This book is strong in
character, story, language and setting.
Summary:
The latest in Terri Windling's Fairy Tales Series, Fitcher's Bride is
the story of Bluebeard rewritten in novel length for an adult audience.
Set in New England during the year of 1843, the Charter family, the father,
step-mother (Lavinia) and daughters Vernelia (Vern), Ameila (Amy) and Catherine
(Kate), move to join the followers of Elias Fitcher, a minister and prophet who
speaks with God...and knows the date of the world's end. Mr. Charter is to work
the turnpike that leads into the town of Harbringer, where Fitcher and his
followers live and wait for the rapture to occur.
Before long Vern marries the esteemed Reverend. She is separated from her
family - she living in Harbringer and they living just outside of it. It is
there that she finds out the dark side of her husband...
I would recommend this book!
Why?
This book is excellent! I didn't want to put it down. The writer captures
the emotions of the main characters very well and conveys the feelings of the
town. Her portrayal of the Fitcher cult is reminiscent of the time period (or at
least if I remember correctly from history classes - there were a lot of
Doomsday cults during the 1800s).
The author incorporates the story of Bluebeard into a full length novel with
excellent skill. I would like to read other works by this author to see if he
has written other things as well.
