New Book Alert: A Southern Enchantress by Deborah Trahan; Enchanting Contemporary Fantasy Novel About Dark Secrets and Magical Gifts Passed Down Through Familial Generations

 

New Book Alert: A Southern Enchantress by Deborah Trahan; Enchanting Contemporary Fantasy Novel About Dark Secrets and Magical Gifts Passed Down Through Familial Generations

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

This review is also featured on Reedsy Discovery

Spoilers: Deborah Trahan’s Contemporary Fantasy Magical Realism novel, A Southern Enchantress, tells the story of a family of mostly women who share a magical and dark disturbing past. This past binds them to each other even beyond death.

The women of the Lafountain Family of Pass Chastain, Mississippi are all-powerful. They are clairsentient. They can experience other's emotional and psychic energy. They also can communicate with the dead, particularly their own ancestors, such as Jack, an over 150 year old angel who vows to look after his descendants until he can move on. Other women in the family practice hoodoo, a folk magic that combines Abrahamic and indigenous religions and encourages practical uses such as rootwork, using elements of nature to treat, heal, or cause illnesses. Their abilities give the Lafountains a reputation for being Enchantresses, but hadn't exactly made them lucky in life or love.

Most of the book focuses on two Lafountain women, Suzanne, a modern English teacher and Addy, her 1940’s-era grandmother. Suzanne just ended a terrible marriage and is trying to rebuild a new life with her twin sons. She meets Max, a wealthy charming man who seems alright at first. But the more Suzanne gets to know Max, the more exposed she becomes to his violent jealous nature and the dark spirits that seem to surround him and threaten her.

Meanwhile, Susanne's grandmother, Addy also has to sort out her own troubles during WWII. She is romanced by Cash, a future GI whom her family does not approve of. While Addy and Suzanne are troubled by their relationships with men, they  also experiment with their abilities and powers and discover some dark secrets that the Lafountain Family have been carrying for years.

Addy and Suzanne are exceptional protagonists and both their stories are superbly interwoven by similar experiences with men and a stronger link that is revealed later in the book.

Their backgrounds are very different. Addy has an affluent family with parents, siblings, and her grandmother. Most of Suzanne's antecedents are dead and she is particularly grief stricken over the horrid murder of her mother.

 Addy is still somewhat sheltered and naive, a young woman attending parties with handsome men and looking for love. Suzanne already lost one love and is more concerned with rebuilding a life with her sons. 

Addy falls for Cash immediately and both make overtures towards dating and romance. While Suzanne thinks Max is attractive, she is somewhat cautious because of her previous divorce, but Max eventually wins her over.

Even their approaches to their abilities differ in how they use them and are affected by them. Addy is at the beginning of discovering them so this is new, frightening, and somewhat exciting to her. She seeks guidance from her paternal grandmother, Mimi Jeanne who also shares them. She fluctuates between her interest in the supernatural world and her involvement in the natural world of finding an advantageous marriage.

Suzanne on the other hand has always known of her abilities. Jack’s presence is no more startling than a friendly dog jumping on her lap. She sees visions of her deceased mother and other ancestors that help guide her on her path. However, these abilities aren't helping her adapt to a normal life. Most people either think she's crazy or bewitched and want to have little to do with her. Suzanne just wants the spirits to go away so she can care for her sons and live in peace with Max. No can do, her ghostly ancestors tell her. They want her to get to the bottom of this mystery that ties her family with Max's, a mystery that began with Addy.

Despite Addy being a naive young woman at the beginning of her magical journey and Suzanne being a bitter middle aged woman about ready to reject her magical journey, the grandmother and granddaughter do have something in common: horrible taste in men. Neither Cash nor Max end up being terrific guys. 

Before he ships out, Cash threatens Addy when she gets pregnant. Even after he returns, he commits a severe betrayal that haunts Addy for the rest of her life.

Max is much worse and we even have POV chapters from his perspective to prove it. He appears handsome and charming but his actual nature appears under his superficial facade. He turns out to be a bad tempered manipulative crook who isn't above breaking the law or using violence to get his way. Unfortunately, he puts a tremendous hold on Suzanne that is hard for her to break until she learns that his past ties with hers.

What is more important than the Lafountain’s relationship with men is their relationship with each other. Even though there are some things that are hidden and need to be discovered, the family members love, care for, and will protect each other. This is the type of family that guides, advises, and assists their loved ones, dead or alive.