Reviewer: Alan Chin
Publisher: CreateSpace (Dec., 2012)
Pages: 308
In current day San Francisco, Sister Mary Rose Harlowe and
Broderick Ellis are brought together by a mysterious old woman to solve a
mystery that began in Ireland at the time of the potato famine. Mary Rose and
Broderick find themselves in a mad rush to get answers that can prevent
disasters and save countless lives. What they uncover is truly remarkable, secret
powers that have been in play for centuries. It is something that the holy authorities
in Rome will do anything to crush. But as remarkable as this mystery is, Mary
Rose and Broderick discover that the most shocking revelation is about their
own lives.
Bud Gundy has created a truly innovative romp though
history, captured in a voice that is magical and amusing. The plot is chock
full of twists and turns and the two protagonist must use their considerable
wits to maneuver between the landmines.
Like most good stories, it is the characters that make this
tale so interesting. Sister Mary Rose is a devout nun, but she is also a
headstrong woman who will not be pushed around by her ‘superiors’. Broderick is
a fun-loving gay atheist. Together, they clash in a fun way, much like the Odd
Couple or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The plot is both serious and fanciful. It is fast paced and
there are times when I couldn’t read it fast enough. It is a page-turner with a
surprise ending.
There are times in the story when Sister Mary Rose climbs onto
her soapbox to convince Broderick there is a holy power, and to me (a
non-Christian) it sounded too much like preaching. I would have preferred that
the author have gotten his point across in more subtle ways.
http://budgundy.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment