A Circle of Dreams
- 2006 INDIES Finalist
- Finalist, Romance (Adult Fiction)
Discovering Mysteries Through the Mystical and Spiritual World
’“Choosing the name of that lost child tempts the spirits.
‘We’ve had that discussion Bertille’ Jamie said irritation evident in her tone. ‘It was our decision. If there are restless spirits wouldn’t they be glad that the child everyone thought had died in fact had lived to have children of his own that after all these years there is finally another Philippe in this old house?“’
In the novel A Circle of Dreams by Annie Rogers Jamie Demontagne brings home her newborn son to live on her family’s house in St. Lucia. Although Jamie is not a native of St. Lucia she has lived there long enough and established a family and feels profound affinity for the island life.
The story of the Demontagnes revolves around the past and present. A family with deep roots to St. Lucia there are ghosts that haunt. The story begins in 1838 when Anne Cecile-Diamant a relative to Jamie Demontagne loses her four-year-old son Philippe during the French Revolution and he is believed to be dead. The story comes back to 1986 when Jamie names her baby after her ancestor Philippe who in actuality did not die. The story then jumps to 1994 when Jamie’s twin daughters are twelve going on thirteen. Her son Philippe is eight and experiencing serious problems where he loses touch with reality. The story then focuses on Jamie and her husband Andre who are puzzling over ways to help their son and their family.
In discussing their son’s problems Jamie begins to realize that Phillipe loses touch when he’s on St. Lucia but never when he’s in New York visiting the specialists: ‘“Maybe the places attract some sort of psychic energy’ she says. ‘That’s getting a little too island even for me’ Andre said. ‘Look we’ll have the final session with the New York doctors in a couple of weeks.’”
Annie Rogers a pen name for the duo Mala and Roger Burt relates the story with compassion and tenderness showing a strong love between Jamie and Andre as well as for their children. A Circle of Dreams is the second book in their Demontagne saga and it presents a mystery that involves real life issues—the struggles of being working parents caring for children and helping them through physical or mental problems. What makes this book unique though is its blending of another culture specifically the island culture of St. Lucia and the mystical and metaphysical traditions of the local people.
This novel is an excellent mystery for those who enjoy the world of the spiritual and the interconnectedness of the past with the present. The island life brings cultural perspective and richness of color and lifestyle to the story. It is apparent that Rogers knows the island life well and depicts the relationships between the characters in a genuine and caring way. This author duo writes with strength and passion bringing the reader fully into this circle of dreams.
Reviewed by
Christina Claassen
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
