Wild Talent: A Novel of the Supernatural [Paperback]

 

 

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Readers who are familiar with Eileen Kernaghan's work know the skill with which she can weave the particulars of historical settings into the storyline of her fiction. In her last novel,The Alchemist_s Daughter ,the historical setting is the England of Elizabeth I. Now, in this latest book, Wild Talent: A Novel of the Supernatural, the scene is Victorian London and Paris of La Belle Epoque. The time period is specific as the story starts in March of 1888 and ends in September 15th of 1889. It is told in the first person through the diaries of a sixteen-year old Scottish farm worker, Jeannie Guthrie. As with the previous novel, where a thread of the occult runs through it, this novel incorporates the author's knowledge of spiritualism and theosophy. The heroine Jeannie is introduced into the famous salon of Madame Helena Blavatsky, (founder of the Theosophical Society), whose reputed psychic powers included levitation, clairvoyance, telepathy and clairaudience. Today, it may be easy for some to dismiss the Theosophists as crackpots, but in its heyday there was tremendous interest in it, and many people were later influenced by Blavatsky's writings, including Mahatma Gandhi, James Joyce and Wassily Kandinsky. Even Arthur Conan Doyle, who makes a brief appearance in this book, devoted his later years to its study. Indeed, many luminaries grace the book, for the years 1888/ 1889 were especially rich with personalities, events and associations. Of special interest is the role played by the other main real personage in the book, Alexandra David Neel, who could only be described as an adventuress and far traveler, and who befriends Jeannie. Kernaghan has read Neel's London journal of 1888 as a reference source for this book.

It is within this rich structure that Kernaghan weaves her story, seamlessly inserting the fiction of Jeannie Guthrie into the historical facts. Real people populate the book and real events, such as the horrific murders of prostitutes in London and the construction of the iron tower by Eiffel, are worked into the story. This material is handled without pedantry by the author and does not impede the story, which is told in a light and economical way. As well, the author is very careful to ensure that the little telling details, so important to any historical fiction, ring true. So when the heroine refers to her "rough tweed leggings and tackety lace-up boots", or describes that "she took a card out of her reticule", it sounds right. The reader is left with the impression that, like an iceberg where only the tip is showing, the author has done a lot of background work in researching these details and laying these little gems to sparkle here and there in the book.

This book will especially appeal to those with an interest in this particular locus in time and place, and also to those with a curiosity for seances, spiritualism, symbolist art and poetry, esoteric cults and the Beyond. The book is written as a Young Adult Novel, and many teenagers will get an especially big kick out of the chapter where Jeannie works for a phony clairvoyant as some of her tricks are dissected, but the material is certainly rich enough to provide adult readers with an enjoyable read as well.

Wild Talent is another tour de force by Kernaghan.

Although it is listed as young adult, this novel should not be passed over by any adult interested in the spiritual goings-on in late-1800 London and Paris. There is no doubt that Kernaghan has written it for both age groups.

She wrote the book in the form of a journal belonging to a Scottish lassie who runs away to London and is drawn into the occult world of Madame Blavatsky and befriended by Alexandra David. Kernaghan's skill in drawing the character using just the right voice is a joy to read. So are her word pictures of the strange world of London's and Paris's spiritualism circles. Her attention to detail of the period and places, as well as her word choices, bring the story to life.

Highly recommended for both adults and teens who love to read. Buy it for your own bookshelf or as a gift for someone close.

WILD TALENT ' A Novel of the Supernatural

This absorbing novel wends its way through the fascinating spiritualist world of late nineteenth century Britain and France. Rich in period detail, it chronicles the struggle of a young Scottish girl, Jeannie Guthrie, who fears she has run afoul of the law, and attempts to survive in a world unsympathetic to her needs. Her character and supernatural abilities are deftly explored against the backdrop of the London of that era. Counterbalanced with this are her association with the famous Victorian Theosophist Madame Helena Blavatsky, and her developing friendship with the charming and capricious French girl, Alexandra David. That Jeannie ends up in fin de siècle Paris, and must confront both her unhappy past and her exceptional talent, provides an exciting and satisfying climax to this tale.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Read
"Eileen Kernaghan's 'Wild Talent' is a wonderfully engrossing novel, combining a charming love story with a darkly dramatic tale of the supernatural. Read more

Published on Jun 23 2009 by Elizabeth C. A. Elwood

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Figures Blend With Fiction In This Intriguing Story
Desperate to ward off the unwanted advances of her cousin George, Jeannie Guthrie stabs him with a pitch fork. Read more

Published on April 25 2009 by Debra Purdy Kong

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