3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Balletic Prose and Internal Conflict, March 2, 2008
This review is from: The Witches of Dixie: Book One of the Witchery Series (Paperback)
My usual book of choice involves lots of action, lots of angst and lots of humor--sensuality is a plus but not a must, and snappy dialogue is usually large in the picture. Laura Stamps book, *The Witches of Dixie* is a departure from my usual fare, but not an unpleasant one by any stretch of the imagination.
The book focuses on the struggles of four women to embrace faith--yes, it does turn out to be the Wiccan faith--but what becomes apparent, especially in the story of the third woman (Mirabella) was that this idea of faith can be applied to any belief in a higher power. For these women, whose struggles to succeed in a cynical world and to triumph over some of the very negative forces that can assail all of us, particularly in times of doubt, the Wiccan faith seemed to be an organic choice. The faith itself embraces belief, positivity, and an earnest desire do produce good in the world, and this was the message that all of the women learned in an individual fashion in the course of the book.
Lots of action, dialogue and sex, there was not. But the prose was gorgeous--no holds barred, rich, elegant, balletic and luminous, each word set in a sentence like precious stones in a graceful anklet, the prose suspends the reader in the bubble of the moment. This was, for lack of a better word, a peaceful book. By the end of the book, after having seen the women succeed in their struggles over cynicism, bitterness, anger, and helplessness, the book gives a true sense that faith will eventually do it's job.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different but still Great!, January 23, 2008
This review is from: The Witches of Dixie: Book One of the Witchery Series (Paperback)
I received a review copy of this book from the author and I am very glad to have done so. This book is a departure from my normal reading but it was a very pleasant trip into the Wiccan practices. At the heart of each story is an admirable ability for these women to use their faith to see them through times of trouble. I greatly enjoyed the book and I found it inspiring. While I am not a Wiccan and I haven't ever really looked into it, I did find the message expressed in the book to transcend any boundaries of religion. This book is beautifully written and the words seem to leap off of the page. If you find yourself at all interested in the material or if you just need some inspiration, definitely pick this story up.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So mote it be, November 3, 2007
This review is from: The Witches of Dixie: Book One of the Witchery Series (Paperback)
Author Laura Stamps graciously sent me a copy of her book The Witches of Dixie. This is a very pleasant book that I am happy to review here. The book explores the lives of four Wiccan women who are dealing with turmoil in their lives and turn to their faith for guidance to work through the difficult period in their lives. Laura Stamps' writing style is very poetic in the way she describes the delicate and reverent view of nature that the women in the stories have about world around them and how it inspires them in their Wiccan faith. The rituals and spell casting that are incorporated into the Wiccan faith also makes for a very interesting read. This is a great book for anyone interested in how Wiccan's use their faith in their daily lives or for people looking for inspirational stories of women tackling the problems life throws at them with strong faith and determination.
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