MUSICAL DOLL: SIX, The Musical

 

"I'm that Boleyn girl, yeah I'm up next, see

I broke England from the Church - yeah, I'm that sexy..."

Yesterday I went to see the matinee performance of SIX, The Musical. I have seen it once before, a couple of years ago and it has fast become my favourite musical.  It tells the fictitious story of  what would happen if the six wives of Henry VIII were to form a girl band and sing out their traumatic experiences at the hands of a despot husband. As you can imagine, King Henry is the butt of all the jokes and this is certainly a feminist take on history. 

I enjoyed the show even more this time around because I have the album and so I knew all the songs - it was bit like being at a Britney or Kylie concert, but with history attached.  I had forgotten how sparkly and bedazzling the costumes are! They shimmer under the lights like diamonds, adding a touch of Tudor glamour to the performance. Six is a very fun, vibrant show, which includes a techno rendition of Greensleeves and the cast wearing day glow Tudor ruffs! As you can imagine, the audience is predominantly female and this is a great show for a girl's night out or if you have teenage daughters. Be aware though that there's lots of sexual inuendo involved in the performance, so if you're easily offended it might not be for you. For example, Anne Boleyn makes a remark that Henry must have really liked her head, accompanied by a rude gesture with her microphone! It's all a bit of a carry-on, and the show doesn't have any age restrictions on it, but just be aware that there is some saucy content. 

For the most part the show is incredibly sassy, with lots of one liners and great jokes at Henry's expense. It is long past time we made him the scapegoat after all, and Six does just that, with intelligence and marvellous wit.  The audience were encouraged to support their favourite Queen and my favourites have always been Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, so I bought the lapel pins for each of them, but I only wore the Anne Boleyn one as it went with my dress. I'll wear the Katherine Howard one next time I go, because I absolutely will be going to see Six again. It's just so much fun, with very catchy songs that you can sing and dance along to.  You don't even need to see the show to enjoy the music, as the album tells the story of these Queens through the lyrics of the songs, so you can just listen to the album SIX, The Musical and get the same vibe. 

If you do want to see the show however, they are touring the UK all summer long, so go along and see for yourself how much fun it is. I had a great time and I'll probably be listening to the album all weekend. Don't lose your head!

BB Marie x

BOOK NOOK: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

He took another drag of his cigarette, all anger apparently gone. "The word 'psychotherapist', as you know, comes from the Greek psyche, meaning 'soul', and therapeia, meaning 'healing'. Are you a healer of souls? Will you heal mine?"

With Oxford University having broken up for the summer, I am free of my studies for now, until the autumn, so I have had more time to read fiction. Once again, I find myself drawn to the world of dark academia and since this novel has been waiting on my shelf for some time, I decided that now was the perfect moment to read it.  

Set at Cambridge University, The Maidens is a dark and moody murder mystery, for there is a killer on the rampage amid these hallowed halls of learning. The Maidens of the title refers to an exclusive secret society at the university, made up of the brightest, most beautiful and highly privileged of the female students. The society is run by the handsome professor of Greek Tragedy, Edward Fosca and his Maidens will do just about anything to win and maintain his approval.  This allegiance becomes all the more vital when one of their number is murdered and the society bands closer together to protect each other and their beloved American tutor.  

Into this mix comes Mariana, a psychotherapist and aunt to one of the students, Zoe, who was best friends with the murder victim. Mariana is still grieving after the sudden death of her husband and she is determined to do what she can to protect her niece until the killer is found and brought to justice. She soon begins to suspect that Edward Fosca has a strange hold over the girls he has drawn into the Maidens society and that he is the most likely suspect for the murder, so she sets out to prove his guilt, using her skills as a psychotherapist to try and extract the Maidens from his influence and control. Being a psychotherapist myself, this psychological slant on the classic mystery novel intrigued me.

This story is written in the style of a good old fashioned who-dunnit. It reminded me of Miss Marple, in that Mariana seems to be able to get access to crime scenes and evidence which is totally beyond her jurisdiction as a therapist. She also has a habit of finding evidence that the police have missed, which she then holds onto without consequence, so it is a little fantastical in that respect.  However, this didn't spoil the story for me because lots of fictional amateur sleuths seem to have a knack of being in places they shouldn't be, so it was in keeping with the genre and the classic mystery novels of Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell.

