Review of The Aviculturist
Posted: 18 Sep 2021, 05:15
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Aviculturist" by Ann Smythe.]
Lily’s long migratory period ends and her childhood home, Penwyth House, beckons her ominously over shrouded moors, ill-tempered seas, and threatens to draw her into the storm brewing over Lostmor town. Family tragedy had forced Lily and her mother to flee Lostmor nearly two decades ago- and her mother’s recent death brings Lily right back to the place where it all started but her memories abruptly ended. Regaining her scattered past will mean confronting ghosts and weathering consequences that she had spent her life trying to escape from. She isn’t the only one with a haunted past that has returned with a vengeance, it seems like the restless secrets of Lostmor cannot be caged any longer.
Ann Smythe’s The Aviculturist is reminiscent of a gothic novel, complete with the elements of murder and mystery. The grandiose setting of Penwyth House and the capricious weather makes for a stunning backdrop to the multi-generational tales of love and loss. Whilst Lily seems like the catalyst that brings Lostmor’s past back to life, the interconnecting stories of the novel’s other cast members are no less interesting. As though due to its unpredictable weather, Lostmor’s inhabitants are themselves an assortment of curiosities assembled by its tides, each with their own stories to add to Lily’s long-lost life in this tempestuous coastal town. If Lily decides to rebuild her life in Lostmor she will have to unearth not only her own secrets but traverse the web connecting the stories of the town’s cast together. From Oliver the initially brusque farmer to Marcus who runs the Black Dog Inn, everyone has their own secretive past that threatens their future. Secrets are unleashed like a storm, but the reader can hold onto the hope that calm after this one might just revive relationships, bring new friendships, and maybe even love.
Those looking for modern gothics after reading Wuthering Heights and other classics of the genre will find a lot to love about the meticulous use of allegory, metaphor, and pathetic fallacy to create suspense and atmospheric imagery that allows the reader to immerse themselves into the plot. Rich in description, thoughtful and never a stagnant segment, the writing is a pleasure for the reader. Repeating themes of birds, animals, the natural landscapes, and tumultuous weather serve as great plot devices and reinforce how at mercy to the forces of nature and fate the characters are. The characters are believable, and their progression is realistic and spectrums into moral greys instead of only black and white personalities. I appreciate that enough focus is given to explore the underpinnings of the characters. The plot itself is a satisfying unravelling of tangled secrets, and the denouement of mysteries is well mapped out for the reader to follow. The titular Aviculturist fittingly serves as the proverbial key to Lostmor’s concealed secrets which is an enjoyable ‘aha!’ moment.
I rate the novel 3 out of 4 stars, because whilst a pleasurable read, it contains formatting errors and the occasional grammatical mistake. Luckily these minor flaws do not deduct from the overall reading experience a great deal- though further editing will certainly elevate it. There is a lot of jumping back in time within the narrative that doesn’t always flow seamlessly into the next chapter. Perhaps the most abrupt transition is the shift from primarily Lily’s perspective into Marcus’s past without sufficient preamble (although attempted). The unpredictability is welcomed but could be better interwoven into the novel's structure.
I recommend this novel to young adult and adult readers who appreciate foreshadowing, metaphor and other literary devices in their writing that is akin to older classical novels. Think of a less potent and decidedly more contemporary, Bronte sisters, Hardy or even Wilde novel- the similarity in contrasting great beauty with the grotesque within narrative. Furthermore, the language and mature content, whilst still tastefully used, means the novel is not written for a younger audience.
******
The Aviculturist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Lily’s long migratory period ends and her childhood home, Penwyth House, beckons her ominously over shrouded moors, ill-tempered seas, and threatens to draw her into the storm brewing over Lostmor town. Family tragedy had forced Lily and her mother to flee Lostmor nearly two decades ago- and her mother’s recent death brings Lily right back to the place where it all started but her memories abruptly ended. Regaining her scattered past will mean confronting ghosts and weathering consequences that she had spent her life trying to escape from. She isn’t the only one with a haunted past that has returned with a vengeance, it seems like the restless secrets of Lostmor cannot be caged any longer.
Ann Smythe’s The Aviculturist is reminiscent of a gothic novel, complete with the elements of murder and mystery. The grandiose setting of Penwyth House and the capricious weather makes for a stunning backdrop to the multi-generational tales of love and loss. Whilst Lily seems like the catalyst that brings Lostmor’s past back to life, the interconnecting stories of the novel’s other cast members are no less interesting. As though due to its unpredictable weather, Lostmor’s inhabitants are themselves an assortment of curiosities assembled by its tides, each with their own stories to add to Lily’s long-lost life in this tempestuous coastal town. If Lily decides to rebuild her life in Lostmor she will have to unearth not only her own secrets but traverse the web connecting the stories of the town’s cast together. From Oliver the initially brusque farmer to Marcus who runs the Black Dog Inn, everyone has their own secretive past that threatens their future. Secrets are unleashed like a storm, but the reader can hold onto the hope that calm after this one might just revive relationships, bring new friendships, and maybe even love.
Those looking for modern gothics after reading Wuthering Heights and other classics of the genre will find a lot to love about the meticulous use of allegory, metaphor, and pathetic fallacy to create suspense and atmospheric imagery that allows the reader to immerse themselves into the plot. Rich in description, thoughtful and never a stagnant segment, the writing is a pleasure for the reader. Repeating themes of birds, animals, the natural landscapes, and tumultuous weather serve as great plot devices and reinforce how at mercy to the forces of nature and fate the characters are. The characters are believable, and their progression is realistic and spectrums into moral greys instead of only black and white personalities. I appreciate that enough focus is given to explore the underpinnings of the characters. The plot itself is a satisfying unravelling of tangled secrets, and the denouement of mysteries is well mapped out for the reader to follow. The titular Aviculturist fittingly serves as the proverbial key to Lostmor’s concealed secrets which is an enjoyable ‘aha!’ moment.
I rate the novel 3 out of 4 stars, because whilst a pleasurable read, it contains formatting errors and the occasional grammatical mistake. Luckily these minor flaws do not deduct from the overall reading experience a great deal- though further editing will certainly elevate it. There is a lot of jumping back in time within the narrative that doesn’t always flow seamlessly into the next chapter. Perhaps the most abrupt transition is the shift from primarily Lily’s perspective into Marcus’s past without sufficient preamble (although attempted). The unpredictability is welcomed but could be better interwoven into the novel's structure.
I recommend this novel to young adult and adult readers who appreciate foreshadowing, metaphor and other literary devices in their writing that is akin to older classical novels. Think of a less potent and decidedly more contemporary, Bronte sisters, Hardy or even Wilde novel- the similarity in contrasting great beauty with the grotesque within narrative. Furthermore, the language and mature content, whilst still tastefully used, means the novel is not written for a younger audience.
******
The Aviculturist
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords