an ironic wink toward the genre. Each of the six characters is intriguing, leaving the reader wanting to know more! I found the interweaving of six distinctive narrative threads to be, frankly, masterful. The prose is dynamic—-precise and to the point, and yet with a velvety, sort of poetic quality. The short sentences carry do the work of much longer ones. Truly enjoyed this book—one of the best I have read in a long time, and I devour stacks of books…!

BIRDS OF WONDER was also very important to me on a personal level—reading it was an almost cathartic experience. Broken girls are broken forever. They require great will and courage, and a lot of therapy, just to keep going. I won’t spoil this review with a spoiler, but I will say that this book came to me at a moment during which Spain has been horrified and shaken by a number of horrific cases of violence against women, all in quick succession: three adolescent girls gang-raped (from some corners, the victims were blamed for not having fought harder against their assailants). Even more horrifying was the discovery of the body of 18-year-old Diana Quer, missing for nearly a year and a half. Diana was strangled because she *did* fight back against her attacker. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. From screens in the dark, to crime. The visibility of these cases has brought forward many other victims—Spain, and Europe too, are truly living a moment of crisis in terms of gender violence.

I’m deeply grateful for the delicacy an intelligence with which the author approaches these themes. And yes, I feel better after reading BIRDS OF WONDER. As though something in me has taken a step toward healing.
#metoo.
And please, keep writting!

[Jae Mod · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**

Birds of Wonder by Cynthia Robinson is an intriguing murder mystery set against the backdrop of art and wine in a small town. When a young teenager, Amber Inglin, is murdered suspicion falls on her employer, vintner Liam Walsh; one of his workers; her foster siblings; a creepy artist and his alcoholic sister. Primary Investigator, Jesca Ashton is determined to solve it, but is distracted by potentially resuming an affair with, Liam, one of the suspects.

Ms. Robinson’s weaving of art and birds throughout the story set a lush and meaningful background to the story. Her characters are rich and well-developed, if not necessarily likable. Amber’s death is a beautiful life cut short, which is devastating to the people who care about her and are trying to help her, but is it as lascivious as it seems?

None of the characters are eminently likable and some are downright awful, but the stories within the story of the secrets that they try to hide from those around them make for compelling reading. I found this book irresistible and was anxious to finish it to see how Ms. Robinson resolved this mystery.

I highly recommend Birds of Wonder and look forward to reading other books by this author. Five stars.

[Sue Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

What starts out as a potentially interesting mystery segues into something different, but it's not well defined. The murder of a beautiful high school girl exposes the sordid secrets of the town. Well drawn characters Liked it, but didn't love it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lars (theatretenor) Skaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. The plot was rich and so intelligent. The characters were even richer and fleshed out and vivid. It all felt so real. No stereotypes or tropes. Brilliant brilliant debut novel.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my blog for an author Q&A and to read an excerpt!

This is the debut novel for Cynthia Robinson and she brings the readers on a journey seen through six different perspectives in BIRDS OF WONDER. An English teacher finds the lifeless body of one of her students, and the story begins.

Beatrice Ousterhout is an English teacher and is very involved in theater. The reader begins to realize that her mental state seems to be slowly deteriorating, which makes her a very interesting character perspective to read. After stumbling upon the lifeless body of Amber, one of her students, she calls her daughter Jes. Jes works for the police and begins the investigation.

While this does focus on the police procedural end, we also dive into the core of the relationships between the characters. Specifically the family dynamic between Beatrice and Jes and the affects her father's death had on the family. I really liked the ornithology elements - as someone that knows very little on the topic it was a unique inclusion for a murder investigation. We also get a glimpse into the lives of those affected by Amber's death - her best friend, Megan, and brother Connor.

I loved going through each character and experiencing their development. You would think 6 characters is a lot to jump between, but Robinson does it effortlessly. I wouldn't classify this as a straight mystery novel, but more a literary mystery. We do get the investigation portion and some suspense, but the novel's focus is the innerworkings of relationships between mother/daughter, siblings, and husband/wife.

Robinson will keep you engrossed in the characters and trying to figure out what truly happened. I really enjoyed the ending and how we were brought there. I hope to read more from Cynthia Robinson in the future!

