The Enchanted (Harper Perennial Olive Editions) (P.S. (Paperback))

by Rene Denfeld

[mary]

This novel is extraordinary. I have never read a book quite like it yet. The words on these pages grabbed a hold of me for long after I set the book down. The descriptive images remained in my mind and my imagination. I haven't had a book accomplish this in quite some time. This book contains fantasy elements, but that isn't what the book is about. It deals with some rather harsh and hopeless themes: abuse, rape, incest, murder, death row, and mental illness.

Despite all these difficult to talk about themes, Rene Denfeld works magic into the story. This is a book with captivating imagery and prose. There is hope in this book even in the darkest themes discussed. Rene also is able to write in multiple points of view and very realistic and developed characters that you can't help but be drawn to. The narrator is fantastic and the only first person perspective found in the book. Throughout the whole story you have an idea of his past, but his crimes remain untold. He is mute and only communicates with the reader and he is the one to give us these magical descriptions of the ancient prison he is held in on death row. This inmate has found peace and hope in the dark corners of this ancient prison and he provides these gorgeous descriptions to the reader.

Most of the characters in this book are not named. However, the few notorious death row inmates: York, Arden, Striker. There is also Conroy, a guard and Risk another dangerous inmate. Then there are some characters we get to know more intimately that are not named included the priest, the white-haired boy and of course the lady. Now most of the this book centers around the lady who is a death row investigator, which I later discovered that the author is herself. So you can tell when reading that there is an authenticity to the words the drip from the page in describing the life and job of such an investigator. I found it fascinating all the way through. The lady's job is find and uncover anything that may help York escape death row; however, York wants to find mercy and he wants to die making the lady's job much more difficult.

What I really loved about this novel was Denfeld's ability to show the reader all sides to the story. She showed the past lives of the criminals, the fear of the victims, and the brutal jobs of death row investigators and prison guards. So from all these points of view we can find a way to empathize with each.

Most importantly there is hope in this book. With all the horror and dark topics, there is an eloquence that surfaces and helps the reader see the bright side. There are not many books I have encountered that have been able to accomplish this. The only one that comes to mind at the moment is Night by Elie Wiesel. Again there are certain authors that give us the opportunity to bear witness to humanity's darkest moments with gorgeous imagery and prose.