Stuart L. (kundun) reviewed labouriously verbose on 11/6/2008

Helpful Score: 3

I came into this book not knowing anything about it except the title. I really enjoyed the description of Herculine's life in the convent school and then Father Louis entered the story. Now, I am all for lush language that vividly describes the scene and the mood but Father Louis' story began to belabor the point, several times I thought the descriptions could be pared down. Father Louis, Sebastiana and especially Madeleine's dialouge became repetitive. I finally had to put the book down and decided to give it up.

About not knowing what the book was about: From the title I expected it to be about Wicca as the Book of Shadows in Wicca is the personal book that a Wiccan uses to keep rituals and rites among other writings. This is not a book about Wicca...it's a book about Christianity and it's flip side.

The writing in the Book of Shadows is superb, there's just too much repetition. To paraphrase author Keith Abbott...a first time novelist tends to put every idea, the kitchen sink, in the first book. That seems to be what has happened with the Book of Shadows. I'll let Madeleine have the last word about how reading this book felt..."Please, moaned Madeleine, we haven't an eternity!"

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details