I give this one 4.5/5 stars! (rounded up for rating)

[Paisley Bots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting and deeply satisfying — this book is a genre-melding gem that hits the mark where so many thrillers, suspenses, family dramas and and multi-narrator pastiches fall short (and it is all these!). Robinson sets before us a tale that is distressing yet amusing, in a world familiar yet foreign. What seems like a simple whodunit becomes a profound commentary on modern gender, class, and family relationships, as well as a host of other complicated aspects of our culture. This is all told, miraculously, with witty sensitivity, great flair, and never a dull page. These Birds of Wonder perch most comfortably alongside their most distinguished avian predecessors — Wind-up, Thorn-, Mocking-, and co.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a good murder mystery that is more then a murder mystery, then I recommend Birds of Wonder.

Birds of Wonder is an engrossing and heartbreaking first novel. Detective Murder Mysteries are not my usual fare. However, there are always exceptions to the rule, and this was definitely one of those exceptions. The body of a beautiful teenage girl is found in the field of a prominent Child Services lawyer by her theater teacher, and thus begins Birds of Wonder.

The story is told from the points of view of the six main characters, each with their own chapters, and each is introduced in such a way as to build the mystery, main story and backstory with just a slow enough climb that you want to see what’s next. The writing is succinct and each voice is clearly different. What I enjoyed most about this novel was that the authors medievalist and ornithological expertise is well woven into the story, adding unique symbolism and interest to a murder mystery. At turns poignant and disturbing, this is a novel that explores the darkest edges of the human mind and heart, what we don’t see (or more accurately, what we ignore) and is a story not soon forgotten. I absolutely recommend this book! Available February 20th, 2018.

[Biljana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cynthia Robinson's Birds of Wonder is a well-written story (and I loved the cover image). I'd expected more of a crime-focused novel based on the description (and because the book starts with the discovery of a body and moves into a police procedural approach at the beginning). However, I found that it became less and less of a central focus as the book progressed. That isn't a drawback, necessarily, but it wasn't expected and this may have dampened my reading experience a bit.

There are multiple points-of-view, which worked well (I enjoyed Beatrice, Jes, and Liam, in particular), but I would have been happier to have a more constant focus on one character. In a regular crime novel, I would have loved bouncing around different POVs and not sitting with a character for a longer period. Given that this became less crime-focused over the course of the book, I would have liked fewer POVs.

Overall, it didn't totally work for me, so I'm rounding down to 3 stars.

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book when I started I was a little nervous with the many characters POV’s but soon I was lost in the unique and artistic story. The book opens with Beatrice a teacher who stumbles upon the dead body of the star of a high school play the victims name is Amber. Beatrice then calls her daughter Jes whose an officer. It is obvious that they have relationship issues I don’t want to give to much away about that . When Jess begins her investigation the suspicions soon falls on Ambers employer Liam Walsh and some other mysterious and creepy characters. Soon Jess is distracted by her affair with Liam who is definitely a top suspect. With a murder of a beautiful High-school girl soon secrets are exposed in their small town and some secrets people would rather they stay hidden. I loved all the bird references and it definitely held my interest and the story line and short sentences really drew me in. This was an amazing debut by the author and I loved how it all came together in the end. I will say this was a character driven story and each character played their part perfect in the book. Jess and Beatrice’s relationship irritated me at times with Jess’s animosity , but by the end you will know why and it’s made very clear! I give this a solid five stars!

[Janel · Rating 2 out of 5]

*My thanks to Smith Publicity for the free review copy*

2.5 stars - Birds of Wonder is Robinson’s debut novel, literary fiction containing a mystery; but the mystery is used to display themes of family ties and the struggle to break free from your past. I read this book in two-sittings in the same day, but this book wasn’t for me, not because it isn’t well-written, because it is. But sometimes you read a book and you just struggle to get into it, you know the impact it should be having on you, what you should be feeling, but you just don’t feel it.

The interesting thing is, I think everything in this novel worked as it should. Told from six different viewpoints, it never became confusing and each voice was distinct. The plot is highly character driven and we get a good understanding of the character’s lives – how they are connected to Amber Inglin, and how her death forces them to confront things in their own lives. For me, the most interesting perspective was from Jes, she wasn’t a very likeable character, and seemed to intentionally put distance between herself and her mother, Beatrice. Beatrice didn’t come across as overbearing, so I was curious to know why their relationship was the way it was. As far as her police skills go, appalling.

I think this book’s USP was wasted on me, it contains many artistic references to birds; I’m sure this element will make this a unique and intriguing read for many. I know next to nothing about birds, and I can’t say I’m interested in the different kinds – I didn’t realise the title would feature so literally in the novel. It also contains theatre references – I think those who enjoy those two artistic references will really appreciate them.

