Tears of a Shadow

Rating:
Summary: Elvis' Death Was Not Accidental...
Review: Any Elvis fan will find Stella Patchouli's novel a most compelling and exciting read. With the many Elvis conspiracy theories filing tomes, it is refreshing to find a story that finally makes some sense and is emminently plausible. This book is a must read for any one interested in learning about Elvis's final days through the eyes of a female lover and not one of his male cronies and synchophants. I recommed it highly.

Rating:
Summary: Elvis' Death Was Not Accidental...
Review: Any Elvis fan will find Stella Patchouli's novel a most compelling and exciting read. With the many Elvis conspiracy theories filing tomes, it is refreshing to find a story that finally makes some sense and is emminently plausible. This book is a must read for any one interested in learning about Elvis's final days through the eyes of a female lover and not one of his male cronies and synchophants. I recommed it highly.

Rating:
Summary: What is this? Is it real?
Review: Are we reading the same book? This is utter tripe. A vain, silly woman (is she for real?) seems to have written her life story in 10 minutes. And then she adds in some Elvis to interest fans. Halfway through it, I was starting to think it was all made up. Is it? Are there people like this out there? They met Elvis once or twice and then write a book about it.

What drivel. Stop printing garbage like this and stop trying to fleece Elvis fans.

Rating:
Summary: No lies, no pretense here. Just honesty and courage¿
Review: Once in a while, one has the privilege of coming across (stumbling across really) a book that captivates one's imagination and grips one's emotions from beginning to end.

"Tears of a Shadow" is such a book.
I bought the book initially because one chapter deals with a topic I am doing some research on. When I got the book, instead of going directly to the chapter that was of interest to me, I made the mistake of starting with the very first page... and I found that I could not put the book down. I read it straight through... and read it again... I was hooked...

This book is written simply without false pretense. It consists of a series of vignettes, bits of the puzzle of the author's life. In the end, the puzzle complete, one gets a glimpse of an extraordinary woman's persona.

The book operates on many levels. On one level, it is simply the life of a woman recounted through her many encounters with famous or not so famous people, including Elvis. This is very interesting in and of itself. But, in my opinion, the golden nuggets lie elsewhere on a different layer of reality and consciousness.

A child exiled, exiled from family and loved ones, exiled from her country and culture, and exiled, most importantly, from herself, alone in a world that is not hers must find ways to survive on her own. The book, deep down, is really about her courageous "journey through the desert" from that alien world to the "virgin land" that so many exiles ultimately may call home. We witness her metamorphosis from the child who puts a pillow over her head to shut out an inhospitable world to the woman who creates a world that she can call her own and finds hope in small and insignificant things (the most important ones).

This is an extraordinary book and its power lies in its authenticity. No lies, no pretense here. Just honesty and courage...

I hope this author keeps writing books. I have the sneaking suspicion that she has something special to offer the world...