Dream of the Circle of Women

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece for readers of any age group
Review: Dahti Blanchard is a creative spirit, engaging in music, writing, and doula. She lives in a log house in the Pacific Northwest, but originally hails from upstate New York. She holds a music degree and is a student of Cella, the academic branch of RCG-I. She has published many articles and reviews, and has had two feminist plays produced.

Kat Benson was adopted. But when her real mother dies, she leaves a wonderful and magical house to Kat, along with many clues as to what her heritage really encompasses. Kat moves into her mother's home, which has been handed down to the women in the family since the 1600's, and immediately begins having dreams of her ancestors. Kat discovers that she shares more than just art with her mother, and starts on a journey of discovery...both of her mother and of herself. She feels an instant comradery with her neighbor Rita, whose mother is a fundamentalist fanatic. She meets the man of her dreams, but has to take a step back to really integrate all that happens in a very short time. But it is the newfound power of healing that really rattles:

"My eyes flew open again, and I looked down to see Jake's body still lying on the ground with my hands in the same positions above and below his head. However, as I slowly lifted my hand from his temple, I couldn't believe my own eyes. There was no blood on either my hand or his head. I shot a glance toward the rock. It was still blood-stained! Instead of a dent that had told me of the crushed skull, there was only a slight bump and the beginning of discoloration on his forehead."

DREAM OF THE CIRCLE OF WOMEN is a whimsical look at the inherent powers of women, which have been crushed over the ages by the church and men. Blanchard manages to completely enrapture the reader, all the while deftly examining irrational taboos of our society and laying them to rest. DREAM is a journey of wonderment for Kat, whose art blossoms as she works through the mystery of her own family and what it means for her. There is a beguiling story of love, and the entire tale makes the reader want to jump up and shout "Yes!" This is the way life should be, and Dahti Blanchard points the way. DREAM is a masterpiece for readers of any age group. Well done, and more...please!

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer


Rating:
Summary: Something besides the typical summer reading.
Review: My first reaction after reading this book was that this is for the person looking for something beyond the typical book club books. It is a book that is appealing to so many people in such a diverse way. It is a story for someone with pagan interests. It is a story that has elements for a person who may have had a difficult relationship with a parent. It is a story for someone who enjoys the journey of understanding the past.
It is an enjoyable debut novel that is appropriate for a book discussion group, a vacation read or a rainy weekend.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: This book is so great I couldn't put it down, and it kept me up late at night for about three days! The plot, the characters, the description of this fabulous old house are all just wonderful. But most of all, it is inspiring. It is inspiring in that it talks about our connections with our ancestors, our connection with everything around us, chasing our dreams and especially connecting with the green world of growing things. It inspired one friend of mine to go outside and garden like crazy. This story has something for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Reading at the Stoplight
Review: This is one of the few books that I find myself keeping on the seat next to me in the car and pulling out to sneak a paragraph while waiting for the stoplight to turn. That will tell you how compelling the narrative is, as Kat moves through the pages as her mysterious past unfolds and reaches a masterfully wrought climax that brings all the varied and mysterious elements of the book together beautifully. Her characters are so human and her portrayal of the small provincial town so true to life, her dialogue so realistic that I feel as though I know them all, met them in my own small home town. And her descriptions of the surrounding countryside and the house itself bring you there with just the right number of adjectives to fire up your own imagination. This is a great book, bringing together many meaningful threads and binding them into a rope you will hang onto, holding your breath to the end. Buy it!! YOu won't want to take this one back to the library.