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I have read a few book descriptions for this one and have decided to alter the best one, because some of the plot points were incorrect. So here is Tamara Hladik’s description/review of the book that is listed as the description at Amazon.Com with my corrections/additions:
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“Dark Sister” is the third book by British fantasy writer Graham Joyce to be published in the United States - and the author travels further into the realm of pure horror than he did in “The Tooth Fairy” or “Requiem”. Maggie Sanders, an unfulfilled, restless housewife in England, comes to terms with her nascent, otherworldly power amidst a disheveled and antagonistic domestic life. Her archaeologist-husband Alex is subtly dominating, which makes for an unfulfilling marriage. So, Maggie buries herself in the chaos of her small children (six-year old Amy and three year old Sam), until a chance discovery both liberates her and invokes catastrophe.
The Sanders decide to tear out their gas log imitation and open up the fireplace for real wood fires after a visit to a friends’ home. While cleaning out the chimney, Alex discovers an herbalist’s journal which Maggie finds much interest in. Soon after, her life unfurls wildly and runs horribly aground. It seems that the owner of the journal was not just an herb woman, but also a witch with real powers. Inspired by this forgotten woman, Maggie begins to dabble in the arts of Wicca, with the help of herbal store owner Ash and Old Liz in whom he has consulted. The gifts it brings her are powerful - a sense of freedom, purpose, even clairvoyance. But every gift has its counterbalance, and Maggie’s newfound telepathy allows her to see things she might have wanted to remain hidden. Even more ominously, it seems that in unearthing the journal, Maggie has awakened deep tragedies from an abandoned time, and the evil that now stalks her and her family might be insatiable and unstoppable.
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Now, I left the first line of this description/review in there because that horror word crept in again in regards to Joyce’s work. I obviously need a lesson on what horror fiction is, because I just don’t see it. Just like “The Tooth Fairy” this book came across as a novel about real life with fantastical elements. And the “horrors” or events that happen in this book seem even less horrific, to a point, then those in “The Tooth Fairy”, except for one. Though still, with other fantasy books I have read, it is not more horrific then anything else I have come across. Though part of that is in presentation.
One element of the book that I really enjoyed was the subtleness of the witchcraft. And maybe subtle is the wrong word, but it’s the only one I can come up with right now. It’s not overbearing, it’s not what the whole story is about. There are real life issues going on there, and Maggie tries to use these powers to help the issues, and sometimes fails. But it’s not heavy handed, like some big gothic novel. I have a copy “Practical Magic” by Alice Hoffman waiting to be read. I would like to see how these two books compare. (And for the record, I have not seen the movie “Practical Magic”, based on the book, which is surprising given that I am a fan of Nicole Kidman.)
The characters are all well crafted, though there is a bit of craziness to each. However, we are dealing with a world where “witches” can practice their craft and are successful. One of the most endearing characters though is Old Liz. She’s the 83 year old women that Ash sends Maggie to see for advice. At first she is a hard woman, but as the story goes, you see the intelligence in her character, the reason for the hard exterior, and though her presentation doesn’t change much, you do see more and more of her inner person as the book goes. All the characters have flaws and they are well presented, and of course many of them won’t own up to those flaws.
This is the second book by Joyce that I have read in the last month, and I have enjoyed both on many levels. Both have very fantastical elements, but he keeps so much reality in the books that they can be seen from many different views.
Side note:
I am not really into quotes by other authors that are displayed on books. I have found them unreliable at times. But there were two on this book that I found interesting. They are also listed with the description of the book on Amazon.Com:
“I won’t bother saying Graham Joyce deserves to find a wide audience in America; rather, I think the American audience deserves to discover him.” — Jonathan Lethem
“Graham Joyce writes the kind of novels we keep hoping to find, but rarely do.” — Jonathan Carroll
I think both of these are accurate. Of course you have to like these kind of books. But it took me quite a few years to finally fall into Joyce’s work. And frankly, I think Carroll’s quote about Joyce is true of his own work.
8/10