The themes in this novel are dark, made even darker by almost every character being unlikeable. However, all that said, I just could not connect with this novel – there was no atmosphere that usually accompanies a close-knit community setting, with limited characters, and no one thing that was able to pull me into the plot and make me invested. But I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from picking this novel up because there was no major plot hole (although I did think the investigation into Amber’s death was not the strongest aspect of this book) or major failing I can describe – this was a case of: not every book can be for everyone, and this one just wasn’t for me.

I think Birds of Wonder would appeal to fans of literary fiction who enjoy artistic references such as those mentioned above, and personally I believe it’s a mistake to pick this novel up expecting it to be a crime fiction read. Yes, it contains a mystery, and is suspenseful at times, but it’s an intricate character study displaying relationships (mother and daughter, husband and wife, brother and sister), and like the blurb indicates, the stresses that can tear these relationships apart.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birds of Wonder is an intriguing, character driven, literary mystery that incorporates nature, birds as well as theater in to the story. Though that may sound like an odd combination, the author did an excellent job of weaving the three themes together as the mystery unfolded. I loved the heavy artistic influence as well as the many Shakespearean references sprinkled throughout this book.

The story is told from multiple points of view but the main voices throughout are those of Jes (the lead detective) and her mother, Beatrice (who unfortunately discovers the body of one of her students in the beginning chapters). Beatrice seems extremely scattered and unreliable at times and her mental state was often in question to me. Her relationship with her daughter was incredibly strained throughout the book which at first made it appear like Jes was just mean.... but then as the story developed the reason was made clear and YES. I can absolutely understand why Jes harbored such hostility and resentment towards her mother.

Beatrice's total denial of certain things that occured in her marriage was very surprising to me, and her decision to play the part of the naive wife was as frustrating to me as it was to Jes. The mystery itself was well executed and I was pleasantly surprised by this solid debut. I look forward to reading what Cynthia Robinson writes next and I want to give a huge thank you to Smith Publicity for sending me this beautiful copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Jayasree B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankly, I picked up the book because I loved the cover. But after reading it I found the writing beautiful as well. Somehow, all the emotional drama of these people are captured without being overly dramatic. It was a good read, though I wouldn't give the mystery part of it any due. Birds of Wonder is a book that knows how to focus on humans and their flights of fancy. You will be disappointed if you are waiting for an "Aha!" moment because this book really is not a thriller. Pick it up for the writing and the characters, their lives and the aftershocks following a death.

For the entire review, visit Frost At Midnite.

[Serra O’Brien Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down!

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.

[Paula DeBoard]

I'm a bit conflicted over this one.

I appreciate that it wasn't a typical whodunnit, although it started out that way, with the dead body of a teenage girl found in a field. The story then explores the various connections--some more tenuous than others--that the girl had with others in their small town. These are flawed characters, and some irredeemably so. The character of Jes, a police officer, bothered me the most--too many abuses of power and incidents of bad behavior, which she has justified based on an incident from her childhood.

An interesting idea that didn't fully come together for me.

[Jenny (ofproseandspells) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birds of Wonder's story started when a high-school teacher Beatrice Ousterhout stumbled over a dead body while walking her dog. Shocked by what she had seen, she called, Jes, who happened to be a police detective and also her own daughter.

After I read the blurb, I thought the story would revolve around how the main character would solve a possible murder crime. However, the plot did not involve so much about the investigation. It focused on the effects of a girl's death in each character. I also like the bird references, which added mystery to the story. The narration is told by different POVs. One might get confused or overwhelmed when a story has a lot of different POVs, but Birds of Wonder is an exception. It is easy to follow, thanks to their distinct voices, and it engaged readers more since it is fun to be inside the minds of the characters.

The description is straightforward without compromising the imagery. The flow of words allows readers to easily comprehend each scene. For example, the scene which the body of the student is found is expertly described, as well as what the condition of the body is.

Each character has their own pasts and secrets that haunt them. The main character is Jes. She is a sassy detective who has an issue with her relationship with her mother, Beatrice. She mostly spends her time with "drive-bys" and she does not care about what other people think. Her attitude toward her mother made me both sad and irritated, although I finally understand why she acted like this by the end of the story. Although, I can say Jes is a strong character.

Birds of Wonder is an intriguing read about a small town which its community holds secrets from both the present and the past.

Thanks to Smith Publicity for my advanced copy.

Pub date: 20th Feb 2018

I gave this book 3.5 stars.

[Candice Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book - all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I genuinely enjoyed this take on a typical murder mystery. Birds of Wonder takes the standard police procedural and turns it on its head, creating a story that follows the work to solve a case from the perspective of several incredibly diverse characters.

