The Singing Of Swans Book

19th Annual Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the Spirituality Category.

Madalene Ross's complacent life is about to be turned upsde down. Never one to make waves, she's content to coast along, live in her head, guard her heart, and pay no mind to national or world events. But lately weird events have been happening. On the way to her downtown office building she's hounded by a homeless woman who asks, "Got a match?" At night bizarre dreams haunt her sleep. Women fly through rooftops, chant in ancient temples, paint tongues of fire on vivid white canvases. Was it something she ate? The stress of rumored downsizing and impending layoffs? Or a message trying to rouse her benumbed spirit? Will Madalene pull the cover over her eyes and fall back to sleep? Or wake up and smell the triple venti latte?

Library Journal

Madalene Ross, a computer analyst for a large Minneapolis company, begins having a series of disturbing dreams and encounters that upsets her uneventful daily life. Family members help her uncover clues to her Sicilian heritage, prompting a trip to the motherland. Throughout the centuries, select Sicilian women have devoted their lives to upholding the rites of the Sacred Feminine. The injustices and cruelties inflicted upon the followers are revealed through the lives of Rosalina, a pre-Christian temple priestess; Ziza, a 16th-century healer; and Ibla, an 18th-century artist. Denver author Saracino's (Finding Grace) third novel is an unevenly written journey of the oppression of the Mother Goddess. Despite the strength in factual details of Sicilian history, constant repetition bogs down the plot, lengthy descriptions of the ceremonial rituals read like a manual, and the multiple story lines coalesced by force into an unsatisfying conclusion. Recommended with reservations for fiction collections with a high level of interest in feminist spirituality. Joy St. John, Henderson Dist. P.L., NV Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.