Foto dell'autore

Christine Emmert

Autore di The Nun's Dragon

3 opere 11 membri 3 recensioni

Opere di Christine Emmert

The Nun's Dragon (2014) 5 copie
Lilith (2011) 5 copie
Ismene: The Journey Back (2005) 1 copia

Etichette

Informazioni generali

Non ci sono ancora dati nella Conoscenza comune per questo autore. Puoi aiutarci.

Utenti

Recensioni

As a young girl, gathering mushrooms for her family in the woods near their village, Margaret stumbles upon a sleeping dragon. Contrary to his kind's ferocious reputation, the dragon, whom Margaret names Wyver, befriends her. Eventually, her father having died, her mother takes her to a convent to become a nun, and Margaret becomes Sister Agnes Dei.

But Wyver continues to visit her.

Dragons are not well-regarded by the Church, even though they are believed to guard the Garden of Eden, and this is especially true of Sister Clare, one of the most senior after the Prioress, and Father Thomas, the priest who visits from the neighboring monastery to give them the sacraments. Others, such as the Prioress herself, the herbalist Sister Angelica, Sister Miriam in the scriptorium, and even Brother Edmund, who accompanies the aging Father Thomas, are more sympathetic--if not to dragons specifically, at least to Sister Agnes Dei's intelligence, gift for drawing, and desire to learn. Simmering conflicts come to a head with two crises: Sister Agnes Dei is found dead, crushed by the convent's water wheel, and plague comes to the convent in the form of a knight on pilgrimage.

This is an engaging story, raising some interesting questions, and it stands out for treating the beliefs of its mediaeval, Christian characters with respect. These are real, complicated people, even though we can scarcely scratch the surface of most in this short novel. The best have their weaknesses and uncertainties, while the least sympathetic are coping with their own issues, even if these may be more hinted at than fully developed. Even in the face of real temptation, and challenges to the details of their beliefs, characters keep trying to do the right thing, holding to the core of their beliefs even while debating what, exactly, "Christian love" means.

A small but rewarding story. Recommended.

I bought this book.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
LisCarey | Sep 19, 2018 |
Evelyn is a graduate student doing her thesis on the mythical figure Lilith, Adam's first wife. At first all is going well, until Evelyn meets Lilith in the form of a barn owl in her barn. She becomes obsessed, first with the fear that Lilith will steal and devour her infant son, and then that her husband will succumb to Lilith's wiles.

Is the danger real? Who and what is Lilith? Is Evelyn, as her husband fears, losing her emotional grip? The tensions and stresses are growing, between the couple and within Evelyn. And then her husband tells her to paint Lilith.

This is a creepy, atmospheric, very effective novella. Recommended.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
LisCarey | 1 altra recensione | Sep 19, 2018 |
I received a copy of Lilith from Book Bloggers, in exchange for an honest review.

Evelyn, a graduate student and new mother, is writing her thesis on the mythical creature/demon, Lilith, only to find the same creature calling to her from her barn. Lilith has taken the shape of an owl, and tells Evelyn that she wants to eat the woman’s baby son. Is this true, or is Evelyn just a little crazy?

Emmert does a good job keeping the reader in the dark about this, but in the way that good horror writers do. Ambiguity, not confusion. The story has an old-school horror feel to it–Shirley Jackson mixed with Lovecraft and Poe–that welcomes you in and keeps you entranced for the length of the tale (a mere 21 pages). Except for a few sentences that I stumbled over, I found Emmert’s use of language lush and lovely. Her characters’ style of speaking did take a little getting used to as it felt very old-fashioned, but this choice worked well for the story, helping to create an eerie and timeless atmosphere. Lilith is a fun dark read.… (altro)
 
Segnalato
MFenn | 1 altra recensione | Sep 29, 2012 |

Statistiche

Opere
3
Utenti
11
Popolarità
#857,862
Voto
3.8
Recensioni
3
ISBN
2