Diabhal
Diabhal Book 1
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Diabhal (Devil) is the story of cults, exorcisms and the devil in 1980’s era Los Angeles. Ceit Robertson, age ten, is the next Matrarc to the Society, a cultish, matriarchal group living in an inconspicuous cul-de-sac in Venice Beach. When Ceit’s mother is attacked by spirits from the old world, a failed exorcism results in Ceit’s exile into the foster care system in Los Angeles. She eventually lands in the infamous MacLaren Hall, a very real and historically auspicious center for disturbed and abandoned children in El Monte, CA. Diabhal is the sympathetic story of the devil in Los Angeles. The exploration of the true nature of evil and how intention colors what our definition of wickedness truly is. Ceit grows into a force of nature, as she contains the potential and mythology of the darkest degree, but discovers that perhaps the devil is not what we should truly fear.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kaufman (The Lairdbalor) puts an unusual spin on the diabolic possession story by evoking sympathy for the embodiment of evil. Ceit Robertson's power emerged at an early age, and she's assumed to be next in line to lead her family's Celtic magick community. When her mother becomes afflicted by dark beings called the Sluagh, Ceit tries to save her mother's soul and is revealed to possess more power than anyone imagined. Cait is effectively orphaned, with her mother catatonic and her father too distraught to care for her. Members of a Satanic temple are awed by Ceit and decide to bring her into their fold so she can be worshipped properly; however, events don't go as planned. Kaufman's tale of an affectionate, afflicted "devil" mixes with the Satanic panic of the 1980s to become an engrossing tale of magic, darkness, and natural order. Fans of My Best Friend's Exorcism and Stranger Things will be fascinated by Ceit's ascent to power.