When a local girl, Amber Inglin, is found dead in a field, no one can predict the rippling effects it will have on the local community. Beatrice, Amber's teacher, who finds the body; her daughter Jes, the local police officer who lands the lead on the case; Liam Walsh, the owner of the field where Amber's body is found, who is also Amber's former child services lawyer and summer job boss; Edward, a local artist and one of the last people to see Amber alive; Conner, her foster brother and his twin sister Megan; and Waldo, a local man who speaks to the birds and works with Liam at his vineyard.

Cynthia Robinson does a remarkable job of intertwining perspectives of six characters, slowly unraveling what happened to Amber, and the consequences of the crime on everyone involved. Beautifully written, drawing in the most stunning descriptions of birds that offset the story line perfectly.

I walked into this book fully expecting a standard crime mystery, and instead found myself pleasantly surprised with a well paced character drama. I absolutely adore books with flawed lead characters, and this one did not disappoint. My only wish is that we could have delved further into Jes and her life.

This book would make a great read for book clubs everywhere - the twists and turns, combined with the complexity and diversity of characters would make for terrific discussion! A solid recommendation for lovers of a good character drama; get this one on your to-read pile.

[Teresa V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Birds of Wonder with its rich cast of characters and local references to the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. You can practically feel the drippy humidity of summer, smell the ripening grapes, imagine the long views up the lake.

Birds of Wonder is a contemporary tale with each chapter written from the single perspective of one of its seven main characters. The story builds primarily over the course of three days--an organization that pulls you along out of curiosity for what happens just around that next chapter’s corner until it wraps poetically at some undefined time in the future.

The characters struggle to live the best they can with the hands they’ve been dealt, each of them having some level of involvement with a young woman before she is found dead, thought to be murdered.

Every character is vivid, quirky, flawed:

Saucy Jes, with her compuctions to do what’s right vs. what’s legal and her struggling mother/father relationship
Clueless Beatrice and her dramatic, tone-deaf, over the top ideas
Creepy Edward, predator, repulsive enabler
Liam, living a tame life of tamped passion
Juvenile Connor, the protective brother who nonetheless causes harm
Megan, his conscientious, vulnerable sister
Waldo, mystic reader of birds and life cycles
And daring Amber, tough to the core with a dream to fulfill

Birds of Wonder is more than a murder mystery. It is a compelling portrayal of the motives of everyday people and of their motivators: justice, betrayal, morality, abandonment and belonging .

I started reading this book for the story and ended up loving it because of the characters. My only disappointment is that it came to an end.

[David N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an “Advanced Reader’s Copy” of *Birds of Wonder* (the novel’s official release date is early in the new year). It begins as a murder mystery and slowly morphs into something else altogether. The elements of a police procedural form the skeleton of the novel while the sinews, muscles, circulatory system, in short, the body of the novel develop in a fascinating set of interwoven ways. The novel is told in an ensemble manner, with six characters serving as focal points for individual chapters. The style of a particular chapter adapts to the particular character who is the focus of that chapter so that a reader feels, though the narrative voice remains outside in the third person, inside the character’s head. And sometimes that makes for an uncomfortable, but compelling, reading experience especially when the character has unsavory habits and attitudes. The technique is remarkably effective, both in conveying the story but also in conveying the characters: they became people in my consciousness--Jes and Beatrice and Connor (poor, lost Connor) and Liam...all of them. I read it in between my book group's itinerary of Faulkner's *Absalom, Absalom* and Morrison's *Beloved*. And I didn't miss a beat reading *Birds of Wonder* in that line. It really does have that kind of presence--I don't know how else to describe it, this phenomenon of a novel's world and the people in it becoming part of one's day-to-day reality.

[Andrea Ingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that alternate points of view, and when there's a dead body involved, it's that much more fun, if I may be pardoned for being macabre. It takes a lot of skill to shift perspective among six characters without revealing too much, but Robinson accomplishes this admirably. I hesitate to call a novel that deals with such topics as pornography and child prostitution a fun read, but it was. And by 'fun' I don't mean light or frivolous. I mean that Robinson gives the reader a suspenseful plot, fascinating and not always likeable characters, and subtle but powerful use of symbolism, motif, and imagery, along with references to Greek mythology, art, ornithology...you get the idea. If you like literary reads, this novel has a lot to sink your teeth into. I also like the unsentimental, even cynical(?) view of human nature. For example, the cliche of a candlelight vigil for the dead girl. The less-than-intelligent police officers. The characters who act like they care about the dead girl, but are really only concerned with how her death may or may not affect them, though they keep this hidden even from themselves. I read early drafts of this work, and felt like I knew the characters inside and out, but when I read the completed Advanced Reader's Copy, I still found new depths and made new discoveries. I heartily recommend!

