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. 

BOOK NOOK: The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

 

"I cannot let the memory of what happened change the way I feel about this chamber.  This is my domain. Mine. Mine to keep and guard, mine to use. Tonight it will be the meeting place for five senior witches including myself. I have requested them by name, the most trusted and experienced members of the coven. I need their wisdom. I need their help." 

The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston is a dark novel of life, death and rebirth. It is the third installment of The Shadow Chronicles and it has held me captivated from the very first chapter.  Each novel of the Chronicles stands alone, so you don't need to have read the previous titles to enjoy this one and vice versa.  In this book we follow Lady Lilith, Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven and the darling of London aristocracy. 

Set during the Edwardian period, the novel begins in 1913, just before the First World War breaks out.  Lilith is forced to lead a double life, being a young lady out in High Society - while she is also a witch who can speak to the dead.  Her coven is one that maintains regular contact with spirits - not via table tapping theatricals, but in a more natural guardian-spirit sense. 

In lots of ways this novel reads more like a ghost story than a witchy one, but that is one of the things I found most enjoyable about it. It's different from all the other witchy books I've read. As you can image, being a witch who sees and speaks to spirits can bring about its own problems, but when war breaks out Lilith is inundated with the ghosts of restless spirits who need her help.  To add to her troubles there is a rival clan of sorcerers who want the magic she possesses and they will stop at nothing to get it.  When bombs begin to drop on London she must use all her powers to ensure that her coven survives and her rivals are defeated.

This is an enchanting novel of sparkling balls and china tea-cups, of dashing, ghostly Cavaliers and dark malevolent spirits. There is an adorable black cat familiar, a secret chamber where rituals are held and magic is cast - and a touch of necromancy thrown in for good measure! Although there are more ghosts than spells in this book, that doesn't diminish the magical atmosphere of the novel.  

Lilith is is lovely character, her suitors are suitably dashing, the world she inhabits is beautiful and enchanting. With the outbreak of war the novel takes an appropriately darker turn, in keeping with the chaos and sorrow of that time, yet through it all good magic shines its light upon the blighted bomb-stricken city of London.

While The Midnight Witch isn't my favourite of Brackston's novels, that being The Silver Witch, I have enjoyed reading this one nonetheless and I have spent the last few days sitting in my garden, book in hand, escaping into this charming world of magic and wonder, ghosts and ghouls.

 If you like witchy novels, ghost stories or you are a fan of the TV series Ghost Whisperer, then you might like this book too. Paula Brackston is one of my new go-to authors for witchy novels and I am delighted that I discovered her work.  If you are looking for something to read while on holiday I highly recommend The Midnight Witch. 

Happy Reading!

Marie x

#AD: This novel is published by Little Brown Book Group and is available now in all formats.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Oxford, Trinity Term

 

We are deep into Trinity term now and assignment season seems to have come around really quickly.  This is my second term studying at Oxford and I have been enjoying it immensely, ever since I started my course back in January. Our tutors are brilliant and the course work is interesting.  I have studied both Creative Writing and Gothic Literature before at university level and Gothic Literature is one of my favourite nerdy topics to dive into. However, the course I am currently on is taking this to a whole new level as we re-evaluate the subject matter. Its really making me think about books I thought I knew well.

The core texts include some of my favourite classic Victorian novels, including books I have adored since I was a young girl, so to study them chapter by chapter, with an emphasis on their Gothic content, is a real thrill. I'm seeing them in a whole new light, which is wonderful for a bookworm. I am fascinated by the nuts and bolts of Gothic literature. What is it that makes a story a Gothic novel, rather than just a novel with Gothic themes, and to what degree was this the intention of the author, or the perception of the reader?  

The Gothicisation of certain novels, poems and authors is quite fascinating, as we view them through a lens of doom, gloom and personal tragedy, yet these authors would have had joyful aspects to their lives as well, we just choose not to pay any attention to those moments. Instead, a dark mythology evolves that surrounds these authors forevermore. Consider the image of Robert Louis Stevenson writing in a fevered frenzy upon his death bed in order to finish Dr Jekyll and My Hyde.  Or Charlotte Bronte walking the moors all alone after watching her siblings die one after the other in quick succession. Picture Edgar Allan Poe hiding away from his personal demons and escaping into his study by candlelight, or the reclusive existence of Emily Dickinson as she spewed out a plethora of poetry.  All of these images serve to maintain the mythology that surrounds these authors, bestowing upon them a gloomy misama - that is, a Gothicisation of their lives and work. Separating mythology from biography is always the first task in understanding any classic author and their body of work. 

It is great fun to spend the summer months delving into the gloomy, Gothic romance of the Brontës, Poe, Radcliffe and so on, in order to better understand the structure of Gothic writing and imagery. As we approach the summer solstice, the course work and required reading are giving me a welcome taste of spooky autumn, which is nice. It may be sunny outside but tucked away in my study, with Enya playing softly in the background and the breeze tinkling the chimes in the open window, I can delve into the dark, foreboding worlds created by some of the best authors in the history of English Literature.  

There is quite a lot of work to do each week, in addition to the assignments, so a course such as this isn't something to undertake on a whim. You do have to put the hours into your studies, but of course, it's Oxford - you expect to have to work hard at Oxford! Just because it's an online course doesn't mean that they let you off lightly either. They don't! My tutors are lovely, but they are also rather strict. If there is so much as a comma out of place, they will jump on you for it!  I quite like that though, as it all helps to make me a better author.

