the ornithologist’s field guide to love by india holton — a review
There is one author that I have read that can simultaneously make me laugh out loud, tear up, and need to look words up in the dictionary. No, I am not talking about Taylor Swift (though she can do the same). I am talking about India Holton, author of the Dangerous Damsels series, and author of The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love. I read her Dangerous Damsels trilogy horribly out of order and on a whim, and absolutely fell in love with her writing style, ability to create such fantastical but realistic scenarios, and sexy characters romances that stand the test of time. (The strikethrough is a reference to her use of it in her writing – trust me, she does it a lot better than I just did).
On a trip to a small local bookstore while I was on a weekend away with my partner, I stumbled upon Holton’s The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love and KNEW I had to pick it up. I also scolded myself for not knowing she had started another series, considering how much I had absolutely fallen in love with her first trilogy. The start to her Love’s Academic duology (only this one and another have been announced, but if it turns into a trilogy or more I will be first in line!) is STRONG – the novel has Holton’s classic prose and wit, moments of extremely intelligent humor, while also featuring characters who are real, relatable, and heart wrenching. Beth Pickering has been beaten into submission by academia and her loudmouth mentor and has resigned herself to a life of doing what others suggest, going as far as to wash all the other professors’ dishes at the University where she is the youngest and most qualified professor. Devon Lockley has been cast aside, sent away to school at a young age, and does not agree with the rumors that he is a “wunderkind”, especially considering that it further segregates him from his colleagues. When the International Ornithological Society starts a competition for Birder of the Year, Beth and Devon continually find themselves forced to work together. May the best ornithologist win.
Holton’s fantastic characters are incredibly relatable and tug at the readers’ heartstrings; the reader wants nothing more than to shake Beth and Devon by the shoulders and say “Can’t you see that you love each other?!?” The character arcs and development through the story are well-paced and exciting, and the fantasy elements are so built-in to the world that the reader is nearly able to forget that birds can’t really use their magical powers to make humans’ eyes bleed. (Sorry, slight spoiler.) As someone who doesn’t read much fantasy, Holton’s world-building is completely enmeshed in the story beats – there is never a dull moment. It also is literally laugh-out- loud funny. The use of strikethrough over phrases and words is used so, SO well. If that wasn’t enough, the characters and jokes are so intelligent. That makes it a slower read, but WOW is it worth it. One of my favorite parts about Holton’s writing is that it feels like the reader is in on an inside joke. The over-the-top characters are teased for their dramatics, the narration is smooth, and it’s incredibly easy to root for the protagonists.
Overall, if you’re looking for a unique novel that quite literally is unlike anything else I’ve found (other than Holton’s other novels), The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love is a must-read. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be twiddling my thumbs and waiting impatiently for The Geographer’s Map to Romance, coming in April 2025.
This review was written by @tessajane_books on Instagram. You can follow her here — https://www.instagram.com/tessajane_books/ — for more bookish content!