Tag Archives: evil

Claire Avery, “Hidden Wives”

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Rachel and Sara Shaw are best friends, half-sisters and members of a severe polygamous sect known as the Blood of the Lamb. As the two girls prepare to be wed, one to her uncle and the other to the community’s sinister leader, Prophet Silver, they begin to question the paths their lives are taking.

Sara, gawky and plain, thirsts for knowledge and dreams of escaping her abusive household; Rachel is beautiful and a deep believer in her faith – at least until she meets a newcomer, one who forces her to question her future within the sect. Hidden Wives is an intense and disturbing look at the cruelty two girls are forced to endure.

Plot Overview: Victimization, Ignorance and Freedom

Sara Shaw is a girl suffocating in her own life. Her parents have transferred her from the local public school – her personal sanctuary – to the sect’s religious school, and Prophet Silver has decided that she will be bound in a celestial marriage to her uncle. Terrified of having deformed children and of being trapped in a loveless relationship, Sara plans to escape. With the help of her secret friend, Irvin, a quirky African-American boy with a speech impediment, Sara will take her first terrifying steps towards freedom.

Well-known throughout the small Blood of the Lamb community, Rachel is a stunning girl. Complementing her beauty is her natural kindness and optimistic spirit; unfortunately, these qualities make her vulnerable, particularly to the predatory men in her life. When she meets Luke, a new member who questions the legitimacy of the faith, Rachel finds herself struggling to negotiate her own beliefs with his. For Rachel, true love should conquer all, but in the Blood of the Lamb sect, can such love even exist?

Criticisms and Compliments

Hidden Wives is difficult book to read; although the subject matter is interesting and trendy, the graphic descriptions of incest, molestation and abuse are deeply disturbing. For a book describing a polygamous sect called Blood of the Lamb, Hidden Wives certainly offers up its two protagonists as the proverbial sacrifices. Innocent teen girls Sara and Rachel are just on the brink of womanhood, yet they are forced to view themselves as objects, victims subject to the whimsies of men. In this particular sect, women are vessels with no individuality or freedom to call their own. Their duty is to bear children and be at the beck and call of their husbands. It is, frankly, a sad way to live.

Although Claire Avery – the pseudonym of two sisters – paints a bleak story, her characters are well-drawn and appealing, especially Sara; as a non-believer and skeptic, she provides the voice of reason for the novel, putting the seemingly outrageous plot in perspective. Moreover, it is clear that Avery has done her homework as the descriptions of the Blood of the Lamb rituals and ways of life are vivid.

Hidden Wives is not a light-hearted read and should not be approached as merely an inside look at a polygamous sect. Rather, it is an unsettling exploration of the horrific actions people make in the name of faith.

Source:

  • Avery, Claire. Hidden Wives. Forge Books, 2010 ISBN 9780765326898

Nora Roberts, ” The Three Sisters Island Trilogy”

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Faced with embracing their own natural powers – and finding true love – witches Nell, Ripley and Mia must confront who they are and what they must become. As each struggles with emotional and physical obstacles, a dark force threatens their progress. With Roberts’s experienced storytelling, The Three Sisters Island Trilogy (Dance Upon the Air, Heaven and Earth and Face the Fire) is a combination of love, rebirth and the supernatural.

Plot Overview: Love, Magic and Sisterhood

Seeing Three Sisters Island for the first time, Nell feels she has finally come home. After faking her own death and criss-crossing the United States to escape a sociopathic and abusive husband, Nell just wants to feel safe. As she cautiously settles into a new life on the island, she is befriended and employed by Mia Devlin, the owner of a café and bookstore. With both Mia and Ripley Todd’s friendship, Nell’s confidence and self-esteem soar, and she slowly opens her heart to love again.

Ripley Todd, deputy sheriff on the island, strongly denies her supernatural abilities. When paranormal scientist Macallister Booke, or “Mac,” lands on the island to investigate its history of witchcraft, Ripley’s resistance takes a hit. The two set off sparks, recorded by Mac’s scientific equipment. With Mac’s gentle pushing, Ripley reluctantly takes control of her gift.

The most powerful of the three women, Mia Devlin is a witch comfortable with her abilities. Sexy, confident and successful, Mia enjoys her life and her solitude. Having had her heart broken ten years before, she isolates herself from love and emotional intimacy until Sam Logan, her former lover, returns to the island. As they reconcile their relationship, Mia must make a decision: open her heart to Sam again and risk the safety of her friends and neighbors or live a lifetime without hurt – and love.

Criticisms and Compliments

Despite Roberts’s storytelling abilities, The Three Sisters Island Trilogy falls flat as it does not have the passion of her other trilogies, like The Circle Trilogy. In most of Roberts’s novels, the villain is clearly identified and developed; in the case of the Three Sisters Island Trilogy, however, the antagonist is more abstract. Roberts usually excels at introducing abusive men and swiftly serving them with a dose of karmic retribution. In Dance Upon the Air, Roberts metes out justice against Evan Remington, Nell’s ex-husband, but his punishment feels hollow. Nevertheless, The Three Sisters Island Trilogy is an enjoyable read and a nice escape from reality.

Source:

  • Roberts, Nora. Three Sisters Island Trilogy (Dance Upon the Air, Heaven and Earth, Face the Fire). Jove, 2003 ISBN 9780515131222