Synopsis:
Claire’s peculiar grandmother warned her of the
family curse but that’s when she was a child and believed in magic, Seventh
tribes and Petal people. Not anymore.
Claire is a grown woman with adult problems. At
twenty five, she’s devastated by a divorce that leaves her feeling unloved and
used up. To top it off, she’s mentally unstable and forced to move in with her
parents, which proves to be a disaster.
Memories start to surface which sets off a
series of events both harrowing, heart-warming and disturbing. Magic, mayhem
and madness collide when Claire faces the demons of her past, her hidden self
and the family curse that may or may not exist.
This dark and magical novel delivers a portrait of southern life with wisecracking, moving characters and the discovery of faith in unexpected places. It provides a raw and revealing portrait of mental illness, its creative genius, and its destructive tentacles. Queen of the Pine Curtain is a psychological page turner chock full of family secrets, southern maladies and haunting redemption.
My
review:
Firstly
I would like to thank the author for contacting me with the request to review
this book.
This
novel was most definitely a journey for me. All throughout Part 1 I felt
confused and wasn’t sure I actually liked the book. It was clear that Claire
had mental health issues and was trying to get help, but as she was going
through her mind, her inner house and memories, she was making my head spin. I
felt as disjointed from reality as she was.
Then
Part 2 hit me like a storm. As Claire starts to understand herself, her inner being
starts to reveal forgotten incidents from the past that shaped Claire into who
she became. Uncomfortable memories come to the surface and explain the majority
of issues Claire experiences as a growing child and adult.
In
the end I found myself rooting for Claire. Anyone with experience of mental
health issues would have a good understanding of what was happening to her, but
you don’t have to be a specialist to understand her journey. Even though she
would disagree - Claire is a fighter.
The
author has transformed Claire’s messed up mind into a moving collection of
rooms in an inner house, with child Claire taking the adult Claire on a journey
of remembrance and rediscovery. All characters were well placed and even the
minor ones had a definitive place in the story.
This
novel took me longer than usual to read due to its complexity and really, the
heaviness of the subject. But it was so worth reading. I feel like I need a
holiday now, but I certainly won’t forget about this book in a hurry.
My rating: 5/5
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