Sinder

Diabhal #2

by Kathleen Kaufman

Sinder weaves together the parallel stories of Ceit, grown to adulthood and having taken her rightful place as Matrarc of the Society, and her great-grandmother, Ainsley Robertson in 1924 Ireland, and the inception of the community that would come to inhabit Sinder Avenue.

In 1996, Venice Beach, Ceit struggles with the confines of superstition and tradition that have defined the Society since its start. As her younger brother, Alan, turns eighteen, Ceit enacts a plan to end the Society for good. And in doing so, releasing Alan from what she sees increasingly as a toxic and antiquated way of life as well as freeing herself from her mortal ties to the human realm.

In 1924, Ainsley Robertson lives in a secluded community outside of Cork, led by her father, an abusive and cruel ceannaire. Ainsley's story opens with her expecting a baby in a world where being an unwed mother is a criminal act. Ainsley grows to realize her own gifts and connection to the world of the fae as she navigates a world dominated by dogma and oppression. As the sparks of what will become the Society grow to a flame, Ainsley becomes the Matrarc of her people, leading them to a new world, and a new tradition.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2020

About the author

Kathleen Kaufman is an author of magical realism and feminist gothic horror, exploring “the other” from ”the other’s” point of view. Her fiction explores how the horror of the past manifests in the present, and the inescapable intertwining of generational history. Her prose has been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “crisp, elegant” and “genuinely chilling” by Booklist. She is the author of the Diabhal trilogy, The Lairdbalor, soon to be a feature film directed by Nicholas Verso, Hag, and The Tree Museum. Kathleen is a professor at Santa Monica College and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, kitten, and hound.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. Seriously. I practically read it in one sitting. I was already a fan of the first book, Diabhal, but I can say that this book surpasses high bar set by that first book. It is a story of the past, where we get the origin story of the first Matriarch (Ainsley) juxtaposed against the present, where Ceit looks to tear down the old traditions. Ceit has the difficult task of managing the society when her powers are calling her to the spiritual, in between realm of dreams. And her brother Alan despises her for her intense power and for the ways he perceives her wrong-doings.
What is most rich in the book is the inner life of the characters. Kaufman weaves a spell that puts you right there with these characters, understanding their thoughts and empathizing with their struggles. It read like a hopeful Cormac McCarthy book, if that makes any sense. It is dark, and bleak, with many obstacles, but there is hope for a better world.
I highly recommend this book!

[Katherine Chartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for books that have multiple different stories/povs and I’m a sucker for books where the character descends into madness and this book had both. Super excited to actually read the last book now!!

[BeatriceReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent followup to last year's Diabhal - the historical fiction thread is perhaps stronger than the more modern story but overall a great read

[Chris Loves to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great follow up!