Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

Mnemonic

   

Gabriel Blackstone is a remote viewer, a telepathic ability enabling him to ride on someone else’s consciousness. Very few people knew about this, but it was hardly a secret. It’s because of this same ability that made Gabriel a very prestigious thief. 

Life’s journey begins at birth, but Miss Mostert chose to begin her tale in death instead. Young Robert Whittington was mysteriously murdered. Initial viewing led Gabriel to the Monk House in Chelsea, the residence of two strange sisters -Morrighan and Minnaloushe.

This is a mystery wrapped in mythology, alchemy, and (yes) witchcraft. Thematically, this book has imaginative potential –the possibility of remote viewing and the mystery of the memory palace. The prose used is not obstructive, nor laborious. Unfortunately, most things here felt rather forced, like the strangeness of the relationship between the sisters and the protagonist, or the significance of alchemy on the whole mystery. While reading, most of me really wish that the story leaned more on witchcraft rather on the emotional obsession of the protagonist, which was quite dull, considering.

If I may add though, Isidore, a secondary character, and the epilogue are the redemptive assets of this story. On the whole, SEASON OF THE WITCH is interesting enough that I still consider reading from Natasha Mostert in the future.

Book details:

Title:  Season of the Witch

Author:  Natasha Mostert

Publisher:  Bantam Press

Published:  April 2, 2007

Genre:  Fiction, Paranormal Mystery

Rating:  ★★★

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