Rating: 
Summary: a good but dark read
Review: I am a reader of fictional books on magick. That is the obvious reason I went right into this one. The charactors were easy to love and hate as the book was written quite vividly. Sometimes it was very hard to tell what to think of a charactor though as the twists in the story lead you deaper into the mystery of who the "dark sister" really is. I suppose what was least enjoyable about the book was that with all the characters so real that every twenty pages you would get almost a glimps of Wonderland... these quite disturbing happenings that are occuring don't quite fit in the novel. It reminds me to some degree of "Practical Magic" the novel in its dark randerings... except Joyce's style of writing is very fast paced. The witchcraft in this book does not enter at all into the spiritual aspect and I can not say how well of a basis that the Herbal lore/magick has, though it is written in such a way that it is inrapturing. Overall it is not a book to read to brighten the mood, or to read unless you want to feel a little thrill and douse yourself in someone elses problems for a while.
Rating: 
Summary: A fascinating tale of Witchcraft and it's deadly aftermath
Review: I decided to read Dark Sister after reading Graham Joyce's 'The Tooth Fairy' - which left me needing to search for more of his books.Dark Sister has a very original plot and is an excellently executed novel which grips you all the way through till it's disturbingly grim end. After finished reading I did a little research into Wiccan and Old Herbal practices and was pleased and surprised to discover how much truth was in the novel! I have to agree though with a previous reviewer here that the ending did feel a little rushed and maybe not all the subplots and been adequately concluded; but this is my only complaint. Nonetheless, more people should sit down and read Graham Joyce as he is certainly one of Britain's finest writers today. I will now endeavour to read all of his work that I can lay my hands on.
Rating: 
Summary: offensive and jarring book
Review: I had hoped for much after reading other reviews here, but came away from Dark Sister feeling offended. Yet another book where Pagans have a Dark Side (as if Christianity didn't?) and where an insipid woman doggedly seeks power to the near destruction of self and family, only to return to joyous suburbia. Quite like a magical and sexual version of a Harlequin romance. The writing style itself is quite good, if the plot and characterization of women leaves something to be desired.
Rating:
Summary: One fantastic read! I simply could not put it down...
Review: I loved this book from beginning to end. The character development is excellent, the story line rich, eccentric and erotic. The prose flows as well as any I've encountered. Highly recommended. A job well done Mr. Joyce!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: I particularly like the way witchcraft is portrayed in this novel. None of the witches here are evil, although some of them are a little cranky, to put it mildly! The story is quite engaging and reads quickly--almost too quickly! I look forward to reading more Graham Joyce!
Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: I picked this book up expecting to read something like The Thooth fairy,wich was an exelent book,but I found this book to be completely different as it mixes some stupid wife-beating-husband family drama with fantasy.It is got a minnimal dose of the bizarre kind of fantasy that made The tooth fairy great.By the end the book looks very rushed.It steadily looses quality. I would only recommend this book to people into wicca,otherwise you may find this book lacking,specially if you are looking for something like The Thooth Fairy
Rating:
Summary: Not his best work, but still amazing...
Review: I very much enjoyed Dark Sister on its own merits, but of course it is impossible not to compare it to his previous works. For all the intensity this book brings, it felt somewhat "light" to me compared to "The Tooth Fairy". However, Graham Joyce could write a shopping list and it would still be better than almost anything being written today. I am still amazed by his ability to draw you into a very real story with very real and sympathetic characters, and then introduce through dark, fantastical elements the magic that underlies all our lives, if we are open enough to see them. This blend is amazingly difficult to achieve, and again he does it with well crafted prose and wonderful insight. I look forward to a long and prolific career from Mr. Joyce.
Rating:
Summary: offensive and jarring book
Review: I wanted a nice little bit of horror/well written story and it seems I have found it. I'm savoring this one because I know when I get to the last line of the last page, I'll only want more. I haven't read a horror story this engulfing since "The 37th Mandala."
Rating:
Summary: A TASTY LITTLE TREAT
Review: I wanted a nice little bit of horror/well written story and it seems I have found it. I'm savoring this one because I know when I get to the last line of the last page, I'll only want more. I haven't read a horror story this engulfing since "The 37th Mandala."
Rating:
Summary: Could not put it down
Review: It is rare I can read a book in a short time. I have 5 kids so my time is limited. But I read this book in 2 days and was unable to put it down more than I had to. While I found a few things wrong with the story being in the craft myself. I did enjoy the story line and pure fantasy of it all. It is a great read.
| 
