Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician

Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician
by Daniel Wallace
http://www.danielwallace.org/
ISBN: 978-0-305-52109-3 $21.95
Doubleday
Fiction, July 2007
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The stories setting is a rural southern one, and the story occurs in the middle of the twentieth century. It begins in May of 1954, Henry is just a boy and he meets with a devilish magician named Mr. Sebastian. Mr. Sebastian teaches Henry magic and all the secrets pertaining to the magic. But at what price will Henry have to pay for those magic lessons?

Daniel Wallace is a master story teller and we eventually learn the true identities of Henry and Mr. Sebastian and the tragic events that occurred throughout the story. The story is told by many of the different characters, and Wallace has a skill of using each of these characters in telling Henry’s story.

Wallace writes with impact and the story is superbly crafted with twists and turns leaving you with a great sense of anticipation, making this a real page turner. The conclusion is one that will leave you breathless.

Daniel Wallace was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended Emory University and the University of North Carolina, and now lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife and son. Daniel Wallace is the author of Four novels: Mr. Sebastian and The Negro Magician, Big Fish, Ray in Reverse and The Watermelon King. And Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician, will be published by Doubleday in July 2007.

Cracking Grace by Steven Stromp

Cracking Grace
by Steven Stromp

Cracking Grace is amazing; I have never read anything quite like this before. Talking statutes? Wow, this is gripping. The story is told through the eyes of Audrey, a young girl who has lost her mother. Audrey’s father takes care of the cemetery and is very proud of the statues he has created; they include Mary, Jesus, and two gargoyles. You will also find an eccentric ghost, Mrs. Grant who is trapped in the cemetery after committing suicide, and you will even find a blue bird named Bluebell. The story unfolds after the death of Audrey’s mother; Audrey feels second best to her dead mother and doesn’t feel like she can compete with her dead mother for her father’s attention. Audrey’s father is slipping away due to being consumed by grief.

The novel focuses on grief and the coming to terms with both loss and death. A father unable to accept his wife’s death, a woman trapped in stone, and new found relationships for the daughter, and coming to terms with loss and grieving in different ways are all an intricate part of this story.

I highly recommend this story for everyone, and especially for those who have suffered a loss and are grieving. This is a wonderful story, and very different.

Absolute 5 star read!