Louisa Morgan is a fairly prolific writer of modern fantasy, especially the ever-popular witchy titles. This is the first of hers I’ve read (I feel like I say that a lot about a lot of authors, so shame on me). I actually chose this one because my 9-year-old picked it up in the library and liked the cover art. I assured her it probably wasn’t suitable for a reader of her age but I would take it. HA! As I suspected, it was definitely an adult read.

Synopsis

Beatrice Bird is a psychologist. She’s a scientist who puts her faith in the logical and tangible aspects of life. She rejects religion and superstition. However, she also struggles with an undeniable gift. Always one sensitive to other people’s emotions, her gift exploded with her experimentation of LSD. Now she sees ghosts everywhere, the physical manifestations of other people’s pain that follow them through their days, seen only to Beatrice. Unable to withstand the decline this burden has on her own mental health, she withdraws fully from her life, closing her practice and moving to a secluded house on a remote island. She’s the closest thing to a doctor the island has seen in ages, there’s no police force, and the closest thing to leadership on the island is the order of nuns who operate the ferry and the little general store that supplies residents with the necessary supplies to get by. Though she’s come to the island to escape her ghosts, she’s drawn to a woman who arrives carrying a great darkness, two shadows that are unlike anything Beatrice has ever encountered. As she endeavors to help this young woman, Anne, she will begin to question everything she’s ever thought about the world and her own gift.

Review

This is a very unique twist on the paranormal theme. While it eventually introduces more traditional elements of a haunting, the hauntings Beatrice experiences are far more psychological in nature. Rather than a lingering passed soul, the ghosts Beatrice sees are projections of worries and fears of their hosts, giving Beatrice a sneak peak into their inner turmoil. What I appreciate about this book is the contrast of the two leading female characters. Beatrice, the rational and independent woman who struggles alone with the demons of others, and Anne, the fragile escapee from domestic violence who has never been allowed a taste of independence, couldn’t be farther from one another in experiences or personality. Despite their differences, they forge a kinship that will help them both heal the parts of themselves that have caused them to withdraw from life.

Morgan has a gift with language, and she crafts a lovely and unique tale. I enjoyed the way she developed her characters slowly and thoroughly, layering their histories together strategically so as to build the story in the most concrete way. I thought she did a good job presenting main characters who were complex, except for the villain. Anne’s husband, James, is a sociopath with no redeeming qualities and no backstory sufficient to help us understand just how he became so absolutely detestable. His casual cruelty was sometimes so over the top it was hard to believe, but at the same time I do realize there are men in this world who bear a striking similarity to him. Additionally, it’s very believable that a man such as him would hold a position of esteem with great power and sway over others.

I’m torn on the theme of religion versus science in this. While I think it’s a powerful tool, and it’s not often a subject broached in a lot of supernatural fiction, I thought it ultimately fell a little too heavy onto the God side. There were times I felt like this should even be classified as Christian fiction. A lot of fantasy and horror readers aren’t really into the religions proselytizing. Overall, however, that’s a minor quibble and it didn’t really effect my enjoyment in the long run. What’s important is that Beatrice comes to see her gift as something positive and Anne is able to find the inner strength necessary to pull her life out of the gutter of traditional marriage roles. I thought the novel was mostly well-paced. The breaks in point of view flowed nicely and didn’t get too confusing.

Overall, I give this one 4 stars. Enjoyable, more than a little frustrating, but ultimately a pretty powerful piece of women’s literature.

Published November 21, 2023 by Redhook. ISBN 9780316628808. Hardcover. 384 pages.