Random Musings of a Writer. Book Review of The Unholy

http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning/review-the-unholy-paul-deblassie-iii

Never does a day go by when Claire doesn’t forget about the circumstances that have brought her to where she is now. As the daughter of a murdered curandera, she’s the last of her line. Her mother’s secrets are embedded in her blood, and it’s up to her to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Sadly, the events of the past are something she doesn’t want to repeat. In her mind, she sees what happened so long ago each and every day. She has a hard time in letting it all go. To her, doing so would mean that she’d forget about her mother, and that she cannot do.

When the past starts catching up with her, and unexplained events starts to occur, Claire starts to question her sanity. She also starts to question who and what she is. Though she understands that someone is out to silence her, once and for all, she can’t help but to wonder as to why. Her mother’s death was never truly explained, and she could never figure out as to who was behind it all.

If she’s to succeed in setting all wrongs to right, she’ll need to find the strength within herself to finally embrace who and what she’s meant to be. Claire knows doing so will be difficult. There are things better left in the past. Still, if it means that corruption will finally be wiped out, perhaps doing so will be for the best. As bodies begin to pile up, and the unexpected occurrences escalate, she comes to the realization that no matter how much things hurt, nothing will ever truly be the same. Lives must be saved, and she’ll do everything possible to hold the darkness at bay.

A dark and twisted tale, The Unholy is not for the faint of heart. Paul has written a story that’s deeply thought-provoking, steeped in Native Mexican lore. With every turn of the page, you find yourself immersed in Claire’s plight, always wondering if she’ll succeed in overcoming every obstacle. The story has many set themes, but only one truly stands out. Not matter who and what we are, or what we do, corruption is always there. It’s just up to us as to whether we want to embrace it or not. This is definitely a story worth reading.