Any great review on one’s book is cause for celebration but today’s new one blew my socks off :
A Spell-binding Mix of Magic and Realism, 9 Jun. 2015
By Shani Verified Purchase This review is from: Alchemy (Kindle Edition)
World politics, demons stalking the earth, the Fae and the Morrigan – what’s not to love?! This is an action-packed book that kick-starts in today’s world and then catapults into the future. A problem has been solved – a world problem – but is that the answer to mankind’s problems or only the beginning? As the blurb states ‘modern technology is proving useless, old magic from a bygone era’ comes once again to the fore. Told in several parts, we get to know a variety of characters – my favourite amongst them being the illustrious Cookie, I defy any reader not to fall in love with him! We are also introduced to Iamo and Riga – the main characters of sequel, Shaman’s Drum (which I’ve yet to devour) and boy, is Riga the kind of heroine I like – kick-ass in the extreme! The developing love between them is told sensitively and realistically – in fact, the whole story is handled in a very ‘real’ way, which really appealed to me, I don’t like it when books get too ‘fantastical’. A great book, and it’s clear Ailsa Abraham knows her stuff, I learnt a lot about the old/new ways from reading this. Highly recommended.”
Of course I’m delighted that this reader obviously loved the book. I’m highly flattered by her praise but what grabbed me so much was her favourite character. Cookie is the husband of high-flying academic Sawhele Fielding, the person who sets in motion “The Changes”. Although an achiever himself, he is the balance point in her life, the funny-man to her sometimes-humourless personality. Self-effacing, he puts her on a pedestal and lets her know that she is all that matters to him in the world. I loved him too but this is the first time a reader has singled him out.
Riga? I expected everyone to love her and Iamo, they are the principle players but I find Iamo a bit of a wimp in this volume being too conscience racked and high-brow. That’s OK, it says a lot that my characters are human enough for me to find fault with the main ones.
You see, I don’t take much responsibility for the way they turned out. I thought up the costume but they arrived in my head and danced off wearing it, becoming themselves along the way. My personal favourite if I can have one, is Adrian Oliver who was only supposed to be a link-in figure but politely took over a large part of the plot.
It is one of the fabulous things about being a writer. I’m not their mother, I don’t get upset if people don’t like them. In fact, I love it when people disagree about who is their favourite. They are real people to me and just as in real life, we can’t like everyone.
Well, I do try.
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The Bingergread Cottage 
Great review. It’s always interesting to find out people connect with things that you weren’t that partial too or characters that weren’t your favourite. I’m accelerating my reading to see if I catch up with Alchemy soon.
lovely review for one of my favourite books!