The Conjurer's Bird: A Novel
Martin Davies
(Reviewer - Coletta Ollerer)
2005 Shaye Areheart Books
ISBN: 1400097339

A conservationist searches for an extinct South Sea bird caught & preserved two centuries before..

Associate Reviewer Coletta Ollerer writes:

John Fitzgerald, a conservationist & taxidermist who teaches Natural Science at a local university, is introduced to a collector of rare objects. Karl Anderson is searching for the mounted remains of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, & as Fitz is a scholar in the field, Anderson asks for his assistance. But Fitz doesn't like him, & his suspicions about Anderson's intentions inspire him to find the bird first.

The Bird of Ulieta was discovered in 1774 on Captain Cook's second expedition to the South Seas. It was captured & preserved, & came into the possession of Joseph Banks, an 18th century naturalist. A drawing made of it at the time by the ship's artist is, however, all that remains of it today. While it is thought that Joseph Banks gave the bird to a friend, no one knows its whereabouts.

Joseph Banks is a somewhat conceited young man & rightly so -- he's a well-respected natural scientist. He's also wealthy, gifted & energetic. He's asked to join Captain Cook's first voyage to the South Seas as resident naturalist, but, before he sets sail, Joseph comes upon a girl in a wooded clearing near his home, who is an amateur artist. He admires her work, & she tries to put him off but finds herself taken with him. “When she looked up [and] saw his eyes fixed intently on the drawing in her hand, and the expression on his face sent a flash of joy to her heart.” (p.48) This chance meeting develops into a romance even after Joseph joins Captain Cook & does very well on the voyage, garnering wide acclaim for his efforts.

Fast-forward to the 20th century where Fitz rents out the flat on the top floor of his home to a Swedish student named Katya. Slowly they become acquainted & he finds in her a kindred spirit who likes solving puzzles. They set out to find the Ulieta Bird. They suspect Joseph Banks gave the bird to his mistress whom they identify as Miss Brown. “...finding her was the key to finding the Ulieta Bird”. (p.190) One evening, Fitz returns home to a scene of disaster, his house has been burglarized. “Looking around the overturned bedroom, I realized why finding the Ulieta bird was so important to me. Not for posterity, not for science, not even for the fame of being its finder. But for myself... seeing it held in my hands in defiance of all logic would be my proof that even the most fragile things can sometimes cheat oblivion.”(p.193) He is determined to follow the clues to the Ulieta Bird.

The Conjurer's Bird is a side-by-side story of 20th century people told in the first person, while the life & times of a prominent naturalist of the 18th century is told in the third person. It's an engaging trip into the past where we meet the people & get glimpses of the customs, as well as enjoying a satisfying mystery.
(03/26/06)

Coletta
2006©Coletta Ollerer
A RebeccasReads.Com Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I have always enjoyed writing. As a teenager I submitted to magazines like Seventeen, & was politely rejected. As a young mother, I had several poems published in The Chicago Tribune. Born in Chicago in 1932, I still live in the area. Since I retired, I have had some success on the Internet with my book reviews, stories & poetry. I enjoy historical fiction mostly, but will read anything uplifting, informative & fun. When I'm not reading & writing, I'm making jewelry, sewing needlepoint, & painting.