Cherie Priest’s debut novel, this atmospheric Southern Gothic ghost story was originally published by a small regional press in 2003. The (shorter) new edition from Tor is an indication that greater things lie ahead for this new voice in fiction.
Eden Moore is a young girl in Tennessee with a whole mess of family secrets to untangle. Priest takes us on an abbreviated trip through Eden’s childhood where we learn, among other things, that our young mixed-race protagonist seems to have a knack for “seeing dead people,” and that one of her ancestors was a supremely nasty voodoo magician. Eden grows into an artsy, driven goth girl determined to find out why her crazy religious cousin keeps trying to kill her and how her mother ended up dying in a sanatorium in Florida when she was a baby. Her genealogical investigation grows increasingly dangerous, but Eden’s a tough and unsentimental protagonist who can take care of herself.
To be honest, this book wasn’t to my taste, and that isn’t necessarily Priest’s fault. She’s obviously a talented writer, and what feels like a languid pace to me might just as easily be seen as skillful atmosphere-building by a fan of the genre. The environment—the swamps, trees, dirt, heat—is practically a character unto itself here. And Eden’s strong personality might not be too much for some readers—I just didn’t find her very likable or compelling.
A sequel, Wings to the Kingdom, is due from Tor in the fall, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the publisher sees a potential franchise here. Heck, I could see this showing up on the new CW network. If you like ghost stories with more texture than genuine twists, Four and Twenty Blackbirds is worth a look.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
Publisher : Tor Books; First Edition (October 1, 2005)
Language : English
Paperback : 285 pages
ISBN-10 : 0765313081
ISBN-13 : 978-0765313089
Genre: Southern gothic ghost story