[|Life Spent Reading|]

I want to read this!🤗

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Beatrice goes for a all one morning, the last thing she expects to find is a body in a field. And not just any body, but that of a young girl she knows. Amber Inglin is the star in Beatrice's play The Duchess of Malfi. What follows is a complex, lyrical tale that is by turns sordid, and amusing.

Robinson's debut Birds of Wonder showcases the truth that everything is truly connected, that everyone touches one another through shared events, even if the connection is two, three, or more people removed. Told through six different viewpoints, we are guided through the events leading to Amber's demise.

I enjoyed the overall concept of this story, and the beautiful writing. Each character had their own quite distinctive personality, crafted with care. Many of these characters were not likable, and not meant to be. Edward is a good example! This dude was downright creepy, but believable. Where things really shine were the interpersonal dynamics. Hard topics such as rape, abuse, and forced pornography are dealt with, illuminating aspects society might prefer to ignore.

Though this was less a 'procedural’ novel, I found the crime and motivation interesting. Where things unraveled for me was with Jes. She's incredibly unprofessional, and does several things that would seriously jeopardise this case once it's in court. A good lawyer would rip it to shreds. If that were the point of the story, it'd be fine. But that didn't seem to be the point. And in the end, the solving of the crime itself seemed underwhelming.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Standing Stone Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this novel is that a teacher, Beatrice, out on a walk with her dog, stumbles across the body of a student who has been killed and dismembered. This student happens to be the star of a play Beatrice is directing (and with which she is obsessed), and Beatrice's daughter, who is a police officer (one who flagrantly dismisses protocol) is assigned as the primary investigator. There are many potential suspects who also narrate portions of the novel, and all of them have secrets to hide. This book is dark, and I am a fan of dark novels with troubled characters, and there are plenty that narrate this novel (6 to be exact!). The problem for me with this particular novel, is that these troubled characters have few redeeming qualities, and those that do have keep them under wraps until the very end. As a result, I just didn't like them much. This is a mystery and the story is compelling, but the mystery itself just sort of fizzles out with a whimper. However, the resolution is satisfying and quite hopeful for such a dark story. The good news is this debut work by Cynthia Robinson is beautifully written, and I would be interested in reading more from her.

[Marna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Robinson’s Birds of Wonder is never what it promises to be. I feel readers need to go into this one without knowing anything other than it starts, as many things in our collective culture do, with a very beautiful, young, dead girl and the usual suspects you try and blame in order to tie up something gruesome as neatly as possible are brought out, lulling us into feelings of complacency and security in knowing we have seen this before.

Only, there’s nothing neat or simple about the characters in Birds of Wonder. In fact, our assumptions about human nature are used against us here – just like the characters have been badly damaged in ways which blind them to the truth and it’s this fatal flaw which drives the narrative.

Fans of more literary mystery novelists like Tana French will enjoy that this isn’t a quick solve and reading about the very human characters.

[Jule · Rating 4 out of 5]

The body of a girl found in a field affects a whole community, as everything and everyone is connected in some way, and the crime investigated has far-reaching impact and touches a few difficult subjects. This debut novel had a lot of potential, but ultimately disappointed me.

But let's start with the positive, which did dominate the first four fifths of the book (hence 4/5 stars)! In a dense narrative spanning just three days, Cynthia Robinson combines atmospheric scenes with great character portraits, while neither overburden the action. The potential for conflict, both internally and between the characters, was palpable everywhere, the air basically crackling with it. And while the characters are not exactly likable, they did carry this story. All had distinct voices and brought the narrative forward without giving anything away. The book also greatly discussed and brought forward the injustices of rape and abuse culture, the foster care system and child pornography. There was an overarching bird metaphor woven into the plot, which was obvious but not overbearing.

Now on to the less great aspects: if the setting is indeed supposed to be the Ithaca, New York, which has roughly 30.000 people, then I felt that the "small town" vibe was too exaggerated. It became a romanticized plot point with no connection to reality. Also, I found the solution to the crime to be way too simple and felt that there was too little detective work done. So much more could have been made out of the great topics mentioned above! It certainly was not a book full of the usual tropes, but this is not the right way to avoid stereotypes either, because it fell flat. The ending then felt sugary, or even, dare I say it?, lazy. It was just too simple. I would have liked a bit more of a bang for a story that carried so much potential in its topics and cast of character.

~ I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions expressed above are my own.