Bless the Child

Rating:
Summary: AVOID the horrible movie -- read the book!
Review: "Bless the Child" is a pulp novel, but a classy one, and it kept me engaged to the very end. Even the truly absurd plot elements are believable due to Spellman's deft prose and her occasional sly one-liners ("Nicholas Sayles was almost beautiful, if you didn't take his soul into account"). She also has a true gift for writing vivid, believable characters, evil as well as good, and the banter she writes between buddy cops Devlin and Garibaldi is delightful.

Where Spellman falls short is in the rather dull, even annoying protagonist, Maggie O'Connor. I found myself not caring all that much about her, and wanting to skip over her parts to get to the other stuff. The book's main villain, Eric Vannier, is also fairly dull, at least until the end, when he comes alive. Spellman has a tendency to drop plot and character points, both minor (Ghania is introduced as speaking perfectly good English, but then inexplicably speaks broken English to Cody in a subsequent scene, only to go back to perfectly good English for the rest of the book) and not so minor (Sayles's death is not shown on-page). I must say that the sex scenes, which strive to be loving and sensual, are unintentionally funny, and if Spellman intended for ageing southern belle Amanda's use of the racist term "darkie" to be cute and colloquial...well, it isn't.

However, this is a most enjoyable yarn, one I've read several times. The movie based (loosely) upon it is absolutely dreadful; I advise readers to skip it completely and stick with the book.

Rating:
Summary: That's what I call a Thriller !!!!
Review: "Bless The Child" is one of the best and most well-written books I've ever read. Having always been a Stephen King's fan on the supernatural-occult kind of thriller novels, I imagined it difficul that there could be another writer that could impress me even more. This book prooved me how deeply wrong I was!!! I found the book from a friend last year, I read it 3 times, with the same and even more enthusiasm and interest each time and it was the book I was really sorry, for having to give it back. I therefore, definitely, want my own copy. Unlike many books, this one is not a book you read once and then put it away. The reader gets so captivated from all the characters and the way each one of them interferes with the plot and contributes to it, that you really have to read it many times to really enjoy it as well as understand it as much as possible to every extent. Although a novel with quite ficticious aspects, (i.e. Isis's amulet and Sechmet's stone) Cash's wanted to make a novel based on real therories and practises, from many different cultures from allover the world, spanning a big historical period. For that reason, extensive research is obvious in her careful depictions and explanations of various schools of esoteric ideology and practices. Her characters and descriptions are well built and are definitely believable. (Ellie's and Peter's characters are fine examples that prove it). This breath-taking from start-to-end novel, will definitely trigger your appetite to actually do research and learn things on some of the subjects in the thematology used by the author to create it. An interesting bibliography is provided with this book for this reason.

Rating:
Summary: The One Time I Almost Liked the Movie Better
Review: After watching the Movie, "Bless the Child," I wanted to get behind how the characters thought and felt,only to discover the movie and the book are not one in the same. The movie takes on the common Judeo-Christian view of Good vs. Evil. However, as you crack Ms. Spellman's novel you find every religon under the sun battling for this star child. I enjoyed how much I learned about other religons and the information I received on the occult. However, I believe that this book makes the New Age movement too appealing to some young adults or teenagers who may read the book.

Rating:
Summary: Not Worth the Read
Review: Cathy Cash Spellman gave me thrill shriving goosebumps once again. She totally suprised me with this book. She used great Figurative Language, and Sense Image Sight. She suprized me with this book because I watched the movie first and I really didn't like the movie but I decided that I should read the book, and I loved it. It really was scary at parts but it kept me reading. It had my undivided attention the entire time. I thought that she did an outstanding job with this book. After reading Painting the Window and finding it a good book. I didn't let the movie "Bless the Child" discouarge the continous urge to read the book. I am glad that I didn't.

Rating:
Summary: Horrifying, Thrilling, Emotional and Wonderful!!
Review: Cathy Cash Spellman has written a masterpiece that desrves applause and honoring. This book is more mature readers only, due to the books sometimes gruesome violence and occult theme. This book brings many faiths together. Her characterization is splendid, the book is so well done it is believable and riveting. This book is also helpful in how Chrisitans can fight the devil with the power of God against evil. A must read for all avid readers and people of deep spiritual convictions.

Rating:
Summary: INTENSE!
Review: Cathy Cash Spellman's "Bless The Child" is one of the best and most intense books I've ever read. I found the book about 5 or 6 years ago and have read it numerous times since. Unlike many books, this one did not lose any of it's appeal in repeated readings. The first time I read it, I was so captivated by the story and character development, that I actually dreamed about the characters several times! Cash's extensive research is obvious in her careful depictions and explanations of various schools of esoteric ideology and practices. Her characters and descriptions are well thought out and quite believable. As a child I lived through horrors similar to those young Cody is subjected to, and I found Spellman's descriptions of Cody's plight to be chillingly realistic. If you have any interest in this genre of book, you are unlikely to be disappointed with "Bless the Child"

Rating:
Summary: Good Versus Evil and the Reader Wins!
Review: Having seen the movie before reading the book. I was prepared for a cutthroat struggle between good and evil. The material presented in the book, however is so much more multi-layered than the movie, it is almost a crime to allow the movie to have the same title.

Like the movie, the story revolves around the bond between Maggie and her granddaughter, Cody. Severed by the child's abduction by her mother and her new spouse, the bond triggers past life experiences to both Maggie and the child. Distraught, when she discovers that her daughter's spouse is the head of a Satanic cult and is going to use the child for some nefarious purpose, Maggie seeks help wherever she can find it, and an eclectic posse of assistants does she amass: a former cult member, an adept in the occult, a confused Catholic priest, a love-sick police detective, and a wise martial arts sensei.
As Maggie strengthens herself spiritually for the task ahead, we the readers are privledged to share in her enlightenment without any affront to our own beliefs. All the great mysteries are touched upon and Ms. Spellman knowingly provides a collection of reading material at the end of the novel for those interested in furthering their own spiritual quests.

A very satisfying junket from start to finish--would love to read a sequel which would reveal Cody's mature abilities.

Rating:
Summary: I LOVE IT!!!
Review: I love the movie, and I love the book as well. It's gory, but it touches the heart in a good way. It's definitely worth the read. :)

Rating:
Summary: Not Worth the Read
Review: If I hadn't been on a vacation and bored I don't think I would have bothered to read this book. It looked interesting on the cover but everything inside was boring, superficial, and ridiculous. This is a totally dated piece of writing. If you want Occult read Stephen King!

My advice: Skip It

Rating:
Summary: bless the child
Review: This is one of the most intensifing books I have read in a long time. It is well written, concise, and suspenseful. I am now an avid fan of Kathy Cash-Spellman. Keep on writing!!