Springen O'Flaherty has the ability to see auras. As a child she lived in a Popsicle world where the kids were swathed in brilliant colors and the grown-ups were a fuzzy pastel. Later, her psychic powers multiplied and resulted in a life of secrets and half-truths-of otherworldly sights and experiences. Spring was resigned to the status quo until she met Jed Collinsworth. Now she wants that two-kids and a mini-van life, but to accomplish her goal she has to be honest with the man she loves. But first she has to come to terms with her unique abilities. The sudden loss of her dad plays havoc with Spring's well-laid plans. Ready or not, Jed is about to be introduced to the O'Flaherty clan of western Virginia with all their eccentricities and quirks-tent revival preachers, gospel musicians, healers, heroes, and pot growers. When faced with the truth, will Jed help Spring discover the elusive sense of peace and acceptance that she's always wanted? And will she finally make peace with God?
Review :
Kirkus Reviews
A supernaturally gifted woman comes to terms with her past in Darr's debut novel.
Springen "Spring" O'Flaherty is ready to begin her sessions with therapist Dr. Jill Martin, in part because she's been
keeping an extraordinary secret from the man she loves. From her earliest childhood as a preacher's daughter in the Appalachian Mountains, Spring has been aware that she possesses a wide array (or "smorgasbord," as she calls it) of psychic powers, from precognition to divination. Most prominently, she has the ability to see the multicolored auras that surround people, and she can also predict their natures and fates. She once confided to her best friend, Tommy Herndon, that her prayers for God to help her make sense of her gifts have gone unanswered. For Spring, "avoidance had become a way of life" because she'd hidden her special nature from most people; she ruefully admits that "most of the time being different wasn't any fun at all." But she's determined to work through her memories so that she can embrace the promise of the present with district attorney Jed Collinsworth, with whom she's dreaming of spending the rest of her life--and the process centers on coming to terms with a devastating tragedy. Overall, Spring's story is memorable and affecting.
Darr smoothly and skillfully handles a series of well-executed flashbacks in which readers see Spring gradually come to understand how her powers work as well as the personal toll they take on her; for example, after a trauma, she recalls, "I'd turned into a zombie. I was a fossil like those found flash frozen in the Arctic." The author's depiction of the simplicity and beauties of life in rural Appalachia are semipoetical highlights of the novel: "the bright green tree canopy was highlighted by a froth of color, courtesy of the wildflowers," Spring observes on the day she first brings Jed to meet her family. Darr also provides wonderfully believable dialogue to every major and minor character in the story.
An evocative, involving novel about how mystical powers can complicate one's life.
Chanticleer Book Reviews 5 Star
Annaliese Darr, the author, writes of the Appalachian culture of tent revivals, blue grass & gospel music, and beliefs in "psychic gifts" and the old ways with a deftness and clarity that juxtaposes Spring's new life chapter in the big city. Darr's dialogue and characters are refreshing and captivating while her heartwarming story encompasses mystery and murder.
The novel is split between her backstory, brought out through the counseling sessions, and the front story of how she deals with Jed and her powers ("I could feel the noose of destiny tightening around my neck"). The narrative is straightforward with no ruffles and flourishes, but is written sometimes with witty and loving banter and sometimes it is written with palpable sadness that steps the reader through a complex tale and time switches without confusion. Darr balances the mystery of "what happened?" with "what happens next?" as she capably builds the suspense and tension on several fronts.
Spring's refusal to tell Jed her secret is frustrating to him and to her--especially because Jed is someone whom we, the readers, can believe can deal with it. However, at the point her hesitation turns implausible, we recognize the true battle Spring is fighting. Readers will find themselves rooting for Spring (and for Jed) and for the bad guys to get what they so justly deserve in this very special story that will touch your heart and pull you in.