The story swings along at a nice pace, with short chapters and great hooks that keep you turning the pages. The university setting is well drawn and you do feel as if you are in the halls of Cambridge University, or punting on the river, as you read.  I also enjoyed that this book hinges on Greek mythology, most especially the myth of Demeter and Persephone, which is one of my favourite legends of the Greek pantheon. 

My only gripe with this book is that it didn't go on for long enough and I felt like the story ended too soon. I would have preferred an additional scene at the end, because it didn't feel like a truly satisfying ending. It's good, but I wanted to know more. I would have preferred the novel to continue for one more scene to get a more satisfying denouement, as the ending feels too open and unfinished, though some readers will enjoy the open-ended conclusion. 

Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this one. If you like dark academia novels, murder mysteries or classical mythology, you will probably enjoy The Maidens. It has certainly kept me entertained for the past couple of evenings. Happy reading.

BB Marie x

AD: This novel is published by Orion and is available now in all formats. 

BOOK NOOK: The Story Spinner by Barbara Erskine

"Be proud. Be strong. You are royal, never forget it."

I have been an avid fan of Barbara Erskine's novels for many years, so when her publisher, Harper Collins, generously sent me an ARC of her latest book, The Story Spinner, I was thrilled.  I made reading it the priority of my free time and I finished it today. As with all of Erskine's novels, I was immediately swept into the story from the very first page.

The Story Spinner of the title is a woman called Cadi who lives in the beautiful Welsh countryside. Tucked away in her cosy Welsh cottage, Cadi works from home as a poet, weaving epic poetry books from the myths and legends of the Mabinogion. Working with her cousin, Rachel, an artist who illustrates the poems, Cadi has produced several books of poetry all related to the legends of her homeland. As she begins to write her latest book, however, suddenly the poems take on a life of their own and Cadi is transported back to Roman occupied Wales during the time of Macsen, or Magnus Maximus, as he is more commonly known in history. 

As Cadi develops a spiritual connection with Macsen's wife, Elen, she begins to channel her epic story into her poetry. Elen is also a figure of myth and history, being known in pagan circles as Elen of the Ways - an antlered goddess of the Celtic pantheon, while to the Christians she became St Helen of Caernarfon. Erskine carefully weaves all these threads of Elen's mythology into one tapestry of consummate storytelling. Set in and around the area of the Snowdonia Mountains and  Caernarfon Castle, which I have visited many times, this book has a deep sense of place and I felt transported in my mind, back to the ramparts and walled walkway of Caernarfon as I was reading. 

This is an epic story which follows Elen's life from girlhood right through to her later years as an elder. It moves from Wales, throughout the Roman Empire and back to Wales again, taking in palaces, hill forts, Roman villas, Druid groves and worm holes!  It seamlessly switches between the past and present, as Cadi uncovers how Elen's story is linked to the meadow next to her beloved cottage and to the archaeological dig that is going on there.

One of the things I loved most about the novel is that it addresses the skill of automatic writing and the concept of authors who work intuitively and channel their books into being. This is something I could really relate to as I tend to work intuitively myself when I am creating my oracle decks and books for my publisher.  The novel also seemed to hint at Erskine's own writing process and perhaps it is her way of answering the questions often asked of authors, such as where they get their ideas from and how they do what they do.  Reading this novel is like peering through the window, watching Barbara Erskine as she writes and I greatly appreciated that insight into her working world.

The Story Spinner is an action packed novel that swings along at a steady pace. It features a jealous ex-lover out for revenge, an adorable dog, some sexy Roman soldiers, a Druid priestess, ghostly Centurions marching through the night and the return of Meryn, one of Erskine's most beloved characters who turns up in lots of her books. Every time I read one of her Meryn novels it is like meeting up with an old friend - some part of me is always reassured that Meryn is here to help save the day in his own magical way! This book was no exception.

As Cadi spins out Elen's tale in her poetry and prose and time has little meaning in her world, its a very easy story to get caught up in. I also feel that in this tale, Barbara Erskine has written a novel about a writer for fellow writers. It is full of little creative tableaus and artistic temperament, so if you want to know what its like to work as an author and poet, this novel will be right up your street. 

