Deep in Providence

Despite my considerable skills in researching books to acquire by inter library loan, some of my best reads are gifts from my older daughter Amber. For Mothers Day this year she gave me Riss M. Neilson's Deep In Providence. From the first succinct, dramatic line, "This isn't the fist time I've touched a dead body", to the unexpected ending, it is nothing less than spell binding.
For Neilson's teen protagonists—Miliani, Natalie, and Inez—magic introduced by Miliani's now deceased Filipino grandfather has been an integral part of their lives. They've grown up practicing spells and potions, utilizing the mystical ambiances of their hometown. But now they have a much harder challenge to tackle. The fourth member of their close knit friendship group, Jasmine, has just been killed by a drunk driver. The girls, especially Miliani, are determined to, with the help of Miliani's Aunt Lindy, bring her back to life. Of course this is way beyond anything they've ever attempted. So they have to work up to it, which involves some risky business.
And there's also plenty of earthly drama to complicate things. Natalie's drug addict mother takes off frequently, leaving her in charge of herself and her younger brother. How can she possibly go to college with such heavy responsibilities? Inez's mother is a strict practicing Catholic who is very much against the practice of magic and premarital sex, not exactly someone Inez can confide in when she discovers she's pregnant. Miliani's mother is estranged from her sister and suffers from a mysterious debilitating illness.
The drama stems from the intersectionality of the earthly and the anything but. That gives it an immersive richness and complexity neither strand could create on its own. If you want a lot more than stomach churning special effects from your chillers, Deep in Providence is a must read for your summer list?
On a purrrsonal note, Eugene and I are going to Amber and Brian's for a cook out. His parents are coming too. I'm really looking forward to that.
A great big shout out goes out to you, my readers, with best wishes for a safe and happy weekend.
Jules Hathaway
























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