The Book of Shadows

published	2002 by HarperTorch
binding	Mass Market Paperback
isbn	0061031844 (isbn13: 9780061031847)
pages	640
description	Alone among the young girls taught by nuns at a convent school in nineteenth-century France, orphaned Herculine has neither wealth nor social connections. When she's accused of being a witch, the shy student is locked up with no hope of escape ... until her rescue by a real witch, the beautiful, mysterious Sebastiana. Swept away to the witch's manor, Herculine will enter a fantastic, erotic world to discover her true nature -- and her destiny -- in this breathtaking, darkly sensual first novel. ...more [close] Alone among the young girls taught by nuns at a convent school in nineteenth-century France, orphaned Herculine has neither wealth nor social connections. When she's accused of being a witch, the shy student is locked up with no hope of escape ... until her rescue by a real witch, the beautiful, mysterious Sebastiana. Swept away to the witch's manor, Herculine will enter a fantastic, erotic world to discover her true nature -- and her destiny -- in this breathtaking, darkly sensual first novel.
date added	02-26-07 edit book

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Christina rated it:

12/09/07

Read in January, 2004

The Book of Shadows
James Reese
Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
http://www.harpercollins.com
PB 468
ISBN #0-06-621015-1
Hard Cover
Review by Christina Francine

How many people were brutally murdered during the Great European Witch Hunt? The numbers are as varied as the opinions and rumors. One theory is from witch hunting propaganda based upon theories from systematic studies from witch trials and speculation. It claims over 50,000 e...more The Book of Shadows
James Reese
Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
http://www.harpercollins.com
PB 468
ISBN #0-06-621015-1
Hard Cover
Review by Christina Francine

How many people were brutally murdered during the Great European Witch Hunt? The numbers are as varied as the opinions and rumors. One theory is from witch hunting propaganda based upon theories from systematic studies from witch trials and speculation. It claims over 50,000 executions. Of that roughly ¾ were women. The other study is based on actual court records with information on gender, social status and occupation. This belief asserts that the numbers from the propaganda is too high, that most of the murderous slaughter was held on boarders of countries, and community based courts dealt more severely with the accused more so that civil or national ones. This study also thinks the number of women killed varies with the country. Either way research finds cruel torture inflicted. Some community-based courts were virtual slaughterhouses; killing 90% of all accused and both found overall that 75-80% were women. Why is it important to study witch-hunts? Because it still goes on today. Africa recently has slain a number of women they claimed were witches. There are also multiple allegations accusing satanic abuse to children made to police officers in North America and the United Kingdom. Historians have compared witch trials to the twentieth-century ‘demonology’ of satanic abuse.

‘The Book of Shadows’ is thrilling entertainment, yet reminds as a sharp, metal lid, of how terrible humans can be to each other.

Reese begins his with a dire situation involving six year old Herculine and her bloodied, dying mother. With her last ounce of energy, the girl’s mother points to “the Stone,” a holy house in the French countryside. Herculine is raised by strict nuns to be good and God fearing. It isn’t easy being the only scholarship student and is made to earn her keep. Her grades must never go down either. This she does so well that she later is selected to teach and spend time with the Mother Superior’s niece. This is where trouble begins along with truths and awareness. In the midst of the slaps of reality is confusion, jealousy, lying, and murder. And as if this wasn’t enough for a ripening Herculine, a witch and a couple of ghosts enter her life. This results in further changes of reality. The young woman is thrust into the world of shadows. Now it is up to Herculine to save a tortured soul who took her own life and leaves a literal trail of blood whereever she goes. In order to help, Herculine delves beyond shadows and into what she’s always been, but didn’t know it. Can the soul of Father Louis help? Is he doomed to walk the earth too? What will her savior, Sebastiana the witch, do to help her when a warlock poisons her? Will her protective ruse be found out? Was she saved from accusers to later be persecuted and tortured as a witch? How would she deal with the biggest fact of all, that she is different physically than anyone around her?

This is the author’s first novel and an arousing read. His characters are intriguing and believable making readers worry and care. The story is told in third-person and through Herculine’s eyes. It takes place during the early 1800’s in Brittany, Normandy, and Paris before and during the French Revolution. Reader’s attention is grabbed from the first chapter and held until about halfway. Unfortunately, Resse looses pace here. Although still mysterious and enlightening, the gripping urgency is lost leaving readers not as hungry.

This story matches it’s eerie cover picture and will bring satisfaction to most supernatural horror fans, especially ones who like this kind of setting, but only if they don’t mind a slower pace. The topic does serve as a reminder too of how animalistic humans can be.
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