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Invisible Chains: Book Review

2/26/2020

1 Comment

 
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My final review of this year's Women in Horror Month is Michelle R. Lane's debut novel, Invisible Chains. I was starting to wonder if I was going to be able to finish it in time as life found a way to make things complicated. I'm very happy to say, I finished the novel. Plus there was an added benefit that came with the delay--this very novel is on the final ballot for the Bram Stoker awards for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. That should give you some indication on its quality. Here's the official synopsis:

Jacqueline is a young Creole slave in antebellum New Orleans. An unusual stranger who has haunted her dreams since childhood comes to stay as a guest in her master’s house. Soon after his arrival, members of the household die mysteriously, and Jacqueline is suspected of murder. Despite her fear of the stranger, Jacqueline befriends him and he helps her escape. While running from the slave catchers, they meet conjurers, a loup-garou, and a traveling circus of supernatural freaks. She relies on ancestral magic to guide her and finds strength to conquer her fears on her journey.

First off, this book is a wonderful display of Lane's skills. Set in antebellum New Orleans, Lane spins a horrific dark fantasy about a young slave named Jacqueline. Born into slavery Jacqueline has to deal with the terrible daily struggles of being owned which were some of the more horrifying parts of this story. Lane did a wonderful job bringing that section of history alive by painting wondrous imagery on the page and backing it all up with well-crafted dialogue.

It's also obvious that Lane did her homework on Vodun and it was fun to explore that kind of magic and belief in this story. I am familiar just enough with the subject that it was a very fun read. Her love of the horror genre shines in this novel, and you can tell that she poured that love onto the page.

My only gripe is that there was so much going on this book could have been twice as long. There were so many fantastical characters that I wanted to spend more time with them. I could have read an entire book about Jacqueline's time with the circus freaks and Old Nick. However, Lane left things open for a sequel, so hopefully, we get to revisit some of the characters and places she teased within this novel.


If you like horror, do yourself a favor and check this book out. 
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1 Comment
rush essay review link
4/25/2020 06:25:16 am

What I love about this book is its focus on Jacqueline's journey from being a slave to finally finding the courage to free herself from the people who held her captive. I agree that some parts felt rushed and it would have been nice to get to know the characters more, but I think the author did a perfect job in portraying how Jacqueline's life was greatly affected by these people. It almost seems like Jacqueline met them to teach her a lesson that she will need later on in life. This is the first book I have read that played with the supernatural and horror genre in a way that left me wanting for more. I know the ending is open for a sequel, but I love how it ended that I sort of want to preserve it that way.

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    C.R. Langille writes horror, fantasy, urban-fantasy, dark fantasy, and is considering stepping into the sci-fi realm. He has a grasp of survival techniques, and has been a table-top gamer for over 16 years.

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