Overall, I am really glad I was brave enough to apply to Oxford last year. So far I have greatly enjoyed my studies there, especially the creative writing aspects of Hilary term and now the Gothic literary aspects of Trinity term too. This weekend I have a new assignment to write and submit to my tutor, plus I need to complete my first new book title of 2024 for my publisher, so it's going to be a busy few days! I also have some new pre-release books that I need to read for review too.  It's a very bookish, scholarly life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Happy solstice!

BB Marie x

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Be Self-Providing

"Would you like an adventure or shall we have tea first?"

from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

There are many double standards in society, most of which tend to put women at a disadvantage in comparison to men.  One that really grinds my gears however, is that of berating women who provide for themselves. Its something I noticed several years ago and it happens time and time again.  While we are thankfully a long way from the time when women were expected to marry so that they had a man to provide all their basic needs, as a collective society we still haven't evolved much since then.  Interestingly, it tends to be other women who are the worst offenders here, with men being more likely to applaud a woman who is self-reliant, than her female counterparts are.

For instance, why is it okay for a woman to make out her Wedding-Gift list, thereby expecting everyone else to provide her with the exact tea-set, microwave and so on that she wants, but its not okay for a single woman to provide herself with a beautiful tea-set or whatever? Why does the bride-to-be consider herself entitled to demand an expensive dinner service, henceforth to be lovingly referred to as her 'wedding china', but a single woman is frowned upon for providing herself with her own beautiful china?  Why is that? Surely we should be beyond such judgments.  

Yet single women who provide for themselves are often viewed as spendthrifts, shopaholics or hoarders, while women who are provided for by their husbands (or their wedding guests) are showered with praise for their good taste! Its such a strange double standard and one that is frequently imposed on women by other women - usually the ones who have spent a lifetime being provided for or those who are struggling to provide themselves and their kids with the basics. We see evidence of this on social media all the time, when influencers are shouted down and trolled because they have dared to show something they have worked for. Is it envy, female relational aggression, insecurity on their part or something else? I'm not sure where it comes from, but it has been directed at me many, many times.  

As a single woman I pay all my own bills and provide everything I need for myself with the income I make working as a writer. Even when I spent over eight years studying at university, I also worked long hours in an emergency vet hospital to provide for myself throughout my studies. I work just as hard as anyone else. The things I own are things that I have earned and worked for. Nothing has been handed to me on a plate - not even my V&A Alice in Wonderland plates!  I'm just a woman who works hard, who likes pretty things and who has built up a beautiful collection over the years - as many married couples do, I would hasten to add! 

I have often advocated for buying pretty things over plain ones because surrounding yourself with beauty is a well-known aspect of overall happiness. So why is it deemed acceptable for a married woman to proudly display and use her wedding china (which she didn't pay for and didn't actually earn!) but unacceptable for a single woman to also display the china that she worked hard to buy for herself? Why is the married woman entitled to such pretty things, but the independent woman isn't? What are we supposed to do, eat off paper plates?! Would that make everyone feel better? Maybe, but it isn't going to happen - not in this house!

Women who have collected a lot of lovely things are often labelled in negative ways by society. We are over-consuming the worlds resources, we are spendthrifts who don't understand the true value of money, we have more money than sense, we must be in a lot of personal debt and so on. Or, we must have come by our belongings through ill-gotten gains, via unexplained wealth, or due to some sort of underhand behaviour. In short, we are meant to be the problem. But purchasing isn't pilfering and buying crockery isn't a criminal offense. Its just life. People will always need plates!

I am always going to be fond of a nice tea-set and that hasn't changed since I was a girl. Now that I am an adult I can afford to indulge this little quirk and buy my own tea-sets, so that's exactly what I do.  I have a large dresser, which is filled with items that mean as much to me as any married woman's wedding china means to her.  

I have a mug-tree full of Disney Princess tea-cups. I have the V&A Alice in Wonderland tea-set, which is my pride and joy, I have the pink floral Bronte dinner set, plus a few pieces from Emma Bridgewater's autumn and winter collections and the quirky Yvonne Ellen Boozy tea-set, pictured above, which always makes me smile. I have a tea-pot in the shape of a white rabbit and another in the shape of an owl. When the internal lights of the dresser are on in the evenings, these tea-sets glow with colour, shimmering glaze and brilliant gold leaf. 

It makes my heart happy to see it each morning, to throw open the dresser doors and pick out a tea-set to use that day. I'm proud to know that I have been able to provide these things for myself, with money I made from my writing and from working hard throughout my life. I am proud of my ability to self-provide, from the basics to the pretty extras that turn day to day life into a lovely treat. 

Another woman might prefer to collect shoes, or handbags or something else, but whatever she provides for herself, she is entitled to it. We should all be providing for our own needs and wants, even married women - especially married women! Its such a thrill to know that you have bought something wonderful with your own hard-earned cash, no man required. And if its not his money you're spending, but your own, then he has nothing to say about it does he? So long as you are not getting into debt for it, you can purchase whatever you want with your own money. 

So if someone tries to belittle you for your own hard-earned purchases, whatever that might be for you: if they spitefully suggest that you must be doing something illegal or underhand to be able to afford it, remember that this usually comes from a place of envy and very deep insecurity on their part. Perhaps they feel that they will never be able to rise above the struggle of meeting basic needs, or maybe your success shines a light on their failure. Whatever it may be, bear in mind that it is their issue, not yours. You don't need to feel guilty for having nice things, just because someone else's insecurity has been triggered by it. Take joy in your possessions - you've worked for them, you earned them and you absolutely are entitled to them. No-one else deserves them any more than you do, whatever they might try to suggest to the contrary.

As for me, I'm just going to bask in the warm glow of a well-stocked dresser, knowing that it is entirely self-provided. I might even host a tea-party this weekend, for as the Mad Hatter said, it's always tea-time!

BB Marie x