The Story Spinner is a wonderful novel to fall into and Barbara Erskine never disappoints! Who knows, reading this book might even inspire you to write your own stories and poems and become a bit of a story spinner yourself.  You won't have to wait long to read this book as it is released on August 1st. Happy story spinning!

BB Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Harper Collins, for the purposes of review. It is released on August 1st 2024. It is available for Pre-Order now in hardback, audio and digital formats. 

SHIMMER SPELL: Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot

 

One of the nicest thing about being a spiritual author is that editors, publishers and record labels often send me items for review, or just to enjoy, which is so lovely of them!  I never take it for granted and I know how fortunate I am to be in such a position. As a result, I have managed to collect lots of card decks over the years, but some of them stand out more than others. Obviously, I am always going to harbour a very special fondness for my own oracle decks, of which I have now created four to date! But I also enjoy using the decks of other authors too, particularly those that have a very artistic style to the imagery.

The Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot is one such deck and I feel so privileged that it came into my collection.  Although I own lots of oracle cards, I only have one or two tarot decks - the  Favole Tarot by Victoria Frances and the Shadowscape Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law - so it's nice to have another set of tarot cards to use during rituals and as a tool of personal insight.  

My cards don't just sit on a shelf, never to see the light of day. I enjoy playing with them, shuffling them, gazing at the images, cleansing them and using them in my rituals and spell-craft. They are one of my most frequently used magical tools and The Ethereal Visions Tarot has fast become one of my go-to decks.  Inspired by the elegant Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, this deck is rich in visual symbolism. It has a very distinctive style, featuring long, sinuous swirling lines and elaborate curlicues that erupt into flowers and leaves. Furthermore, this deck has gold foil stamped onto each and every card, meaning that they glow and gleam in the candlelight of a reading.

Each card glimmers with its own magic and light, the artwork created in soft, water colour shades and pastel tones. All the traditional cards of the tarot are here, both the Major and Minor Arcana's, as well as two additional cards that the artist, Matt Hughes, has chosen to include in the Major Arcana, being The Artist and The Well.  None of the cards are scary to look at, though they do make you think deeply about what they represent. The Wheel of Fortune, for instance, depicts not only the usual Wheel, but a hooded, cloaked figure who holds the Wheel, symbolising that the future is aways unknown to a certain degree. 

The characters are softly drawn figures, reminiscent of the Romantic period, so there are star gazing maidens, regal kings and queens, cherub-like children and angelic nymphs. Some of my favourite cards from this deck are the Knights of the four suits, Pentacles, Wands, Cups and Swords. They look as if they stepped straight out of Camelot!  In addition, the King of Cups bears an uncanny resemblance to Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which always makes me smile. 

Laying these cards out in a spread is akin to flipping through the pages of a storybook, or an anthology of myths and legends.  They provide that same feeling of enchantment and adventure, as you read the stories the cards and the imagery present to you. I have used them several times and so far they have been pretty accurate. As with all card decks though, my own included, their accuracy depends largely on what you bring to the table with you. Moods, fears, blocks, ambitions can all be highlighted, providing you enter the reading with an open heart and mind. 

I would also suggest that The Ethereal Visions Tarot is a very feminine deck of cards, in terms of the imagery and colour palette used. It is a very beautiful deck of cards, one that shimmers with its own storybook level of charm and enchantment and so I feel that it will appeal more to women and girls than to male practitioners. 

I would also caution that this is not a deck for beginners because the accompanying booklet has very minimal information - just a sentence for each card interpretation and no suggested lay-outs for a reading. There is also no information regarding cleansing and care of the cards.  So it's certainly not a deck for those who are new to tarot reading and it depends on the reader already having a solid grounding of knowledge in the art of tarot and what each card and suit represent, both within the deck and within a specific reading.  Having said that, if you love the deck you could always buy a beginners book that explains the tarot in more detail, to help you work with these cards. After all, they are so beautiful it would be a shame to let the lack of information put you off from using it in your magic and rituals. 

I am really enjoying using this deck at present. It seems fitting for the summer months, but I'm sure I'll turn to something more gothic come autumn, such as my Victoria Frances Oracle or her Favole Tarot. Or perhaps my new Egyptian Book of the Dead Oracle. That's the beauty of collecting cards - there is always one on your shelf to suit your mood!

Happy tarot reading!

BB Marie x

AD - Gifted.